Seat Type on Mongolia Trains

For the trains running in Mongolia, no matter domestic trains or international trains, they are all with similar conditions, and they can be called express train at the top speed of 76km/h. 
 
Generally speaking, there are three seat types on Trans-Siberia trains, 1st class deluxe cabin, 1st class soft sleeper cabin and 2nd class hard sleeper cabin. On the tickets, they are distinguished as 1/2, 1/4 and 2/4. 

1st class deluxe cabin, it is called 1/2 on the ticket, means 2 passengers share a cabin. In most cases, two bunks are placed on one side of the cabin, with one upper and lower berth. A sofa is in in corner of the other side, a toilet is shared with the adjacent cabin. Shower is also available on some newly built Chinese trains. This type is the most luxurious on the trains. It is very popular among westerners, especially for a 2-person’s party. Besides the separate toilet, the air-conditioner is available on all trains. Passengers are better off than the average.

1st class soft sleeper cabin, known as 1/4 soft sleeper cabins. 4 passengers share a cabin with two lower and two upper berths inside. This type is only available on Chinese train on route from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, such as train K23 operated by China Railway Corporation. And this kind of seats are only available on Chinese trains between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar, the space in the cabin and the berths are a little larger than that of the 2nd class hard sleeper cabin. The toilet is in the middle of two carriage, and the air-conditioner is available on the train.

2nd class hard sleeper cabin, this type is also called 2/4 hard sleeper. Just like the 1/4 soft sleepers, a hard sleeper cabin also hold 4 berths, two lowers and two uppers with a folded table in the middle of two lower berths, and the price is much lower than that of the 1/4 cabins. Although the size of the cabin is a little smaller, it is still comfortable and more cost-effective. 

Which one to choose? Many passengers ask this questions, but it is hardly to recommend. It is all up to you to decide, the biggest problem is the price. There are only two seat classes on most of the trains, 1st class deluxe sleeper and 2nd class hard sleeper cabin. No double the deluxe cabin is much better, either in keeping passengers’ privacy, or the larger space and better facilities. If the ticket price is acceptable, then 1st class deluxe sleeper is worthwhile for 5 or 6 nights’ stay. 
 
2nd class cabin has two types seats, hard sleeper and hard seat. With a corridor in the middle, the hard sleepers are in one side, hard seats in another. For overnight trains or journey over 5 hours, we would like to recommend a hard sleeper cabin as sitting is too tiring. 

There is a folded table between two face-to face hard seats, during low seasons when there are few people on train, some locals just turn the table upside down, and then two seats with this table can be formed into a berth.