Ulaanbaatar

Understand

Ulaanbaatar has many different and distinct layers. Long gone are the days when this city was just a typical, drab Soviet-bloc town in the middle of nowhere. One can witness the traditional, the Soviet, and the super-modern, all within a 5 minute walk through the city. Ulaanbaatar lies in the Altan Tevshiin Kundii (Valley of the Golden Cradle). Here the rivers Selbe and Tuul meet at the foot of the imposing Bogd Uul Mountain. In the forested and watered zone of northern Mongolia, it resides near the 2,000-year-old royal tombs of the Xiongnu, the 8th-century Turkic inscription of General Tonyukuk, and the birthplace of Genghis Khan. From the 20,000-year-old Paleolithic settlement on the Zaisan monument to the 12th century palace of the Nestorian Christian monarch Toghrul, there is a lot to learn and discover about this deep first layer of Ulaanbaatar. The second layer is the Urga or Örgöö of 1639-1778 — what would become Ulaanbaatar was established as a nomadic monastic center for the spiritual leader Zanabazar in 1639 — 230 kilometres (143 miles) southwest of today's Ulaanbaatar. The monastic center moved repeatedly and eventually settled at its present location in 1778, along a trading route between Russia and China. This mobile monastery era survives today as cultural forms (Genghisid memory, Mongolian temple architecture, wooden-fenced ger districts, Mongolian script, and Buddhism, traditional clothing, festivals, wrestling, music), and as physical artifacts kept in museums (Zanabazar masterpieces). The third layer is the late Qing dynasty Urga of 1778-1924 which can be found in surviving buildings such as the Gandan monastery. The fourth layer is the socialist period of 1924-1990 which saw the destruction of temples, the confiscation of private property, and Stalinist purges, but also the emergence of Mongolia as a modern, independent nation with Ulaanbaatar as its showcase. It was in this period that the city was named Ulaanbaatar khot, literally "Red Hero City". The fifth layer, corresponding to the decade of the 1990s, was a stagnant period marked by poverty and bread lines which left a poor impression on the few visitors who passed through the city after its opening from communism. The newest sixth layer is the Ulaanbaatar of 2000 to the present, which saw the city over double in size to its current 1.6 million. However, while the center now has glittery skyscrapers, fashion boutiques and epic traffic jams, many poor migrants huddle in ger (yurt) districts on the outskirts of the city without basic amenities like running water and sewage. The res

Getting there

By plane 1 Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN IATA, Чингис хаан олон улсын нисэх буудал, New Ulaanbaatar International Airport) (52 km south of Ulaanbaatar). Opened in 2021, this Japanese-built airport has now taken over all domestic and international flights, replacing the old Buyant-Ukhaa Airport which also used to be known as Chinggis Khaan International Airport. Getting to the airport from the city center takes about 50-100 minutes depending on traffic. Public transport buses run from 6:20 AM to midnight, but taxis and the airport shuttle are more reliable. Taxis cost a steep 85,000-120,000 ₮ depending on your destination, be sure to agree on the price in advance. There are also shared taxis for 30,000 MNT. There are two routes for the airport shuttle. As of Apr 2026:

Route X:19 from/to the Sukhbaatar Square bus stop (1½ hours) costs 15,000 MNT (adult) and 7,000 MNT (child). Coming from the city the fare is charged upon disembarking at the airport, payable in cash, credit card, or u card. The bus runs from the city to the airport from 05:55 to 22:30. Late night service ШҮ:4 provides two additional runs at 23:05 and 02:05. Route X:20 from/to the 5 Shar bus stop costs 10,000 MNT (adult) and 5,000 MNT (child), and takes 1 hour. The bus runs five times a day from Shar 5 to the airport between 05:50 and 20:50. Many of the higher-end hotels will offer a shuttle service to/from the airport for a nominal fee.

