Traveling to Iran by private car

These days, with the coronavirus breakdown all around the world, although world tourism is reviving little by little after a long break, the future of tourism in the current situation is still unclear despite all hygienic precautions like social distancing and wearing masks. Therefore, for now, traveling with private cars and in small groups seems like one of the safest choices. On the other hand, no trip to Iran would let travelers enjoy this country and get acquainted with its nature and culture more than traveling in your private car, as you can stop anywhere you like and stay in a city as much as you prefer. But, what are the things that you should know before traveling to Iran in your private car?

1- The border crossings in Iran

With many land borders around Iran, you have choices whether you are entering Iran with your car from north, west, or east of the country. The borders of southern Iran meet the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, so you have to take a ferry if you want to transit your private vehicle to Iran.

If you are entering Iran from Turkey, you will pass through a land border named “Bazargan”, which is in West Azerbaijan Province, the very northwestern spot in Iran.

If you are entering Iran from Azerbaijan, you can pass through different borders like Astara, Beileh Savar, Julfa, and Poldasht all located in the northwest of Iran.

Entering Iran from Armenia, travelers pass the Norduz land border located in Julfa city of East Azerbaijan Province of Iran.

For entering Iran from countries like Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan located in the northeast of Iran you will pass through Baajgiran border in Khorasan Province.

For entering Iran from Pakistan, located in the southeast of Iran, the main border is Mirjaveh border and for entering Iran from Afghanistan Milak and Dogharoon are the most important borders.

And finally, for entering Iran from Iraq located in the west of Iran, you can pass some borders like Mehran, Bashmaq, and Shalamcheh.

*NOTE: Most of the travelers who enter Iran through the border crossings, usually pass through Bazargan Border, Norduz Border, and Bajgiran Border.

2- Required documents

First things first, you should manage your Iran visa before driving towards it. Here you’ve got two choices: You can apply for an electronic Iran visa authorization code (invitation letter) through a local Iranian travel agency and then receive your visa on arrival at the border crossing through which you enter Iran, or you can receive your Iran visa at an Iranian embassy or consulate in your own country with the authorization code (invitation letter) you have received beforehand, which will help you spend less time at the border.

For transiting your private vehicle to Iran the most important document you need is a temporary entrance license named Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) which should be matched with your vehicle’s information and be presented to the customs administrator or the border’s police at the border. The CPD should be obtained from the Tour and Automobile Club of Iran by the owner of the vehicle before arriving in Iran.

Also, remember that as the owner of the car and the person who is driving it, you should have a valid international driving license from the country you were born and you should be above 18 years old.

With the documents mentioned above and considering your visa validation length, you can drive your vehicle within Iran borders for 1 month.

3- Driving in Iran is not that bad

Probably, what you have heard about Iranian people driving style doesn’t sound very good, but we’ve got to say that thanks to traffic cameras and restricted traffic laws today driving in Iran especially on the roads is not as risky as it was once. But keep in mind that driving in Iran will require more caution than in other countries! You may experience traffic jams in big cities like Tehran, Isfahan, or Shiraz, but by using traffic and navigation applications like Google maps and Waze, you can easily find shortcuts or even get rid of traffic jams.

4- Fuel price and stations

Although fuel prices in Iran had a big increase in 2019, this price will still be much lower than what you pay for fuel in your country as Iran is one of the top oil producers in the world. Currently (in 2020) one liter of fuel costs 30,000 IRR which makes a trip to Iran so pocket friendly! In Iran, you will not face any problem finding fuel as there are plenty of fuel stations and gas stations in the cities and you can refill your fuel tank every 100 kilometers on the roads.

5- Roads in Iran

Iran is a vast country with a diverse climate and nature and as a result, many scenic roads that blow every passenger’s mind! West of Iran is a mountainous area with amazing roads passing through the untouched land of Kurdistan, Zagros Mountains, defiles, and plains and leading travelers to cities and wonderful villages like Uraman Takht. Southern cities of Iran are located by the sea and driving on the southern coastal roads offers magnificent scenes. North of Iran is known for its foggy and dense forests and lovely tiny villages like Masouleh, through which the roads pass and amaze passengers, while the roads in eastern and central Iran pass through vast deserts and sunny lands.

As an Iranian tour operator and travel agency, PackToIran will be pleased to give you more information and details about traveling to Iran by private vehicle, and also help you with choosing the best Iran itinerary, booking your hotels in Iran, and arranging guided day tours in different cities for you.