Iran Transportation

How to Travel to Iran

Tourists can get to Iran by plane, train, bus, and even boat, but the main way is by air. Most big cities have international flights to there, such as Beijing, Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo, New York, Paris, and London. Imam Khomeini International Airport located in Teheran is the main airport carrying international flights. It should be noted that customs strictly prohibits alcoholic beverages, non-halal food, pornographic books and videos and especially cracks down hard on drugs.

Airlines including Iran Air, Air China, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways provide international flights to there.

Iran has 7 border ports providing land access from surrounding countries. Most tourists choose to enter from Turkey, which is the most smooth and convenient way. Tourists can take the international bus from Istanbul or Ankara to Teheran, and the ticket price is about USD 44. The port on the Iranian side is named Bazargan and has a lot of the hotels to exchange money.

Tourists can also take a train from Istanbul Turkey to Teheran and the whole course is 2,964 km (1,842mi). The ticket costs USD 37 and the journey takes 55 hours.

In the southern gulf, there are international speedboats connecting Bandar Abbas and Sharjah in UAE but only running three times a week with a high price.

How to Travel Around

Plane

The Mehrabad Airport in Teheran is the main one to operate domestic flights. The domestic airlines include Iran Air, Mahan Air, etc. The domestic airlines are well developed so it is advised to take a plane if you are in a rush. The flying time is within 1 to 2 hours and the price is relatively cheap. Even though the planes imported from Europe and the United States are aging, they are well-maintained. Generally, tourists cannot book the domestic flight ticket through internet when they are out of the country, but it is possible to book after arriving. There are taxi stands in the airports, making it easy to travel between the airports and city centers.

Train

Train is not recommended because the railway is not developed and quite time-consuming. Teheran is the main railway transportation hub where trains to and from Tabriz, Meshed, Isfahan, Shiraz and Bandar Abbas are available. The speed of the train is slow and long-distance trains always arrive at midnight. Tourists can buy tickets in the railway station or through a travel agency.

Coach

Coaches are the most important means of transportation in Iran. Every town has at least one long-distance bus terminal and the buses run frequently between big cities. There are more than 10 passenger transport companies whose vehicles are divided into 2 classes, namely Mahmooly (the ordinary buses) and VIP (the luxury buses). Long-distance lines provide quick meal and beverages. Tourists are advised to take VIP coaches because the buses are all luxury brands like Benz, Volvo and Scania with less passengers and high comfort level while the price is not much higher than Mahmooly. Tourists can buy tickets in the bus terminal. Avoid travelling to Kerman and Sistan and Baluchestan Province by bus for safety concern.

Chartered Car

It is a convenient way to chart a car to visit attractions. Four tourists sharing one vehicle is the most economical way to travel. Tourists are advised to choose coaches traveling from city to city and chartered cars visiting attractions that surround cities.