By train

Direct (if long) journeys are possible from destinations between Moscow and Beijing on the Trans-Mongolian line of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Ulaanbaatar-bound trains leave Beijing once a week, on Wednesday, and seats can only be reserved at the International Hotel in Beijing, a ten-minute walk north of the main rail station. The journey takes about 30 hours. Packing a face mask is a good idea as sandstorms in the Gobi desert may cause difficulty in breathing. Shorter-haul trains also run to the Chinese border towns of Erlian and Jining 3-4 times a week. Ulaanbaatar's 2 train station is on Narni Zam road, about 3 km west of the city centre. The cheapest option is the daily 18:05 departure to Zamyn Uud on the Mongolian side of the Chinese border. You can buy a connecting bus ticket from Zamyn Uud to Erlian on the Chinese side for 10000₮ in the railway office in Ulaanbaatar. After COVID-19 related suspending for 3 years, train service between China and Mongolia was restored, but only between Ulaanbaatar and Erenhot. In Moscow, trains to Ulaanbaatar depart Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (the latter two are express runs), for

Getting around

Street names are rarely known by Mongolians, and they usually only appear on maps and official addresses. Official addresses list the district, microdistrict (usually a large block bounded by major streets), and the building number. However, since blocks can have dozens of buildings, with more continuously being squeezed in between existing ones, addresses are not very helpful for navigation. Instead, it's best to have directions for major landmarks using lots of descriptions (i.e. "turn right at the first traffic signal west of the State Department Store"). Some major streets to know are Peace Avenue, UB's main road which runs west-to-east passing the south side of Sükhbaatar Square; Chinggis Avenue, running north-to-south on the east side of the square, then veering west toward the airport in front of Bogd Khan Winter Palace; and Seoul Street, which runs west from Chinggis Avenue just south of Sükhbaatar Square.

By taxi If you stand in the street and hold out your arm, usually within seconds somebody will have stopped to pick you up. This system can be quick and reliable, especially during the cold winter, but it can cause problems as many drivers will only speak Mongolian. Taxis are cheap: the going rate is around 1000₮ per kilometer, but if you're a foreigner, they'll overcharge you and there's really no way to get around it completely. A good tip is to carry a small written note with an amount in tögrög (500₮, 1000₮, 1500₮, etc.) and show them exactly what you are willing to pay before you get on. If the driver does not seem aggressive, you can get yourself out of this situation by knowing a few local words - particularly yes, no, and any numbers. Remember, even if you pay 4000 tögrög for a journey, though this is a higher fare than a local would pay, it is still only just over $1. So use your judgement. The price of gasoline is 3610₮/litre (Apr 2026), so you can judge whether some of these prices are realistic given market conditions.

Help Taxi, ☏ +976 99652371. Fluent English-speaking dispatch, all drivers have at least limited proficiency in English. Main taxi service for all the embassies. 1000₮/km, minimum 4000₮, airport to city center 30,000₮. iTaxi, ☏ +976 77171717. English-speaking dispatch, metered taxi rides, texts you when the taxi arrives to pick you up. 1000₮/km, airport to city center 20,000₮. Download Tino to order taxis quickly to your location. You do not enter the destination into the app, but simply order the cab and then instruct the driver where to go once you get in.

By bus

Buses in UB come in several different vari

See

Most tourist sites have a separate camera/video fee (typically 5000-10,000₮) in addition to the entrance fee.

Monasteries

1 Choijin Lama Monastery (Чойжин ламын сүм), ☏ +976 11 32478, [email protected]. Daily 09:00-19:30 in summer, closed on Sundays and Mondays during winter. These five temples and five arched gates are a unique showcase of religious art and the history of Buddhism in Mongolia, a gem of 20th century Mongolian cultural heritage, and a fine example of Buddhist architecture. The monastery was active until 1938, was inscribed in 1941 on the list of historical and cultural monuments, and became a museum the following year. In the main temple you'll find the sculpture of the Choijin Lama and the embalmed mummy of his teacher, as well as the great coral mask of Begtse, created under the direction of protectors using over 6,000 pieces of coral. Elsewhere in the complex, Yadam Temple and Amgalan Temple contain rare artifacts made by the famous Mongolian artist and sculptor, Zanabazar. 8000₮, students 3000₮, children 1500₮, photography fee 50,000₮. 2 Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Gandantegchinlen Khiid or Gandan Monastery). The main monastery in the city has services around 10:00 every morning. It is one of the few monasteries in the country that were spared during the Communist purges of the 1930s. 4000₮.

