I didn’t think 306N was a number for any quality trains according to Russian train numbering system. Many of the most scenic and comfortable trains usually have single digit numbers. However, this train from Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar not only give me a collection worthy ticket, but also an extremely scenic ride rounding out the bottom of Lake Baikal.
The train that will carry me to Mongolia!
The interior comfort of the train was up to par to any other Trans-Siberian trains.
My 2nd class cabin was very comfortable! On this train, 2nd class was the lowest class available
The route was very scenic so you should definitely try your best to keep awake during the journey. Conveniently, the Lake Baikal part of the journey happens in the morning. The rounding of Lake Baikal will take around several hours so you have plenty of time to take photos. Our train conductor even slowed down the train during the most scenic part of the journey to let us take it all in!
A family riding on the Great Baikal Trail
View started to get good half an hour into the train ride
A small peaceful town near Lake Baikal
Another thing not to miss is the smoked Omul fish sold at the Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude stations around Lake Baikal. This fish only lives in this lake and the taste was amazing! I even scored some caviar in one of the fish’s belly. Delicious! Highly recommend trying!
Mine came with a nice packing. Due to the World Cup, the cute Babushkas selling food were all cleared out of the stations.
Sharing some with new friends met on the road!
During this train journey, you will meet two groups of border police. At the Russian border police station, the train will change its head to meet the Mongolian railway standards. The thing to mention here is to be careful not to drink too much water on this journey if you have a small bladder. Each stop lasts about 110 minutes and you cannot use the bathroom during this time. What was even worse is that if your train has an open dump system, the bathroom closes half an hour before arriving at these stations. It only takes half an hour to get from the Russian border police station to the Mongolian border police station. Which means you cannot use the restroom for a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes. It really killed some people’s bladders here.
The Russian border police marching out to check our documents.
The train changing its locomotive
The train arrives in the morning at 7am so it is perfect for starting your day visiting Ulaanbaatar. That is if you get lucky with the weather. When we arrived we could feel some droplets but not too much. Then it progressed to a continuous downpour for 7 hours. (The same day Japan suffered landslide and casualty of 155 people, RIP to them). With such rain, lots of roads in Ulaanbaatar were flooded.
A very wet Ulaanbaatar
A good place to hide from the extreme weathers of Ulaanbaatar was the Mongolian National Historic Museum. A block away from the central square, this was the perfect place to do your make up lessons on Mongolian history. Perfect preparations for all the sightseeing later. The audio guide was not a must. A lot of the times, the audio guide was just reciting the descriptions on the wall which were already in English.
Morin Khuur, a traditional Mongolian instrument
Saddle
After the museum, it only made sense to pay a visit to the most important site in the UB, the statue of Chinggis Khan (It is how he is called in Mongolia, people will correct you if you call him Genghis Khan) on the central square or Sukbaatar Square. You will learn a lot about him in the National Historic Museum.
Chinggis Khan statue on the Sukbaatar Square
His two sons are on the side
If a cute pink building is open next to the square, you should definitely check it out. Even better if there is a traditional Mongolian performance that night. If there is, you should put on your best clothes and attend it. This pink house is no other but the Mongolian State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Not as famous as its neighbor’s, Russians’, ballet performances, but the shows here can definitely hold its own.
The continued rain started to wear me out. I retreated to my hostel early to rest. The next day I will attend the famous Naadam Festival opening day in the Central Stadium. For now, a salute to a wet but successful day here in Ulaanbaatar.
Cheers!