Southeastern Iran - Iran - page 472

Diba Coffeenet (Motahhari Blvd, near Azadi Sq; per hr US$1.50; 8am-2.30pm &
3-9pm)
Khaterat Zahedan Travel Agency ( 322 9113; Azadi St)
Police Department of Alien Affairs (Motahhari Blvd; 7am-2pm, closed Fri) Just out-
side the entrance to the airport. Only if you're desperate.
Police headquarters ( 110) Near the bazaar.
Getting There & Away
Iran Air ( 322 0813/4; Motahhari Blvd) flies to Esfahan (US$62, Friday only), Ker-
man (US$31, Friday only), Mashhad (US$51, twice daily) and Tehran (US$72, several
daily). Mahan Air and Air Aseman also fly to Tehran, Dubai and Karachi.
Vehicles heading into Iran from Zahedan will stop at one or more checkpoints ( Click
here ) .
Buses leave the terminal several times a day for the following destinations; many trips
depart in the afternoon or evening to avoid the desert heat. Tehran buses also stop at Bam,
Kerman and Yazd. All the following are mahmooly service.
Bam (US$5, four to five hours, frequent)
Buses to Mirjaveh (US$1.30, 1½ hours, 96km) leave the bus terminal semifrequently. It's
faster to take a taxi to Forudgah Sq in the east of town, known as Meydan-e Mirjaveh, and
haggle with a savari driver for as close to US$4 as you can for the 45-minute drive. The
border is 15km beyond Mirjaveh, so clarify that your savari is going all the way.
Drivers & motorcyclists travelling between Turkey and India often describe the trip
between Zahedan and Quetta, across the vast Baluchestan desert, as the most challenging
of their journey. The road is barren and lonely and unless there is an unexpected easing of
security issues, you will have a police escort from the time you depart Zahedan until you
reach deep into Pakistan; consider driving in convoy on the Pakistan side. In Iran, it's best
to stock up with petrol/diesel in Bam, thus avoiding the need to go into Zahedan.
Trains along the recently completed line from Zahedan to Bam (Monday and Friday only)
are relatively slow and prone to cancellation, so most travellers take the bus. Security is-
sues mean the slow, dusty and uncomfortable train between Zahedan and Quetta has not
run for years. If things improve, check the Pakistan rail website ( www.pakrail.com ) for
details.