Iran - Andrew Burke [119]
BUS, MINIBUS & SAVARI
A couple of bus companies including Seiro Safar (Map; 555 7797; 8.30am-midnight) have offices on Imam Khomeini St. Agency Mihan Safar (Map; 555 4908; Imam Khomeini St; 9am-2pm & 4-8pm Sat-Thu, 9am-noon Fri) pre-sells tickets for many domestic long-distance bus companies.
Main Terminal
Most long-distance buses depart from the huge, modern main bus terminal (Map; 479 6091), 3km south of centre. Between the bus lanes there’s a handy information office ( 7am-8pm). Services include the following (prices are for Volvo-class except where marked *):
Between 10pm and midnight cheaper buses to Tehran (IR50,000) leave from near the train station.
Savaris to most destinations (but not Ahar or Marand) depart from the terminal’s northwest corner. Prepay at one of two ticket booths. For Orumiyeh use savari–ferry– savari hops across Lake Orumiyeh (Click here) until the new bridge is finished (due 2008).
Other Terminals
Use the Khosrowshahr terminal (Map; off Felestin St) for Osku and thence Kandovan. Out towards the airport, the Marand terminal (Azerbaijan Sq) serves Marand and Hadiyshahr (for Jolfa). Buses to Ahar (IR68000, 1½ hours) and Kaleybar (rare) use the Ahar terminal (Map; 29 Bahman St) with savaris (IR12,000 to IR14,000) waiting across the road.
INTERNATIONAL BUSES
Bus services to Yerevan, Armenia (IR350,000, 20 hours), İstanbul (IR300,000, 30 hours) and Baku, Azerbaijan (IR160,000, 13–17 hours) all typically leave around 10pm from outside the relevant ticket offices on Imam Khomeini Ave (Map).
Aram Safar ( 556 0597) For Baku.
Khoshrah ( 556 4451)
Seiro Safar ( 555 7797)
However, services sometimes leave from the train station concourse, so double check.
TRAIN
Overnight trains to Tehran (13 hours) depart 5.30pm (from IR140,000) and 7.30pm (from IR52,000) running via Maraqeh (2¼ hours), Zanjan (nine hours, arriving antisocially early) and Qazvin. The train station (Map; 444 4419; Rahohan Sq) is 5km west of central Tabriz. Shuttle taxis and city bus 111 drop off at the junction of Mellat Blvd and 22 Bahman St.
The 9am local train to Jolfa (IR5000, 3½ hours) operates Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday only.
Weekly international trains run to:
Damascus (from IR420,000, 60 hours) 7.30am Monday; change trains in Tatvan
İstanbul (from IR380,000, three days) 8.30am Friday
Van, Turkey (IR124,000, nine hours) 8.30pm Wednesday, returns from Van 9.30pm Thursday
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Airport bus 136 runs from Motahhari St every 40 minutes. Taxis (with blue stripe) should cost IR15,000.
BUS & MINIBUS
City buses are relatively infrequent. Pre-buy IR250 tickets. Useful routes from the major city-bus terminal include bus 160 to the bus terminal and bus 110 to Valiasr. Several services run the length of 22 Bahman St (for the train station) including bus 111. Buses 136 (airport) and 115 (Marand terminal) leave from the west side of the bazaar. Bus 101 runs to Elgoli from near Saat Sq.
SHUTTLE TAXI
A key route runs along Imam Khomeini St from Fajr Sq to Abaresan Crossing (IR1000), but on returning diverts onto Jomhuri-e Eslami St passing the bazaar. At Abaresan Crossing, walk under the flyover to continue to Valiasr district (IR1000) or to Rahnamae (IR1000) where you’ll change again for Elgoli (IR1000). For the train station start from Qonaga Sq (IR1000). To the bus terminal, shuttle taxis take Shari’ati St southbound returning via Taleqani St.
TRAM/METRO
A tram-metro system is under construction between Elgoli Park and the train station.
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AROUND TABRIZ
Kandovan
0412 / pop 680
Reminiscent of Cappadocia (Turkey), remarkable Kandovan (Chandovan; village admission IR2500) is a photogenic settlement of troglodyte homes and storage barns carved out of curiously eroded rocks. These sit above a newer lower village like a conference of stone ice-cream cones. Scrambling along