💰 Current Freight Rates
Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Mongolia is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
📋 Service Details
Mongolia Rail Freight from China: routing and transit
We move door-to-door rail freight from South China into Mongolia. Cargo enters through Landlocked — via Tianjin port then rail or truck through Erenhot–Zamyn-Üüd and clears with Mongolian Customs General Administration, which takes 4–10 days on average.
Almost all Mongolian import volume moves overland through Erenhot–Zamyn-Üüd or Ganqimaodu, either by rail from Tianjin or by direct truck from northern China. The flat 5% duty makes landed-cost modelling unusually simple, but winter weather and border queues are the real schedule risk between December and February.
Route facts
| Destination country | Mongolia |
|---|---|
| Region | Asia Pacific |
| Mode | Rail Freight |
| Gateways used | Landlocked — via Tianjin port then rail or truck through Erenhot–Zamyn-Üüd |
| Transit, China to gateway | 12–20 calendar days via Tianjin and land border |
| Clearance / dwell | 4–10 days |
| Peak season | Sep–Nov |
Delivery cities on this lane
Each city below has its own guide covering the gateway that serves it, the inland leg after clearance and the local delivery requirements.
- China to Ulaanbaatar — capital holding around half the national population. Via UBN air / Erenhot rail; inland leg same day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Darkhan — northern industrial city. Via UBN air / Erenhot rail; inland leg +1 day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Erdenet — copper mining centre. Via UBN air / Erenhot rail; inland leg +1 day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Choibalsan — eastern regional hub. Via UBN air; inland leg +2 days. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Zamyn-Uud — the border rail crossing town. Via Erenhot rail; inland leg same day. Rail Freight guide →
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ℹ️ Additional Information
Clearance requirements into Mongolia
VAT 10%; duty a flat 5% on most goods. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity: MASM conformity assessment for regulated goods.
Known friction points: Border congestion at Zamyn-Üüd is seasonal and can add a week. Documentation must be in Mongolian or accompanied by a certified translation for some categories.
Documents we file under DDP
- Commercial invoice showing HS codes and the true transaction value
- Packing list with carton count, gross and net weight, and dimensions
- Rail consignment note (CIM/SMGS)
- Certificate of origin where it reduces the duty rate
- Product certification or conformity documents where the commodity requires them
Packing notes
- Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000)
- Use ISPM-15 treated wood for any pallet or crate — untreated timber is a common hold
- Mark every carton with the consignee name, city and carton number of total
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders before booking, not after
Other modes into Mongolia
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity rules change by ministerial decision. The figures here are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your HS code with Mongolian Customs General Administration or your broker before shipping.
📊 China to Mongolia — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Landlocked — via Tianjin port then rail or truck through Erenhot–Zamyn-Üüd |
|---|---|
| Main air gateways | UBN (Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan) |
| Destination customs authority | Mongolian Customs General Administration |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | No practical de-minimis |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 10%; duty a flat 5% on most goods |
| Local currency | MNT |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 4–10 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | MASM conformity assessment for regulated goods |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
🧰 Free 3D Loading Tools for This Rail Route
This page covers a Rail freight service from China to Mongolia. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Carton Packing Calculator
Air freight to Mongolia is billed on chargeable weight, so tight carton packing directly lowers your cost per shipment. Enter your product size and see the optimal carton layout in 3D before you book.
Open Packing Tool →3D Container Loading Planner
Maximize every CBM on this route: load your carton list into the 3D container planner, check space and payload utilization, and download the loading plan for your forwarder.
Open Container Planner →✅ Mongolia Rail Freight Checklist
- Book 2-3 days before your target ETD; same-day air bookings usually carry premium rates.
- Confirm whether the Mongolia rate includes fuel and security surcharges or lists them separately.
- Shrink-wrap and corner-protect cartons — air cargo is transloaded multiple times.
- Compare volumetric weight (L×W×H÷6000) with actual weight — the higher one is billed.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Rail DDP Door-to-Door from China to Mongolia take?
Rail freight on this route runs about 18–28 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 4–10 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into Mongolia?
Clearance is handled by Mongolian Customs General Administration. The regime is: VAT 10%; duty a flat 5% on most goods, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
Which ports or airports does this route use into Mongolia?
Sea cargo to Mongolia clears through Landlocked — via Tianjin port then rail or truck through Erenhot–Zamyn-Üüd; air freight clears via UBN (Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.
In what currency is this route priced and paid?
Freight is quoted and invoiced in USD; the destination-side currency is MNT. Payment is typically due before departure, and DDP means you settle the full landed cost once.
When does capacity tighten on the China–Mongolia lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Book 1–2 weeks earlier in these periods.
What does DDP shipping to Mongolia include on this route?
DDP means one price covering freight, the duty/tax owed to Mongolian Customs General Administration, and last-mile delivery to your door in Mongolia. There are no surprise charges at destination.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Mongolia
We deliver beyond the arrival gateway. Each city below has its own destination guide covering the gateway it clears through, typical inland transit time and the local customs picture.
Note — these are reference guides, not quotes. The city pages describe routing, gateways and clearance for each destination. They do not carry rate tables. For pricing to any city listed here, use the rate table on this page or ask us for a quote.
- Ulaanbaatar UBN air / Erenhot rail inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Darkhan UBN air / Erenhot rail inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Erdenet UBN air / Erenhot rail inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Choibalsan UBN air inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- Zamyn-Uud Erenhot rail inland same day Guide only — no rates
Shipping Mongolia cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Architectural Hardware Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Production Line Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Aerial Work Platform Construction, Mining & Material Handling
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Automotive Electronics Automotive & Vehicles
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Electronic Components Electronic Components & Semiconductors
- Computer Hardware Telecom, Computing & Data Centre
- Kitchen Appliances Home Appliances, HVAC & Commercial
📞 Contact Us
Ready to ship? Our team responds within one business day. We also handle sourcing and purchasing.