7
edits
Changes
no edit summary
'''Crossing the border''' itself can be quite tricky as you need to have transportation to cross three separate checkpoints. Usually the soldiers will help you to find a ride if you first just try to walk -- but that won't be a guarantee that the ride will be for free. Keep trying until you get a ride (or too frustrated, with the Chinese border terminal looming in the distance, guards not allowing you to simply cover the 500 meters by foot).
Keep your morals up and be very persistent. Explain that your visa will expire if they don't take you. They will insist that it's impossible, they will try to get your money by every means but keep your head up until they realize that the energy put into convincing you to pay is greater than the energy they would put into convincing the taxis to take you for free. November 2015 I walked straight to the guards on the Chinese side with my passport in hand as if I was going to cross the border on foot. When I was stopped I showed a piece of paper saying something along the lines of "Can I get a ride for free?"'. The soldier wrote me "I will help you through a translator". A higher commanding officer was brought over and I was in a jeep for free in about 5 minutes.
Source and detailed information for this paragraph: [http://takemeeast.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-way-to-mongolia.html here]