Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Currency and exchange rate: Tugrug (MNT); 1 EUR = 2.19 MNT; 1 USD = 1.99 MNT (exchange rate October 2015)
Official language: Mongolian language
Calling code and internet TLD: +976 / .mn
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz
Time zone: UTC+7 – UTC+8
Visas
Romanian citizens and citizens of 42 countries are allowed to enter visa-free, from June 12, 2014 until the end of 2015. Romanian citizens can travel Mongolia visa-free up to 30 days with business or tourist purposes. Foreign citizens can enter Mongolian territory by road through only 4 border crossing points: Tsagaannuur, Altanbulag and Ereen-TSAY (road border crossing points with Russia) and Zamyn – Uud (border with China).
Roads
Road conditions and road infrastructure are in poor condition. Traffic conditions in Ulaanbaatar are unfit due to lack of road signs and traffic lights on crossroads, and to the number of cars in relation to existing infrastructure. It is recommended to avoid travelling by car outside the capital by night.
Credit Cards
Most hotels, restaurants and shops in Ulaanbaatar accept paying with credit cards. There are also services for international money transfer (Western Union). In Ulaanbaatar there are several ATMs, but they do not always work and they are unreliable. Outside the capital there are few ATMs, but the only accepted payment method in the rest of the country is by cash.
Customs Regulations
A permit must be obtained from the Mongolian Government in case of import of firearms and ammunition. The export of antiques requires a customs certificate at the time of purchasing it from authorized antique shops.
Mongolia allows the following items to be brought in duty free: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams of tobacco, 1 liter of spirt over 14°, 2 liters of wine and 3 liters of beer, personal effects, items for personal use with a maximum value of $ 1,000. (source: MAE- Romanian Foreign Ministry)
Road Transport
According to the Ministry of Transport of Mongolia, there are registered over 24,000 trucks and almost 10,000 buses.
Mongolia has over 49,180 km of roads, of which 87,25% are unpaved roads. Only 5% of Mongolia’s roads are paved, especially on the route that links China to Russia via Ulaanbaatar.
Mongolia has signed intergovernmental agreements with the governments of Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.
In Mongolia there are three main corridors for international transport of goods:
- Highway North – South (AH3): Altanbulag – Darkhan – Ulaanbaatar – Nalaikh – Choir – Sainshand – Zamiin uud
- Highway West – East (AH32): Khovd – Uliastai – Ulaanbaatar – Choibalsan – Sumber – Nomrog (has its eastern junction with AH31 that provides access to the Korean Peninsula)
- Highway West (AH4): Tsagaannuur – Olgy – Khovd – Yarant (and links the Siberian region with Xinjiang to the border with Pakistan)
Border Waiting Times
UNTRR team waited around an hour at the border point in Mongolia, while the waiting time was of 8 hours at the border crossing point with Russia! This situation occurred because of lack of personnel from customs office. Trucks and busses had priority, and waiting time was around one hour.
