From Wikitravel

Erlian (二连; Èrlián) is a city in Inner Mongolia. It is also variously known as Ereen or Eriyen in Mongolia, and Erenhot or Erlianhaote (二连浩特; Èrliánhàotè) in China. It appears as Erlian on Chinese railway timetables, and Ereen on Monglian railway timetables.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

There is a direct flight Beijing-Erlian (Erenhot Shi, code ERL) via Capital Airlines, China.

[edit] By train

There are trains from Beijing. The train station is on the eastern border of the town.

You can get from Zamiin-Uud in Mongolia by train on the international train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar as described in Zamiin-Uud.

Trains to Beijing only run a few days a week. If you are doing a visa run from Beijing, find out when trains will be comming back before going to Erlian. Train tickets can typically be purchased at the train station five days before the train is scheduled to leave, ten days during Chinese New Year (2010). If you are traveling from Beijing to renew a visa, return tickets can not be purchased in Beijing.

[edit] By bus

There are sleeper buses from Beijing. (¥200, 2011) The long-distance bus station is nearby, about one block west and 2-3 blocks north of the train station.

You can get from Zamiin-Uud in Mongolia by bus (¥40, July 2009)

The bus station was closed for Chinese New Year until Feb. 19th (2010)

You can take a bus from Hohhot. There are several buses each day. Cost as of 4/2011 is 88RMB. Depending on the traffic the trip is about 6 hours and 30 minutes. Bus stops for the driver to eat, but there is not much choice so bring some snacks.

May 2012: Liuliqiao bus station has no sleeper bus going to Erlian. Found an English speaking Chinese there who told me to check at Muxiuan bus station. Open only until seven, so it was too late for today. However at the entrance there were people trying to sell me a bus to Erenhot/ Erlian. There definetely is some kind of bus connection available, even if it's not the comfortable sleeper option. The receptionist of the hostel just called a booking office and they say that there is no night sleeper bus going to Mongolia. Will try again tomorrow morning and keep you posted. OK. Am in Mongolia now. This is the current situation: Muxiyuan Caihua Long-distance Bus Station does have a bus going to Erlian. You have to buy the ticket the same day at the bus station. I arrived at 5 30 for the bus at 6 and they told me it was too late and that starting at eight in the morning the following day I can get a ticket for 180 Rmb. However, there was a guy who told me he can get me on the bus for the same night. In the end I paid 230, the official price on the ticket was 200. To get to the bus, we walked to the mainroad (facing the front entrance of the bus station, there is a hallway on the right side of the building going straight to the mainroad) then we crossed a walking bridge to the parking space of something that looks like a shopping center. (just crossing the bridge, going down the stairs and going straight and you should see some buses there with mongolian letters on it.) if you ask there if they still have a place available, you could probably get the ticket for 200. the bus was very comfortable. we arrived at six in the morning in erlian. we walked about half an hour to the border. taxi would be 5minutes. the border opens at 9 and you need a transport to cross it. it was freezing cold. a women in the bus told us that she pays 15rmb for waiting in a hotel. we waited at the gas station but can not guarantee that they will always be so hospitable. besides the gas station there is no open hotel or restaurant in that zone, so your best bet would be to not safe your money in this situaton and just pay a taxi to bring you to a place where you can wait and from there organise the transport across the border. we paid 50 rmb per person, from the chinese border to the trainstation on the other side, but i guess you could get it for less if you negociate well. from there we took the train at 5pm to ulaanbaator. i was told that there is no bus from zamin udd to ulaanbaator and that you have to wait for the train. since the sleeper train was already booked out, we had no option, than taking the hard seat. i was very surprised when i saw that there are beds above the seats. the train was full, but it was no problem. i pulled down the bed fairly early. people can still sit underneath, so it doesnt disturb. and i had the bed for myself until the next morning. my friends also got beds, it really doesnt seem to be a problem. so if you want to safe money, i recommend you to take the hard seat and sleep in the upholstered pull out bed :)

