Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
class along the way, provided there's space. A seat in 2nd class costs a bit less than a
mah-
mooly
bus, and a 1st-class seat is a bit less than a VIP bus.
On overnight trains (usually to/from Tehran) the 1st-class carriages have sleeper
couchettes
(ghazal)
with four or six bunks. Solo women should strongly consider request-
ing a single-sex sleeper. On most 1st-class services meals are served in your compartment
and aren't too bad. Long-distance trains also travel with a restaurant car.
The most comfortable trains are on the busy Tehran to Mashhad route. The
Simorgh
,
for example, is more expensive than other 1st-class options but includes dinner, breakfast,
a particularly comfortable bed and the mixed blessing of a TV. You can ask to be seated in
a nonsmoking compartment.
Reservations
Train ticketing is on an integrated system and tickets can be booked up to a month in ad-
vance. Especially for trains leaving on Thursday, Friday and public holidays, it's recom-
mended you book ahead.
