Iran - Andrew Burke [336]
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Getting to Iran Without Taking to the Skies
Of course, it’s possible to come to Iran without getting on a plane and a good number of people do. Getting to Tehran by road or rail from, say, London will create less CO2 per passenger than the 610kg created by air, though it’s hard to say exactly how much less. That depends on a huge array of factors, including the type of transport (electric or diesel train?), how new/old your vehicle is, when it was last serviced, and how heavy is your driver’s foot.
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There are no direct flights from North or South America. Instead, most people come through Europe, where a host of airlines have regular flights to Tehran, or the Middle East. As usual, less direct routes (eg via Moscow) are usually cheaper.
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LAND
People have been crossing Iran by land for thousands of years, from the earliest merchants seeking fortunes on the Silk Road (Click here) through to those seeking something altogether different on the 1960s and ’70s ‘Hippy Trail’. The relative laissez faire of ’70s travel came to an abrupt end when things got heavy, man, with the revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, not to mention the Iran–Iraq War.
Well, the good news is that, the ‘war on terror’ notwithstanding, it’s easier to cross in and out of Iran than it has been for 25 years. The border with Afghanistan is open; routes into Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are do-able with varying degrees of hassle, and Turkey is a piece of cake. Most overlanders say the Pakistan crossing is straightforward if not necessarily comfortable. In theory it’s possible to cross into Iraq, but think 20 times before you try it.
In recognition of Iran’s pivotal position in trans-Asian travel, in this book we’ve summarised the details of all the crossing points available to foreigners in ‘Crossing the Border at…’ boxes within the text. General points are given here, but for the specifics follow the cross-references to the relevant chapter. All legal crossing points are marked on the colour map.
Bicycle
There is no reason why you can’t ride in and out of Iran at any of the land borders. A small but steady stream of cyclists cross between Turkey and Pakistan, and we have had no reports of trouble at those borders, or any others.
Car & Motorcycle
To bring your own vehicle into Iran, you must be more than 18 years old and have a current international driving permit. For the vehicle, you’ll need a carnet de passage (temporary importation document), which can be obtained from the relevant international automobile organisation in your country.
Most people with vehicles have reported hassle-free crossings in and out of Turkey and Pakistan. As long as everything is in order it’s just a matter of following and waiting. Officials will probably note your vehicle’s details in your passport to make sure you don’t leave the country without it. Third-party insurance is compulsory for foreign drivers, but can be difficult to obtain outside Iran (if you do get it, make sure the policy is valid for Iran and accredited with Iran Bimeh, the Iranian Green Card Bureau). If you need it, buying the insurance in Maku is cheaper than at the border.
No-one but the police is allowed to have a motorbike over 150cc. Foreigners, however, are allowed to ride bikes of any size so long as they take the bike with them when they leave. With big bikes so rare, expect to attract a great deal of attention if you’re on one. For information about driving around Iran, Click here.
Shipping bikes across the Persian Gulf is time-consuming, annoying and relatively expensive, but a reasonable number of people do it nonetheless. Rules and ferry times change regularly. Try the following websites for details.
Africa Overland Network (www.africa-overland.net)