Farshad Because of the strategic location of Iran (between Persian Gulf, Oman sea, Caspian Sea, and in the middle of Silk-Road), it has always had advanced transportation system since two thousand five hundred years ago when ‘Chapar- Khaneh’ prevailed.
‘Chapar-Khaneh’ Literary means post office. Historically it was a place for holding fresh horses and food for mailmen to change immediately and carry on their ways. ‘Chapar-Khaneh’ Establish by Cyrus the Great.
Fortunately Iran’s transportation system utilizes WARR* for transfer goods and passengers throughout Iran, and each form of public transport offers several services in abundance.
Almost all tourists are satisfied with transportation system of Iran because of its affordability, differences in services, availability, variety, etc.
*Water: Iran is surrounded by Caspian Sea to the north and Persian Gulf to the south, magnificent Iran’s coastline length 5,789 km, so it has a great potential to travelling.
1. Ferry: only few ports like Chabahar in Oman Sea, Bandar-Abas, Bushehr, Bandar-Pol, Bandar Laft in Persian Gulf, Anzali, and Noo-Shahr in Caspian Sea use this kind of transportation. Booking by agencies and has a moderate cost. It is Mostly use for transfer passengers between Kish island and Geshm island to the mainland and vice versa.
*Air: Aerial transportation in Iran is regular and utilized in abundance. Iran has nearly three hundred airports, and each capital province has its own airport, so tourists can access to any province by airplane. Usually big cites in each province have their own airport, but they are domestic and have infrequent flights.
International Airports: Tehran (Imam Khomeini International Airport), Shiraz (Shahid Dastgheib International Airport), Isfahan (Shahid Beheshti International Airport), Mashhad (Shahid Hashemi Nejad International Airport), Tabriz (Shahid Madani International Airport), and Kish International airport.
1. Airplane: there are two kinds of airlines in Iran: I. Governmental airlines like Iran Air II. Private airlines like Kish Air. Most of airplanes used in airlines are Airbus, Mc Donnell, Boeing. The majority airplanes are middle age.
Tourists have two ways for booking domestic flights:
I. Booking by agencies (It is much easier). II. Booking by themselves but in order to do that must have Iranian debit card.
2. Lightplane: This kind of transportation is rather an entertainment, and mostly adventurous tourists reserve it for skydiving. Only local airports support such flights.
*Rail: Iran has more than eleven thousand kilometers railroad. It has connected East-West railroads by port of Razi border in west to Sarakhs border in East. It also has connected Persian Gulf to Caspian Sea.
Thanks to railroad network, Iran is linked to several countries: European countries, China, Russia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan.
1. Train: There is acceptable connectivity between province capitals by the trains, and they mostly have at least daily departure.
Province capitals which are connected to railroad network:
Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Zahedan, Yazd, Kerman, Mashhad, Zanjan, Kermanshah, Arak, Bandar-Abas, Sari, Qazvin, Qom, Karaj, Gorgan, Hamedan.
What are the facilities of Iranian trains? Dining room, restroom, air-conditioning, etc.
Note: RAJA, Fadak, Kowsar, Jopar, Bon-rail, are some famous well-run companies.
2. Metro: Metros are easily accessible, and they are a very Simple way of transportation in big cities like Shiraz, Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, and especially Tehran, metros are low cost, depending on the city they cost between (6000 IRR to 20,000 IRR).
*Road: Iran has long history in term of road transportIt dates back to, Achaemenid Empire when Cyrus the Great instructed to establish ‘Chapar-Khaneh’. This policy utilized even in modern era, And Iran has more than 120,000 km paved roads which more than 16,000 km of them are highwaya and freeways. Connecting all cities even villages cross-country.
1. Bus:
I. city bus: Almost all Iranian cities have their own local bus services which are categorized by their number and the destination that is marked on them in Persian. In order to use them, you must ask from the driver or other passengers for make sure about the destination.
Note: be aware that men and women must sit separately in city buses, men seats are in the front and women seats are in the back. You might experience the otherwise though.
Note: In some cities like Shiraz, Tehran, etc. you must buy card and charge it, then using it in entrance doors of buses like Shiraz or bus station like Tehran. In other cities must pay in cash or buy tickets from booths in terminal.
II. Shuttle bus: Passengers can reach any cities and towns by shuttle buses. There is no segregation in shuttle buses. All bus companies (called “Taavonii” in Persian) have offices in intercity terminals. Passengers can buy tickets there or book a tickets online. Fares are cheap and highly demanded routes have several departures in a day.
2. Minibus: Is an alternative for bus in shorter distances, usually used between villages or small cities. Minibus is less expensive than bus, and it’s quite faster.
3. Taxi:
I. Intercity taxi: this kind of taxi is usually used for short distances (at last three or four hour driving). Intercity taxis are less comfortable, more expensive yet much quicker than buses. Most of them are Peugeot 405 and Samand in different colors, mostly yellow.
II. City taxi: these taxis are found all over the cities in abundance, and most of them are yellow. They have quite cheap fare which must be paid with Iranian cash.
Note: Be aware that there are two kinds of Iranian city taxis:
1. Shared taxi: has low cost but it is shared with other passengers
2. Private taxi: has a little more cost, and it is only at your service (called it Dar-Bast in Persian).