Mongolia officially commissioned a strategically vital 127.1-kilometer railway connecting Bagakhangai, Khushig Valley, and Emeelt on October 11, marking a major step in expanding the country’s rail network and reducing severe traffic congestion in the capital.

The newly completed Class III railway features 177 kilometers of total track length, three sidings, four stations, and 1,279 meters of bridge structures spanning eight locations. Among the infrastructure highlights is a 476-meter bridge crossing the Tuul River, supported by 20 piers and 38 girders, making it the longest bridge in Mongolia. The project also boasts the country’s highest bridge, standing 22 meters tall and spanning 176 meters, as well as 127 reinforced concrete culverts designed for water passage and civil underpasses.

President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa attended the opening ceremony, praising the more than 160 domestic enterprises and 4,000 engineers, technical personnel, and local workers who completed the large-scale engineering project in just over a year using more than 1,500 pieces of heavy machinery.

President Khurelsukh emphasized that the bypass line will play a critical role in Ulaanbaatar’s expansion, supporting new satellite cities and meeting the demands of rapidly growing exports, manufacturing, trade, and logistics while creating jobs and attracting investment. He directed relevant authorities to focus on maintaining operational reliability, increasing transport capacity, adopting flexible tariff policies, lowering logistics costing, and strengthening human resources.

The new line is projected to reroute 20 million metric tonnes of freight around Ulaanbaatar in its first year, eventually scaling up to 25 million metric tons annually. Officials estimate this will remove approximately 1,800 heavy-duty trucks from city streets daily, significantly easing traffic at major rail-road intersections. Previously railway crossing closures delayed city traffic by an average of 144 minutes per day: the new route is expected to reduce those delays by 21 to 120 minutes.

Safety and urban planning benefits are also immediate effective today, 34 categories of hazardous and explosive cargo will no longer pass through central Ulaanbaatar. Plans are underway to construct a multi-purpose freight terminal at the 87.8-kilometer mark and a dedicated hazardous cargo terminal at the 102-kilometer mark. Additionally, 13 freight terminals currently operating within the capital will be relocated in phases, freeing up land for public use.

The railway is also expected to anchor the economic development of the satellite city surrounding Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Khushig Valley, driving progress in trade, manufacturing, free trade zones, and multimodal transport logistics.

Published Date:2026-10-12