Major city · Mongolia
ErdenetЭрдэнэт
Give Erdenet one night on the Ulaanbaatar–Darkhan rail line: mine museum, provincial museum and a Soviet-planned centre, then move on.
Erdenet is Mongolia's second city and the country's copper town, built from nothing in the 1970s around one of Asia's largest open-pit mines. It sits 375 km northwest of Ulaanbaatar on the paved road and rail line to Darkhan. Sights are few and close together, so a single night or a half-day stop is enough for most travellers; the mine visit needs an appointment and a passport.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- MNT
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- avoid Nov–Mar (cold, short days), Naadam week if you want the city to yourself
- Airport
- ULN
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 5
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Mongolia ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official government e-visa portal; some nationalities enter visa-free for a limited stay, others need an e-visa.
- Mongolia ↗In a ger: step over the threshold (never on it), move clockwise, receive food and drink with the right hand, and do not point your feet at the stove or the altar.
- Mongolia ↗Plan road trips by hours, not kilometres: paved roads are few, and 100 km of dirt track can take three hours.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Erdenet102 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Erdenet, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Mongolian tögrög (MNT, ₮).Mongolia-wide
- SIM or eSIMUnitel, Mobicom, Skytel and G-Mobile sell prepaid SIMs at the airport and in town; bring your passport to register.Mongolia-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Mongolia-wide
- TippingRestaurants in Ulaanbaatar: Not expected; round up or leave 5–10% in tourist places if no service charge.Mongolia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/E. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Mongolia-wide
- SafetyErdenet is a small, orderly company town and feels safe by day and evening.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in Ulaanbaatar.Mongolia-wide
- Emergency numbers102 police · 103 ambulance · 101 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidayscheckMuseums often close one or two days a week (usually Monday or Tuesday — check each); many countryside sights and ger camps close mid-October to May…Mongolia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportULN Chinggis Khaan International (Ulaanbaatar) (No scheduled flights to Erdenet; most travellers arrive by road or rail from Ulaanbaatar.
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable: main square, museums, cinema and hotels sit within about 2 km (1.2 mi).The centre is walkable: main square, museums, cinema and hotels sit within about 1.2 mi (2 km).
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café₮3,000–8,000
- Beerdraught in a bar / can at a shop₮6,000–12,000₮3,000–6,000
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₮20,000–40,000
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry₮5,000–15,000
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personMNT 25,000
- Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomMNT 130,000
- High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomMNT 250,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget MNT 60,000 · Mid MNT 110,000 · High MNT 200,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- ULN Chinggis Khaan International (Ulaanbaatar) (No scheduled flights to Erdenet; most travellers arrive by road or rail from Ulaanbaatar. Check current domestic connections.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
Feb
Avoid
−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C)
Mar
Avoid
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
Apr
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
May
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Jun
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Jul
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Aug
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Sep
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Oct
not flagged
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Nov
Avoid
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
Dec
Avoid
−12°C (10°F)10°F (−12°C)
Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)), coolest Jan (−26°C (−15°F)−15°F (−26°C) low), wettest Jul (13 rain days), driest Jan (2). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Erdenet: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
−26°C (−15°F)−15°F (−26°C)
2 rd
Feb
−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C)
−24°C (−11°F)−11°F (−24°C)
2 rd
Mar
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
3 rd
Apr
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
4 rd
May
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
6 rd
Jun
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
10 rd
Jul
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
13 rd
Aug
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
12 rd
Sep
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
7 rd
Oct
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
4 rd
Nov
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
−16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
3 rd
Dec
−12°C (10°F)10°F (−12°C)
−24°C (−11°F)−11°F (−24°C)
2 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable: main square, museums, cinema and hotels sit within about 2 km. Minibuses run along Sühbaatar street and to the railway station (about 8 km east). Taxis and shared cars cover longer hops; agree the fare first.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Darkhan
goDoor to door: About 2–3 h
Night train toward Ulaanbaatar, or minibus and shared car from the coach station
The rail junction for onward trains to Russia and China; the Erdenet train passes through around 00:35.The rail junction for onward trains to Russia and China; the Erdenet train passes through around 12:35 AM.
