Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
way of getting to Sari or Gorgan from Tehran, the route goes through mountains and
passes, and is one of the great engineering achievements of the 20th century. It has re-
cently been joined by another engineering marvel; the line between Esfahan and Shiraz
that bores its way through the Zagros mountainscape. The line is part of an ambitious pro-
gram to expand Iran's rail network that in recent years has seen lines open from Qazvin to
Astara via Rasht, Mashhad to Bafq and Bam to Zahedan (though the connecting service
into Pakistan has not run for years due to security issues).
Routes
Tehran is the main hub and most services begin or end in the capital. There is at least one
daily service to Mashhad, Esfahan, Tabriz, Bandar Abbas and Kerman. Trains usually de-
part on time, but arrival times for stops en route are often in the middle of the night and,
as a result, most travellers take the bus.
USEFUL RAIL JOURNEYS
For the latest routes and prices, see
www.raja.ir
.
FROM TO
FARE
DURATIONDEPARTURES
Tehran Tabriz US$5.50-18
13hr
2 daily (overnight)
Tehran Gorgan US$7/3.50 1st/2nd class10hr
daily (overnight, extra daytime services to Sari)
Tehran Esfahan US$6.50
7½hr
daily (overnight)
Esfahan Shiraz US$12.50
9hr
daily (morning or evening)
Tehran MashhadUS$5-37
8-13hr
16 daily
MashhadYazd
US$25.50
18½hr
every 2nd evening
Yazd
Kerman US$2.50
5-6hr
6am daily
Classes & Costs
The majority of trains have two classes, though a significant minority have only one. If
you decide a 2nd-class compartment is too crowded for you, you can often upgrade to 1st
