On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who travel to Mongolia (you can share your experiences here).
Trans-Siberian (Ulaan Baatar to Moscow)
We were told there was a luggage carriage on our train, but there was none. We travelled first class which gave enough space for 6 bags and the tandem (split with SandS couplings) in the compartment.
There is an overhead storage which is about 165x30x100cm (wxhxd) which took our whole tandem, wheels and all. 2 solo frames would probably fit with the wheels going somewhere else. There is loads of space under the seats for bags. If you are 2nd class you might have to fight to get the overhead space for the bikes and as first class was only 140US$ it was definitely worth it.
We did not fill in a Mongolian customs form declaring the bike on entry (came in overland from China) and this was not a problem on exit.
We made sure that the bike was declared on the Russian declaratsia although customs were not impressed with this and no one questioned us as we flew out from Moscow.
Tandem Cycle Touring - Malaysia, Thailand, China, Mongolia, New Zealand
Freewheelers is a non-commerical website on tandem cycling in UK, New ZEALAND, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Mongolia (still in progress). Contains route description and country info, equipment ratings, travelogue.
Alistair Morris, February 29, 2004