Moscow to Beijing Trans-Mongolian Trains

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Moscow to Beijing via Ulaanbaatar

There are two train routes connecting Moscow to Beijing. The shorter one, the Trans-Mongolian route is 7622 km. The longer one is 8961 km and it passes through Chita. The Trans-Mongolian route takes one day shorter than the one going via Chita, but you will need a Mongolian transit visa for the trip.

There is only one train running on the Moscow to Beijing Trans-Mongolian route, which operates once a week. The same train runs on the Beijing to Moscow route. The trip takes 5 days. To avoid the hasstle of applying for Mongolian transit visa, you may consider taking a direct train to Beijing instead.

Distance
7622 km

1 train
on the route

Runs
once a week

Travel time
5 days

42 stops
on the way

Price from
650 USD

#003/004

The Moscow to Beijing train 003/004 departs from Yaroslavsky train station in Moscow and arrives 5 days later at Beijing Central station. The train is operated by both Russian and Chinese staff. When the train crosses the border between Mongolia and China, the wheels of the train are changed to a smaller gauge - the whole process takes six hours. The train has 1st and 2nd class carriages and a nice restaurant car. NOTE: As the train crosses Mongolia on its route you may need to obtain a Mongolian transit visa to travel to China, please check the website of your local Mongolian Consulate.

004З

23:45

Moscow Yaroslavsky

5d 10h 50m

14:35

Beijing

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

Do I need a Mongolian visa to travel from Moscow to Beijing by train #033/043?

Train #033/043 Moscow to Beijing runs through Mongolia. Visa requirements depend on the agreements between your country and Mongolia. Please note that it is impossible to get a visa on board the Moscow to Beijing train.

How long does it take to travel from Moscow to Beijing by train #033/043?

The travel time between Moscow and Beijing is 5 days and 10 hours if you travel by the Trans Mongolian train #033/043 Moscow to Beijing.

Is there a restaurant car on the Moscow to Beijing train?

Yes, there’s a restaurant car on the Moscow to Beijing train. The average price is $5-$20 per meal, the menu is not available online as it is different for each train and also changes throughout the year. Please note that Roubles are accepted when the train runs through Russia and RMB is accepted when the train runs through China.

Is it possible to buy an open ticket from Moscow to Beijing and stop in several cities?

No, this is not possible. According to the railroad office’s policy, if you would like to make stops during your trip you must purchase tickets to each city that you’d like to visit. The Russian railroad does not offer any flexible tickets with stopovers. We also highly recommend not to buy tickets on the spot, but plan your trip well in advance and book the tickets online as soon as they are available for purchase, usually 90 days before the trip.

Can I travel with my cat/dog from Moscow to Beijing by train?

Yes, you can travel with your pet in a 2nd class cabin. You will need to provide all the necessary veterinary documents and book all 4 berths in the 2nd class cabin.

Testimonials

“

Easy to use

Tickets in Russian but it also comes with an English instruction. Had no problem boarding at all!

Published, March, 2019

— Andrea Lai, Hong Kong

“

Huge thanks

Dear Nastya, I finally have the time to send you this message to thank you for everything. Everything has worked out well: getting the tickets in Moscow, the train, the trip ; and everything was exactly how you said it, especially regarding the two-berth cabins. The trip was great and memorable, crossing the borders was an interesting experience, and arriving in Beijing was overwhelming. Thank you for having answered all our questions very quickly, with enormous patience and precision. If anybody asks us about how to get tickets for the Transsiberian or any other train in Russia, I will give them your name.

Published, November, 2010

— Patrick Leitner, Austria