Driving in Iran

People in Iran Drive Crazy!

‘Crazy’ is probably the one word most tourists would use to describe the way Iranian people are driving in this country. To the foreign eye, it seems there are no traffic rules and streets are dominated by anarchy, where everyone just does what they feel like. Driving in Iran cities like Tehran or Isfahan, or Shiraz seems like a suicidal adventure, but outside the bigger cities it is fairly easy and much more relaxed. As opposed to some other Muslim countries, Iranian women are allowed to drive cars. In bigger cities such as Tehran or Shiraz you will also find female taxi drivers that take only female passengers.

 

General Traffic Rules

All roads have a speed limit. Within the city it is usually 50 to 80 km/h, for highways it is 120 km/h. The government tries to enforce speed limits. Speed cameras are set up everywhere and the majority of Iranians stick to the limit. Speed bumps in the roads – some unmarked – also force drivers to slow down to some 15-20 km/h, otherwise they would wreck their cars. Cars in Iran drive on the right side of the road, and they are supposed to overtake from the left. But in practice they will overtake wherever they find a gap. Almost nobody sticks to just one lane and indicating before changing the lane happens rather barely. One should really thank God Tehran Subway and Tehran intra-city buses are quite efficient, otherwise there would even more mad drivers in Iran's capital. All these said, I have never seen any pedestrian getting hit by a car in this city! The people and the cars somehow go through each other and know exactly when and where they should slow down or stop.

 

Car Rental and Driving in Iran

Car rental in Iran is unusual but possible. If you feel brave enough to drive your own car, roads are generally in good condition and all bigger cities are connected by highways. Big western car rental companies have pick-up stations like at Tehran International Airport where you can pick up your car straight after arriving. Check online and make a reservation before arriving at the airport. Some hotels in Tehran also have arrangements with local rental places and can organize a car for you. But bear in mind that for driving in Iran you need an International Drivers’ License from your home country.

 

Taking a Taxi in Iran

Aside from the many taxis in cities that are like shared taxis taking any passenger they find on their route, it's also quite common to hire a private taxi. You will need to exactly tell the driver where you want to go and how much you'll pay for the trip. Note that many taxi drivers will speak no or little English. Still, taking an International airport taxi to Tehran_IKIA is around 40 km out of the city_will cost you about 20 USD, and going from one side of Tehran to the other side wont cost you more that 10 bucks. Alternatively you can book organized city tours in Iran in advance. The English-speaking tour guide will drive you around, taking care of everything.

 

9/28/2023 5:53:01 AM