The construction of the metro in Ulaanbaatar will begin in 2026. This project aims to reduce traffic congestion in the city center.
The metro will have a length of 19.4 kilometers and will run along Enkhtaiwan Avenue, which is the busiest transport corridor. The line will consist of 15 stations, 14 of which will be underground and one will be above ground. The project anticipates a capacity of up to 17,200 passengers per hour.
According to the administration of the Governor of Ulaanbaatar, the feasibility study (FS) and project concept have already been completed. At the same time, the Korean company Inojen Co., Ltd. and the Mongolian consulting company Eco Natur LLC are working on the environmental and social impact assessment, which is expected to be completed by December 2025.
Every day, about 347,000 vehicles pass through Ulaanbaatar, leading to passengers spending three to four hours in traffic jams during peak hours. This creates significant economic losses due to decreased labor productivity and increased fuel costs.
The Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, Nymbaatar Khishgee, reported that the tender for the construction of the metro has already been announced, and the final selection among 27 participants will take place on December 15. He also noted that work on planning and financing the project is ongoing, and the fourth stage of selection for the tram project will begin on December 1, 2025.
The launch of the metro is expected to improve air quality and public health.
A transit-oriented development (TOD) concept will be implemented along the metro stations, which implies the creation of retail and service centers near each stop to support the local economy. This will reduce bus travel time from 45 minutes to about 15 minutes, positively impacting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Each station will be able to accommodate about 10 such businesses, resulting in a total of 150-200 businesses in the metro, as well as creating around 150,000 new jobs.