Museums 3 Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum (Богд хааны ордон музей) (about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) south of Sükhbaatar Square, on Chinggis Avenue in Khan Uul district). 10:00-17:00. Built between 1893 and 1903 by Mongolian masters, this palace was dedicated to the VIII Bogd Gegeen, head of Tibetan Buddhism and Khan of Mongolia from 1911 until 1924 (the last three years of which were as a constitutional monarch). Upon his death, the palace became the first national historical museum of Mongolia. The museum contains twelve collections showcasing valuable objects and works of art from the 17th to early 20th centuries (notable among which are gilded bronze sculptures by the first Bogd Javzundamba Zanabazar and his school, 19th- and 20th century thangka paintings, a Jugder painting of Ulaanbaatar in 1912, and works by modern Mongolian painter B. Sharav), as well as personal possessions of the Khan and his wife, Queen Dondogdulam.. Admission 8000₮, 50,000₮ photography fee. 4 Chinggis Khaan National Museum (Чингис хаан Үндэсний музей), J. Sambuu's street, 4th khoroo, Chingeltei District (a short distance north of the parliament building), ☏ +976 70212222, [email protected]. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays during the winter period (1 October to 15

Do

Outdoors 1 Sky Resort (13 km from city center. Go south to Zaisan, then east along the river past the President's Residence), ☏ +976 11 320345, [email protected]. 07:00-22:00. A winter sports resort offering downhill skiing, snowboarding, lifts, equipment rental, ski and snowboard school, and an onsite restaurant. There's a free bus from the Drama Center (next to the Grand Khan Irish Pub) with departures between 08:00 and 19:30 (frequent service on weekends, more sporadic midweek; check schedule to verify bus times). Under US$20. 2 Bogd Khan Mountain. The mountain ridge south of town, is a great place for a hike. To get there, take the #7, #33 or #43 bus from in front of the Bayangol Hotel to the south end of the line. From there, the road continues south about 100 m, whereupon you'll come to a checkpoint. Proceed, bear left when the road forks, and you'll soon find yourself in a ger camp with a small stream flowing north. This is where the hiking path itself begins, on the left (east) side of the stream. At the top of the ridge, veer west and proceed through the woods for an easy amble of about two or three hours (you'll come to a high point about 500 m past the turn). At the end of that stretch, you have the option of either branching off to the west or else continuing straight and slightly east to Bogd Uul Mountain (this path is marked with orange paint marks on the trees). That part of the trip is quite long — about 10 km one-way — and more challenging, with varying elevations. (updated Jul 2025)

Festivals

4 Naadam. The largest and most famous festival in Mongolia, Naadam is held annually from July 11-13 and consists of competitions in the three traditional Mongolian sports of wrestling, horse-racing and archery. The 3 National Sports Stadium, besides being the main venue for the festival, also serves as the country's main football and baseball stadium as well as a venue for occasional concerts and cultural events. Playtime Festival. Mongolia's largest annual outdoor music festival. (updated Dec 2024)

Theatre and performance 5 National Academic Drama Theater (Улсын драмын эрдмийн театр) (in the red Georgian building just south of the Post Office on Chinggis Avenue). Mostly presents Mongolian plays in drama, musicals, or children's performances. Tickets are sold at the "KACC" office in front.... Prices vary, generally cheap for Mongolian-language performances. 6 ASA Arena (on Seoul Street south of the State Department Store). Home to the world-famous Mongolian contortionists, where most of the world's professional contortionists get their

Buy

Cash is becoming less and less common, with many shops, eateries, and even street vendors and taxi drivers accepting bank transfer (using SMS or banking apps), QR code payment (multiple systems in use), and debit/credit cards. As a visitor, have cash and a paywave-enabled card. It's relatively easy to find an ATM to withdraw cash. Most ATMs accept foreign credit and debit cards to withdraw tögrög (the local currency) as long as you have informed your bank ahead of time as to your Mongolian travel plans; most will charge you a foreign currency conversion fee of about 3%. Besides Visa, other card types are also accepted, but not as widely: for example, the machines in the Central Post Office and along the main street will not accept foreign MasterCards, although they bear the logo. The only ATM that accepts Cirrus cards is the one at the airport. UB also has many banks and exchange offices where tögrög can be obtained. Golomt and TDB are the most reliable banks for currency exchange, the former of which can give up to US$500 per day cash advance on MasterCard and Visa and also accepts American Express. Exchange offices can mainly be found along Peace Avenue in the city center, including one on the fourth floor of the State Department Store. Lastly, major hotels like the Ulaanbaatar Hotel will exchange money 24/7 at the reception, which may be your only option if you arrive very late in the day. Keep in mind that you'll need a form of ID to exchange foreign currency - a passport will do. See Mongolia#Money for exchange rates for the tögrög.

