Russia and Mongolia To Increase Border Crossing Capacity By 300%

Ulaanbaatar plans to increase the capacity of checkpoints with Russia by at least 3 times, with the Mondy automobile checkpoint at the Russian Republic of Buryatia and the border with Mongolia being modernised. The border crossing will have nine lanes instead of today’s one. The capacity will be slightly less than 600 vehicles per day.

The background to this expansion is that Buryat customs is requesting additional lanes for cargo from Mongolia in light of increasing trade and cargo. The Mongolian government has also set a goal to increase freight and passenger transportation through border crossings, increasing their capacity by at least 3 times and connecting them with the Trans-Mongolian railway. In addition, a further 2,966 km of roads connecting to border checkpoints are being built. This should increase Mongolia’s exports to Russia from US$14 billion in 2023 to US$17 billion in 2025-28 and US$20 billion in 2029-2030.

The modernisation of Mongolian checkpoints on the border with Russia began in 2023 with the largest border crossing, Altanbulag. The opening of the new Borshoo-Handgait checkpoint is expected in 2024. A master plan is being prepared for the modernisation of the Tsagaanuur-Tashanta border crossings on the border with the Altai Republic and Artsuur-Tsagaantolgoy with Tuva. Design work is being completed at the checkpoint on the border with the Trans-Baikal Territory Ereentsav-Solovyovsk.

In total, there are 16 border crossings on the 3,500 km border between Mongolia and Russia, of which 10 are operational. Eight are road crossings and two are railways. Within the framework of the Russian Federal project “International Trade Logistics” in the Far Eastern Federal District, it is planned to modernise the following additional checkpoints at Markovo, Turiy Rog, Poltavka, Kraskino, Kani-Kurgan, Zabaikalsk in addition to Mondy. The projects are expected to be completed by this year end.

Mongolia is currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union which will significantly increase Mongolian trade with Russia and Kazakhstan especially via these new facilities.