Beijing-Irkutsk International Train to Resume After Nearly Six Years: First Departure November 25, Once a Week
Russian Railways announced on November 13 that Russia and China have agreed to restore the international passenger train between Beijing and Irkutsk. Train No. 3/4 will depart Beijing for the first time on November 25 and Irkutsk on November 28, running once a week via Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It is the first through service on the route since it was suspended in February 2020 during the COVID pandemic, a gap of nearly six years.
Under the published timetable, the train leaves Beijing at 07:27 on Wednesdays, reaches Ulaanbaatar at 14:35 on Thursdays and Irkutsk at 14:55 on Fridays. The return service leaves Irkutsk at 06:58 on Saturdays, reaches Ulaanbaatar at 06:38 on Sundays and Beijing at 14:35 on Mondays, a journey of about two days and six to eight hours. Intermediate stops include Jining South, Erenhot, Zamyn-Uud, Sainshand, Choir, Zuunkharaa, Darkhan, Sukhbaatar, Naushki, Ulan-Ude and Slyudyanka.
The train uses Chinese-built coaches, including couchette and soft-sleeper cars, a dining car and generator cars. Tickets will go on sale shortly, up to 60 days in advance; in Russia they can be bought only for departures from Russian and Mongolian stations, and in China only for departures from Chinese stations.
Direct Moscow-Beijing trains via Irkutsk and Ulaanbaatar were suspended in February 2020, leaving China and Russia without a direct passenger rail link for years. The Beijing-Ulaanbaatar section alone resumed in June 2025; this step restores the full Beijing-Irkutsk through run. Irkutsk is the gateway to Lake Baikal and a hub on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
(Source: Russian Railways)
Source: Russian Railways
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：行驶在蒙古草原上的跨蒙古铁路列车。CC BY 2.0，John Pannell，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: A Trans-Mongolian Railway train in Mongolia. CC BY 2.0, John Pannell, via Wikimedia Commons.