Major shopping centers 1 State Department Store (Улсын Их Дэлгүүр) (west of Sükhbaatar Square on Peace Avenue). Daily 10:00-22:00. Formerly a state-owned department store (hence the name), today it is the busiest luxury shopping mall in the city, with everything from groceries to cashmere to TVs sold on all six floors of the building. Check out the fifth floor for the largest souvenir shops in UB. 2 3rd & 4th Microdistrict (northwest side of Gandan, 2 km north of the train station). You'll find several malls, name-brand stores, restaurants, supermarkets, curbside booths, and a movie theater at UB's largest shopping district. Selection ranges from luxury brands down to cheap Chinese imports. Traffic congestion is heavy in this part of the city. 3 Emart Department stores (Emart) (at the north of Chingis Khaan hotel). Daily 10:00-22:00. This subsidiary of the South Korean retailer has three department stores in Ulaanbaatar that offer mostly South Korean and some domestic goods. It has a good groceries department as wel

Eat

Ulaanbaatar has a good range of options serving Mongolian, Asian (particularly Korean and Chinese), and Western cuisine — and at decent prices. For instance, you can get perfectly good pizza for 5000₮, and even a night out at a fancy French cafe shouldn't pass 30,000₮. Consider splurging on a couple of good meals here, especially if you're headed for a long trek into the country where fresh vegetables and the like are often hard to come by and prohibitively expensive. Best of all, UB's rapidly growing wealth has meant a steady procession of ever newer, ever higher-quality restaurants, as well as the appearance of international chains like KFC, Round Table Pizza, and Cinnabon.

Vegan Mongolia's Buddhist history means that vegan and vegetarian restaurants are plentiful, and quality is high. Traditional Mongolian foods like buuz (steamed dumplings) and khushuur (fried dumplings) have vegan versions available at vegan restaurants; if you have dietary restrictions, you won't have to miss out on traditional food. In the city centre around the Sukhbaatar Square

1 Luna Blanca (across the street from and just west of the National Museum near Sükhbaatar Square), ☏ +976 11 9907-7885, [email protected]. M-F 11:00-20:00, Sa-Su 12:00-20:00. Good-quality vegan food. Attached to a Buddhist meditation centre, therefore short opening hours (closes around 9pm).If you're looking to self-cater they also sell a modest selection of groceries including vegan sausages. Around 4000₮ (Feb 2018). (updated May 2022) Vegan House Cafe (south-east corner of the intersection of Ikh Toiruu and Seoul St). Numerous vegan options including very good buuz. (updated Oct 2022) Loving Hut - Barilgachdyn Talbai. The best of several Loving Huts scattered across UB. (updated Oct 2022) Agnista Vegan Food, 706 Seoul St. Similar to the other Agnista but with less of a crowd during lunchtime. (updated Oct 2022) Bosco Verde (beside ASA Arena). Italian vegetarian restaurant (updated Oct 2022)

Budget

Throughout Ulaanbaatar are many small canteens (Гуанз) and coffeeshops (Цайны Газар). Try one of these for cheap Mongolian food. Buuz usually costs 400-600₮. As well, most universities (particularly the Mongolian National University and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology) have good cheap cafeterias with meals from 1800₮ to about 2500₮. Khaan Buuz (Хаан Бууз) serves up set meals of Mongolian favorites (buuz is a Mongolian meat dumpling) from 5000₮, just look for the lime green facades. CU and GS25 are ubiquitous Korean-style convenience stores that offer good cheap fast food and e

Drink & nightlife

Bars Nightlife in Ulaanbaatar is surprisingly wild, especially on Wednesday, Saturday, and (above all) Friday nights, when finding a seat is nearly impossible. If you like raving the night away to trance, techno, electronica, and house music, this is the scene for you. Beer in clubs costs about 3500₮, while other drinks such as vodka are sold by quantity: for example a 100g vodka costs about 4500₮. According to state law, all clubs and pubs (bars) must stop serving alcohol after midnight and close at 03:00, but some clubs stay open (and continue serving!) until 04:00. On the other hand, the prohibition against serving alcohol on the 1st of each month is universally adhered to, even if it falls on a weekend. Especially after dark, and especially on the aforementioned three busiest days of the week, it's best to go out clubbing in groups rather than alone: not only will you be less likely to run afoul of shady characters, but authorities take a hard line against public intoxication, and the Mongolian drunk tank is not a pleasant place to be. As well, the clubs in the 3rd district and the Sansar microdistrict are best avoided. Be sure to apologize if you hit someone or step on their feet accidentally, because this is a rather considerable breach of local etiquette. If you step on someone's feet accidentally, offer to shake their hand. This is Mongolian custom, and will also win you praise and respect amongst locals.

