getting to mongolia
Airplane
San Francisco - Seoul - UB round trip in June, 2014 cost just under $2,000 on United / Korea Air. You might see cheaper flights advertised, but I found that all of those did not include tax & fees. Since I bought the tickets together as one trip, my luggage was automatically transferred from one airline to the other in Seoul.
I should have paid a little more to fly Korea Air the whole way. The United flight was on a plane with old style tv's (one screen at the front of the Economy section). No USB or electric plugs. I haven't flown United in years, and will not make any effort to fly it again.
Upon arrival in Seoul, go downstairs and move by magnetic train from arrival terminal to departure terminal. Passing through security was quick and easy. I love this airport!
Layover at Seoul Incheon -- you must do this!!! How come USA airports don't have fun & free things to do???
This airport caters to tourists, and is great! Once you arrive in the departure terminal there are cultural centers with free activities. Paint a woodblock and make a print using a woodblock stamp; watch a parade, tea ceremony or music performance. If your layover is during the daytime, and more than a few hours, you will have time to take one of the free Transit Tours (1 hour to 5 hours long). You get on a bus with a guide and other tourists, and get to see the area around the airport, or even go all the way into the city of Seoul. Note: You must pay a $3 insurance fee per person, so bring a few $1 bills.
Also, note the other amenities, such as free Wifi and free showers. Oh, my God! It was so nice to have a cool shower (they give you a towel and shampoo!) after the humidity and heat of being outdoors on my transit tour. I heard there's also a sauna, but I didn't see it myself. http://www.cyberairport.kr/pa/en/d/2/4/1/index.jsp
You can sign up for a Transit Tour at the airport with no problem. The tour people speak English and will help you. You need to fill out a little form and pass through immigration, and then walk over to the tour departure desk, which takes just 5 minutes. Easy! You can even make your tour reservation online, just choose the 1-hour, 2-hour, etc.
http://www.cyberairport.kr/contents/pa/en/c/PA_C_2350_POP.jsp#
Train
I did not travel by train in Mongolia.
If you have tips on the Trans-Siberian, or any other train in Mongolia, that I can add here for other readers, please contact me.
Bus If you have more tips on this that I can add here for other readers, please contact me.
I traveled by bus once. From Tsetserleg to UB. It took 10 hours. Once at the bus station in UB, it took me nearly another hour to get to the Golden Gobi Guesthouse (city center) by taxi, since it was during rush hour.
Since the bus ticket I needed from Tsetserleg requires it be purchased a day in advance (not possible to buy on the bus), the Fairview Guesthouse bought it for me. They charged me a fee of about $0.25. Advance purchase is often required, and transport employees might not speak English. Considering how hard it was for me to buy an in-town bus ticket in Poland, I would rather pay someone to do ticket purchasing for me, to save me the stress and time.
San Francisco - Seoul - UB round trip in June, 2014 cost just under $2,000 on United / Korea Air. You might see cheaper flights advertised, but I found that all of those did not include tax & fees. Since I bought the tickets together as one trip, my luggage was automatically transferred from one airline to the other in Seoul.
I should have paid a little more to fly Korea Air the whole way. The United flight was on a plane with old style tv's (one screen at the front of the Economy section). No USB or electric plugs. I haven't flown United in years, and will not make any effort to fly it again.
Upon arrival in Seoul, go downstairs and move by magnetic train from arrival terminal to departure terminal. Passing through security was quick and easy. I love this airport!
Layover at Seoul Incheon -- you must do this!!! How come USA airports don't have fun & free things to do???
This airport caters to tourists, and is great! Once you arrive in the departure terminal there are cultural centers with free activities. Paint a woodblock and make a print using a woodblock stamp; watch a parade, tea ceremony or music performance. If your layover is during the daytime, and more than a few hours, you will have time to take one of the free Transit Tours (1 hour to 5 hours long). You get on a bus with a guide and other tourists, and get to see the area around the airport, or even go all the way into the city of Seoul. Note: You must pay a $3 insurance fee per person, so bring a few $1 bills.
Also, note the other amenities, such as free Wifi and free showers. Oh, my God! It was so nice to have a cool shower (they give you a towel and shampoo!) after the humidity and heat of being outdoors on my transit tour. I heard there's also a sauna, but I didn't see it myself. http://www.cyberairport.kr/pa/en/d/2/4/1/index.jsp
You can sign up for a Transit Tour at the airport with no problem. The tour people speak English and will help you. You need to fill out a little form and pass through immigration, and then walk over to the tour departure desk, which takes just 5 minutes. Easy! You can even make your tour reservation online, just choose the 1-hour, 2-hour, etc.
http://www.cyberairport.kr/contents/pa/en/c/PA_C_2350_POP.jsp#
Train
I did not travel by train in Mongolia.
If you have tips on the Trans-Siberian, or any other train in Mongolia, that I can add here for other readers, please contact me.
Bus If you have more tips on this that I can add here for other readers, please contact me.
I traveled by bus once. From Tsetserleg to UB. It took 10 hours. Once at the bus station in UB, it took me nearly another hour to get to the Golden Gobi Guesthouse (city center) by taxi, since it was during rush hour.
Since the bus ticket I needed from Tsetserleg requires it be purchased a day in advance (not possible to buy on the bus), the Fairview Guesthouse bought it for me. They charged me a fee of about $0.25. Advance purchase is often required, and transport employees might not speak English. Considering how hard it was for me to buy an in-town bus ticket in Poland, I would rather pay someone to do ticket purchasing for me, to save me the stress and time.