Amarbayasgalant Monastery
overnightDoor to door: About 4–6 h
Shared car or driver-guide via Bulgan province roads
Too far for a return day; sleep at or near the monastery.
Bulgan
goDoor to door: About 2–3 h
Coach or shared car from the Dômôg coach station in the south-east
Provincial town on the road west; useful if you are continuing toward Mörön.
Door to door: 11–13 h
Night train (about 11.5 h) or one of four daily coaches
The train leaves Erdenet in the evening and arrives in the capital in the morning.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
City centre around the main square
Hotels, cafés and the museum cluster within a 15-minute walk; best for one night.
Sühbaatar street axis
Main avenue with bus stops, shops and the coach station at its east end.
Near the railway station
8 km (5 mi) east of the centre; only useful if you arrive or leave on the night train.5 mi (8 km) east of the centre; only useful if you arrive or leave on the night train.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₮60,000–100,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- ₮100,000–180,000 excl. bed
- High
- ₮180,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Hotel double room1 × 1 night × MNT 130,000 | MNT 130,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × MNT 110,000 | MNT 220,000 |
| Coach Ulaanbaatar → Erdenet, one way2 × MNT 11,000 | MNT 22,000 |
| Minibus from the coach station to the centre2 × MNT 800 | MNT 1,600 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × MNT 25,000 | MNT 50,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | MNT 42,400 |
| Trip total≈ MNT 233,000 per person per day, bed included | MNT 466,000 |
2026 estimate in tögrög; long-distance transport and tours excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or tea in a café | ₮3,000–8,000 |
| Canteen meal (tsainii gazar) | ₮8,000–15,000 |
| Restaurant main dish | ₮15,000–35,000 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop | ₮6,000–12,000 / ₮3,000–6,000 |
| City minibus ride | ₮500–1,000 |
| Museum entry | ₮5,000–15,000 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₮20,000–40,000 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The mine is a working industrial site: entry is by appointment only and you need your passport.
- The Ulaanbaatar road is paved but two-lane and not well maintained; drivers on shared cars and minivans often speed.
- Some shops raise prices by 10–30% around public salary days (roughly the 14th–16th and 29th–31st of each month).
- Trains, coaches and minibuses can be suspended by government order during epidemics; check before you travel.
- Winter is severe: check temperatures and road conditions before any cold-season trip.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 102
- Ambulance
- 103
- Fire
- 101
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
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ErdenetЭрдэнэт
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Энэ хаяг руу явна ууTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police102
- Ambulance103
- Fire101
Embassy
No embassies in Erdenet; most countries are represented in Ulaanbaatar. Check your embassy's current contact details before travel.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Coach Ulaanbaatar → Erdenet: about ₮11,000, several hours
- Night train Erdenet → Ulaanbaatar, 3rd class: about ₮6,800; first class about US$20
- Minibus to the railway station: about ₮800, 8 km (5 mi)about ₮800, 5 mi (8 km)
Say or show
- Сайн байна уу — Hello (sain baina uu)
- Баярлалаа — Thank you (bayarlalaa)
- Хэд вэ? — How much is it? (khed ve)
- Бие засах газар хаана байна? — Where is the toilet? (biye zasakh gazar khaana baina)
- Би ойлгохгүй байна — I don't understand (bi oilgokhgui baina)
- Туслаач — Please help me (tuslaach)
Mongolian Cyrillic is the everyday script; a screenshot of your hotel name in Cyrillic helps drivers.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Erdenet. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Mar (cold, short days), Naadam week if you want the city to yourself · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for ULN: last road and rail departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: main square, Sühbaatar street, the museum and monument pair, the railway station.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (mine, Orkhon Provincial Museum, Friendship Monument, cinema) and eat pages with last orders.
- Golden and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.