1 Ambrosia Restaurant (across Chinggis Avenue from KFC, south of the Post Office). A nice little restaurant that turns into a club at night, with good drink specials. Popular with foreigners. 3000₮ for a beer. 2 Ikh Mongol (next to ASA Arena). Patrons of this brewpub can choose between the main dining area, the fancy VIP upstairs, or secluded tables in the back. Most weekends have concerts from Mongolian bands. In addition to the house brews served on tap, the more popular Mongolian brands are served. 3500₮ a half-liter and up. 3 Mass (in the 3rd/4th microdistrict). One of the aforementioned clubs that likes to stay open illicitly past 03:00. Caters to a younger clientele. 4 Strings (in the White House Hotel). A somewhat notorious club frequented by foreigners as well as Asian businessmen. 5 Choco Metropolis Club, 11th floor, Seoul Plaza, Seoul Street, Sükhbaatar, [email protected]. Night club with two main dance floor on top of an office building. (updated Aug 2025) If clubbing isn't your thing, UB also has its share of more sedate pubs to choose from.

6 Le Bistrot Francais (on the west side of University Street, a block north of S

Sleep

During the annual Naadam festival in July, it's almost impossible to get any kind of accommodation in UB without prior reservations.

Budget Nowadays, budget accommodation in Ulaanbaatar tends to give the best deals for a traveller. Usually a bed in a clean dormitory costs US$5-10 and a double room should be under US$30 a night. Beyond what's listed below, another option for budget travellers who want a taste of authentic Mongolian culture yet are in a hurry or don't want to do longer trekking trips is a ger homestay with a herder family living in the countryside outside UB. Usually it is possible to participate in their daily life, e.g. milking cows or chopping wood. Horseback riding might be offered as well. Some travel agencies are able to establish contact with families, including Stone Horse Mongolia and Ger to Ger.

1 Bolod's Guesthouse and Tours (across the street from Sükhbaatar Square, enter through gate across from Post Office), ☏ +976 99192407, [email protected]. Still UB's most centrally located guesthouse, but the place has gone downhill: where cozy, high-ceilinged, clean and bright rooms once greeted you, you now have small, windowless rooms with noisy refrigerators that wake you up several times a night. There's also no kitchen anymore. The shower, which is in the entrance, is clean, but your privacy is only protected by a translucent glass. English-, Russian-, French-, and Italian-speaking staff are on duty during the daytime only. No credit cards are accepted. Bolod also provides tours at good prices and is known to arrange unique trips involving tank-driving and AK-47 shooting. US$7/night. (updated Jun 2017) 2 Chinggis Guest House and Tours (on Chinggis Avenue behind the National Academic Drama Theatre and Bayangol Hotel), ☏ +976 99271843, +976 11-325941, [email protected]. Clean and comfortable rooms with breakfast, Internet, hot shower, and use of kitchen facilities included in the price. Centrally located and quiet. Dorm US$8, double or twin US$10. 3 Gana's Guesthouse (on Ikh Toiruu ring road northwest of Sükhbaatar Square), ☏ +976 1136 7343, [email protected]. This guesthouse stands out from the rest: rather than the standard setup of spartan dorm rooms with bunk beds, guests are accommodated in roomy gers set up on an airy porch in an excellent central location overlooking downtown UB, only two minutes on foot from Gandan Monastery. Run by a friendly, helpful family, who like most guesthouse proprietors also double as tour operators. From US$5 in a 6-bed ger to $25 for a double in the newly built wing. 4 Golden Gobi

Go next

Except for those just passing through on the Trans-Mongolian Railroad or transiting through Ulaanbaatar Airport, most people come to Mongolia to witness the beauty of the endless steppes and deserts of Central Asia, populated by the nomadic descendants of Genghis Khan. Ulaanbaatar is an excellent homebase to explore Mongolia with its many museums, monasteries, and cultural experiences, but don't confine yourself to UB: you can't really get to know this place without going to the countryside for at least a few days.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park — scenic, forested mountain valleys a mere three-hour bus ride from UB Bogd Khan National Park — the ruins of a large Buddhist monastery destroyed by the communists in 1937 is the showpiece of this massive mountain park South of town Karakorum — the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire in the beautiful Orkhon River valley, a day's bus ride to the west The Gobi Desert — nomadic camel herders and dinosaur fossils Western Mongolia — where the old Kazakh tradition of eagle-hunting lives on in the snow-capped Altai Mountains