Transport - Iran - page 683

Land
It's possible to arrive by land from seven countries. Crossing from Turkey is easy and
from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan is do-able with varying degrees of hassle.
The borders to Afghanistan and Pakistan are straightforward, but check security before
you head to these. Foreigners cannot cross into Iraq proper, though the border to Iraqi
Kurdistan is open intermittently.
In recognition of Iran's pivotal position in trans-Asian travel, in this topic we've sum-
marised the details of all the crossing points available to foreigners in 'Crossing the
Border at…' box texts. General points are given here, but for the specifics follow the
cross-references to the relevant chapter.
Bicycle
There is no reason why you can't ride in and out of Iran at any of the land borders. A
small but steady stream of cyclists cross between Turkey and Pakistan, and we have had
no reports of trouble at those borders, or any others.
Car & Motorcycle
To bring your own vehicle into Iran, you must be more than 18 years old and have an in-
ternational driving permit. For the vehicle, you'll need a carnet de passage (temporary
importation document).
Assuming your papers are in order, crossing into and out of Turkey and Pakistan is usu-
ally pretty straightforward. Third-party insurance is compulsory, and if you don't already
have it, it can be bought in Maku, near the border. If you already have insurance check
that it's valid for Iran (this is increasingly unlikely due to sanctions) and accredited with
Iran Bimeh, the Iranian Green Card Bureau.
No one but the police is allowed to have a motorbike with an engine larger than 150cc.
However, foreigners in transit can ride bikes of any size. With big bikes so rare, expect to
attract plenty of attention. For information about driving around Iran, Click here .
Shipping vehicles across the Persian Gulf is possible but tedious, but a reasonable num-
ber of people do it nonetheless. Rules and ferry times change regularly. Try the following
websites for details.
Africa Overland Network ( www.africa-overland.net ) Asia branch has links to blogs by
overlanders.
Horizons Unlimited ( www.horizonsunlimited.com ) Search the HUBB forum, which has
details on borders, fuel, shipping and repair shops.