[edit] By jeep

You can get from Zamiin-Uud in Mongolia by jeep, which costs around ¥50 per person (July 2009) Russian-made jeeps driven by Mongolian drivers start at the market where Mongolians buy goods to take back to Mongolia. The same jeeps also pick up passengers at the first border checkpoint with Chinese guards if they have room. At the border a jeep will arrive every few minutes. A Chinese taxi can take you to this checkpoint for ¥5-10. The jeeps are allowed to carry 5 passengers; however, some drivers ask the Chinese guards for exceptions and carry up to 7 passengers. If taking a jeep, expect to be very crowded and to either sit on someone's lap or have someone sit on your lap. Get out of the jeep at the Chinese and Mongolian entry points and walk through. Be sure to remember which jeep is yours as they come in only two colors (grey and green) and look nearly identical to each other. Many Mongolians cross the border on a daily basis so they are familiar with the process and can help out. Many speak at least some English.

You are not allowed to walk between the Chinese and Mongolian border posts though they are within walking distance. You will need to pay a ¥5 exit tax. The whole process takes around 1 1/2 hours.

Be prepared that on some holidays (e. g. June 1st, childrens day), the border is closed and you may be forced to stay a day longer than prepared. It may happen that a driver still offers you a lift, then notices at the border that it isn't possible and still wants to charge you for it.

[edit] Get around

Taxis, pedicabs and rickshaws are everywhere. A taxi around town costs ¥5 flat rate or ¥10 to the border from town (February 2010). The number one bus also will take you from town to the border for ¥1.

[edit][add listing] See

• Dinosaur Museum, (7km from the centre of Erlian).  edit

• Dinosaur (Konlongmudi). Large replicas of dinosaur skeletons  edit

• Sculpture. There is a giant at the intersection of the main roads - one running east-west from the train station, the other north-south.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Erlian Grassland Tour Loop. It is possible to use Erlian as the starting point for the Erlian Grassland Tour Loop itinerary.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Antiques (of suspect age), as well as touristy nicknacks, at the alleys of gift shops at the north-east corner of 新华街 (mislabeled as Xinghua Street) and 前进路 (Qianjin Road).

[edit][add listing] Eat

the mongolian restaurant in the bus station complex (on the left side) has excellent food with reasonable prices and a picture menu. they also have some imported items from mongolia and 1 kuai lockers if you dont want to lug your bag around. most of the clientele are mongolians and many of the waitstaff don't speak mandarin so you know it's authentic!

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There are many smaller hotels around the train station costing ¥50-60 for a double.

Other hotels:

• Ruyi International Mansion. The biggest hotel in Erlian Rooms start at ¥330.  edit

[edit] Get out

[edit] Mongolian Visa

Get a Mongolian visa either from:

• CITS (when open) which costs ¥495. You drop it off at 9AM and pick up at 3PM
• The Mongolian Consulate, Open M-F 8:30AM-noon. Same day processing costs ¥465

The visa will last for 30 days. You will need one passport photo and to pay with cash. Note that the prices above apply to most, but not all nationalities. For a full list see the Embassy in China.

Directions to both from the train station: Walk straight ahead along the road that runs directly in front of the clock outside the train station until you reach the second junction. The CITS will be on the left hand corner. Turn right here, then walk straight ahead for about five minutes. When you get to Chichaer St you will see the beige bus station down the street on the left, but continue walking straight ahead for a about another ten minutes until you see the blue, red and yellow Mongolian flag on the left. Do not worry if it seems like you have walked a bit outside town, you are meant to. Go to the small office at the gate.

During Chinese new year, the border (18 Feb) and the Mongolian Consulate (22 Feb) were both closed. (2010)

One Australian was able to obtain a visa at the border while the consulate in town was closed during Chinese New Year but this process did not seem encouraged and may not be typically available.

For residents of Beijing, a trip to Erlian is the cheapest way to leave the country and renew a multiple entry visa (a visa run) but is less straight forward than a trip to Hong Kong or Seoul Korea. Most people in town and at the border do not speak any English so some basic Chinese is very helpful.

This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!