Practical guide
Getting Around Iran
Last verified: 2026-06-29
How to travel between Iranian cities. The Tehran-Isfahan train is comfortable and has female-only and family cabins, but runs roughly once a day, sells out fast, and can't be booked from abroad on raja.ir - so reserve ahead through an agency. VIP buses are comfortable and almost always available as a fallback. Self-driving means a large cash deposit, chaotic roads and patchy signal, so most first-timers choose a private car and driver.
Key things to know
- Tehran-Isfahan train: ~one daily departure, sells out - book early; female-only & family cabins available
- raja.ir (the rail site) only works inside Iran - book trains via an agency from abroad
- VIP buses are comfortable and always available as a backup
- Domestic flights cover the long hops (e.g. Tehran-Shiraz)
- Self-drive needs an International Driving Permit + a big cash deposit (~€10k) and the roads are tough
- A private car and English-speaking driver is the low-stress choice
- We book trains, buses, flights and drivers for you
Related questions
How do I book the Tehran to Isfahan train from outside Iran?
It's a common frustration: raja.ir, the Iranian Railways booking site, only works from inside Iran, and foreign Visa or Mastercard payments fail anyway because of sanctions. Departures on the Tehran–Isfahan line are limited and the popular ones regularly sell out, so waiting until you arrive is a gamble. The practical route, for every nationality, is to have a licensed Iranian agency reserve your seats before you travel — we include this in any itinerary we arrange. If your dates are fixed, book as early as your plans allow.
Is the Tehran–Isfahan night train safe for solo women — are there female-only cabins?
Yes. The train is comfortable, compartment-style, and there are female-only and family cabins you can request at no extra cost when the ticket is booked — solo women regularly choose the night train for exactly this reason. The real risk isn't safety on board; it's availability. Departures are limited, the train sells out fast, and the cabin type you want goes first. Ask for a female-only or family compartment at booking time and reserve well ahead of your travel date.
What are VIP buses in Iran like, and are they a good alternative to the train?
Very good — and often the save when the train is full. VIP buses connect all the main tourist cities, are comfortable, and unlike the train's limited departures they are almost always available, which makes them the dependable fallback for same-day plans. One nationality note: US, UK and Canadian citizens travel on a fixed, MFA-approved itinerary accompanied by a licensed guide, so their intercity moves are planned into the tour rather than decided on the fly. EU and most other passport holders can hop on a bus independently.
Can I book Iranian domestic flights from abroad?
Usually not directly — and it's not you, it's the payment system. Iranian booking sites need a local payment card, and foreign Visa and Mastercard don't work in Iran because of sanctions, so bookings from abroad tend to fail at checkout. Domestic flights are still well worth using for the long hops, such as Tehran to Shiraz. The workaround is simple: an agency inside Iran books and pays locally on your behalf. Fares move with the exchange rate, so ask for a current quote rather than trusting old forum numbers.
Can I rent a car and drive myself around Iran?
Honestly: you can, but almost nobody should on a first visit. Rental agencies ask for your passport, usually an International Driving Permit, and a refundable cash deposit that varies widely — from a few hundred euros for a basic car to far more, depending on the vehicle and agency, and travelers have reported being quoted much steeper sums. Driving itself is the bigger issue — Iranian traffic is genuinely chaotic and is the main day-to-day hazard travelers face, and GPS and data coverage get patchy outside the cities. US, UK and Canadian citizens can't self-drive independently in any case, since they must be accompanied by a licensed guide. Most first-timers of every nationality take a private car with a driver or driver-guide instead: the same freedom, none of the stress.
How do I get from Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA) to the city — or straight to Kashan?
This is one of the most-asked logistics questions, because IKA sits well outside Tehran. Taxis are available at the airport — agree the route and fare before you get in, and since fares shift with the currency, check a current price when you book rather than relying on old forum figures. A metro link toward the city exists but runs limited daytime hours, which is no help for the middle-of-the-night arrivals most international flights make. Many travelers skip Tehran at first and transfer directly to Kashan, the first stop on the classic route south, which avoids doubling back through Tehran traffic. The lowest-stress option is a pre-booked private transfer; whoever arranges your trip can have a driver waiting at arrivals.
What's the best way to get around inside Tehran and other Iranian cities?
Tehran has a metro, and it's the sane way to cross a city whose traffic — not crime — is the everyday hazard travelers actually report in Iran. Beyond the metro, taxis with trusted drivers are the default; let your hotel or guide call one rather than negotiating at the curb. One nationality note: US, UK and Canadian citizens are accompanied by their licensed guide whenever they are outside the hotel, so in-city transport is effectively organized for them. EU and most other nationalities move around freely on their own.
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