Iran can be reached by air, road, train, and sea. Most foreigners come and go by air, though many travelers do so by road as well.
Air: Traveling by air is, of course, the most convenient and speedy way. Iran has an impressive array of international flights, most of which land at Imam Khomeini or Mehrabad airports in Tehran.
The Iranian national air company is called Iran Air and has homa, a griffin, as its symbol. Women flying on Iran Air supposed to wear their Islamic dress on board, but this rule is often not observed. No alcohol is served, and flights of less than 4.5 hours are nonsmoking. Iran Air carriers flights to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, but there are no direct flights to North America and Australia. Many international companies also have flights to Iran.
Transport from airport:
Taxis are currently the only means of transport to the city. Check the official tariffs at the tourist office or a taxi booth, and agree on the price before getting into the car. Avoid cars other than taxis, even if they offer a cheaper ride.
Crossing from Road:
Iran can be entered from Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. There are two main crossing along the Turkish border: Gurbulak Turkey) – Bazargan (Iran) and Yuksekova (Turkey) – Sero (Iran). Both are rather crowded, and the delays can be wearisome, particularly if you travel on a bus and have to wait for all your fellow-travelers to be cleared through customs. There is also a bus from Van (Turkey) to Orumiyeh (Iran); it takes about 8 hours, including the border crossing.
There is one crossing point on the Armenian border at Noghduz. As there is no direct bus service between the two countries at the moment, it is necessary to change buses or travel by car.
There are two crossings along the border between Iran and Azerbaijan: Astra (Iran) – Astara (Azerbaijan) and Julfa (Iran) – Julfa (Azerbaijan). There is a daily bus from Baku to Tehran, via Astara. The recognized crossing points on the border with Turkmenistan are at Sarakhs and Bajgiran. No bus runs between the countries, but you can take a bus or a taxi to the border, cross on foot, and then take other transport to get to your desired destination.
On the Pakistan border, the only recognized crossing point for foreigners is at Taftan (Pakistan) – Mirjaveh (Iran).
Crossing from Sea:
Very few foreigners use the sea routes, though these makes an interesting way of arriving or departing. The problem lies with sporadic boat services, so before venturing on a sea trip, you should contact a travel agency or information offices at the ports to check for updated schedules. On the Gulf side, car ferries operate between Dubai (UAE) and Bandar Abbas (Iran), and between Bahrain and Bushehr (Iran). On the Caspian Sea, boats run between Baku (Azerbaijan) and Bandar Anzali or Noushahr (Iran).
Train:
Railway travel is the most undeveloped type of transport in Iran. International trains run only to Pakistan (Quette – Zahedan) and Turkey (Istanbul – Tehran).
