Trans-Siberian train - Ulaanbaatar to Beijing

We are very sad to be leaving Mongolia. We really didn’t know what to expect but we will carry such brilliant memories with us for the rest of our lives (longer then the bruises i hope!) The train left UB at 7.15am on the dot and we were welcomed with a cup of tea and then handed out a pack of clean sheets and towels. 29 hours was due to be spent on this train but it is really clean and really comfortable. We had a sleeper (a cheap one) which meant that we had to share. The other bottom bunk was taken by a really nice French lady, Nathalie, and the top by a very rude Mongolian man who spent the whole time with his family in a different cabin thankfully, but then chose to wake everybody up when he decided to come to bed at 1.30am and he hadn’t made his bed! As we travelled south from Ulaanbaatar towards Beijing, the scenery changed and we got to see the famous Gobi desert. Our time in Mongolia hadn’t allowed for this but we heard stories from other travellers that had and we were glad in the end that we didn’t go. The temperatures reach about 40-45 degrees in the day making it too hot to do anything or get out of the vehicle, and it’s freezing at night. Arriving at the Mongolia / Chinese border the customs and immigrations come on board and take your passports for stamping. We were locked in the train which then goes from Mongolia in to China. Your passports are handed back with an exit out of Mongolia stamp, but a short time later the Chinese border officials board the train and take your passports again and this time to check your room for illegal stowaways. Again you are locked in the train. While we are locked in the train the train needs a new set of bogies, as the railway gauge is a different size in China. The train is shuffled in to a huge hanger which must be about 6 carriages long. All along the hanger there are lift mechanisms in place to lift each carriage. At the side and end of the hanger are the new bogies to be fitted. The first two carriages are released and put in to place, we were carriage 3, our carriage got pulled back and moved to the second set of rails. As we were shuffled in to place the first two carriages were lifted 2 meters in the air and the bogies removed and the new bogies wheeled in place. Our carriage was in place and without feeling any movement at all, we were lifted ready for our new wheels. At the same time, the first two carriages were being lowered on to their new bogies so quite a smooth and well practiced operation. This process took some 4 hours, very smooth and efficient - well what else did you expect from China? Once in China it was 1.30am so time for what was a good nights sleep. Waking around 8am and looking out to a stark contrast to the Mongolian landscape, China is full of buildings, factories, homes, power stations, but looking behind all the modernisation you can see beautiful landscape that was so apparent in Mongolia but now hidden in China. The train was on time and arrived in to Beijing Central Station at 14:04 as per the time table. We have arrived in to Beijing, our journey continues....! Mongolian Train to Beijing Room rating: 5/10 - Cheapest room, which was fairly comfortable Location: 10/10 - Travelling though the Gobi desert Staff: 4/10 - Did not say anything Value for Money: 6/10 Other comments: very clean Travel again? Yes, it’s an experience worth repeating Overall area experience: 10/10 this was out of this world!!! Time table for the train to Beijing http://www.mongoliatravelguide.mn/mongolia_trains_time_table/