Tehran Public Transportation System

Introduction

Tehran, the capital of Iran, is bordered by Mazandaran Province to the north, Qom Province to the south, Markazi Province to the southwest, Alborz Province to the west, and Semnan Province to the east. Since Tehran Province has a population of more than 12 million people (about 17.5 percent of the total population of the country), the state has invested more in the transport infrastructure of this province. People mostly travel between Tehran and other cities by road. They also travel within the city mostly by underground subways (Metro) and BRTs (Bus Rapid Transit).

In this article, Iranviva Group has tried to discuss separately Tehran facilities for intra-city transport, inter-city transport, cost-effective means of transportation, public transport schedules and routes, costs of public transportation, how to buy tickets, train stations, airports and bus terminals, how to access the stations, time and distance between different routes, public transport vehicle departure intervals, and how convenient different means of transportation are. If you are among those tourists who have chosen Iran and its historic cities like Tehran as their journey destination, stay with us and keep reading this article.

1. Intra-city Transportation

The most used intra-city transport means in Tehran is Metro and BRT on main roads, and taxis and intra-city bus services on minor roads.

Due to heavy traffic in city streets, it is strongly recommended that you use metro and BRT to travel faster around the city.

Below is the introduction of different means of public transportation in Tehran, including the cost, route, departure intervals, distance, stations, how to buy tickets, and how convenient different means of transportation are.

1.1. BRT

Tehran Bus Rapid Transit system or BRT, with 10 active lines, has gender-segregated buses that are usually uncrowded except during the rush hours.

The BRT tickets in Tehran cost about 1,000 tomans (about 0.07 euros).

The fare for BRT buses is paid electronically by ticket cards and cash payment is not accepted. BRT ticket cards are sold at ticket booths near the stations or by the operators at the stations. (In case of emergency, you can request the passengers at the station that you use their ticket cards and then you pay it to them in cash).

You can also use your BRT ticket card to ride metro.

To get more information about Tehran BRT routes and schedules, visit the following website:

http://bus.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=211

A BRT station in Tehran:

Moreover, among the easy-, medium-, and difficult-to-use means of public transportation in Tehran, this type of transport is a bit difficult-to-use.

• BRT lines in Tehran

You can also change the line in intersections according to the map.

1.2. Metro

Metro system (also called subway or underground) is one of the largest networks in the city of Tehran, with 7 lines (currently 6 active lines) connecting different parts of Tehran.

The Metro tickets in Tehran cost about 1,500 tomans (about 0.10 euros).

The fare for Metro is paid electronically by ticket cards and cash payment is not accepted. Metro ticket cards are sold at ticket booths at the stations, and they are rechargeable for different times. Ticket cards should be paid in Iranian rials.

If you plan to use the Metro only once in a route, you’d better use a single ticket.

The ticket cards you got at Metro stations can also be used in BRT lines.

Using Metro during rush hours (about 7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 7 pm) is a bit difficult. For easier use of these lines, it is recommended that you set your travel times during other hours of the day.

To get more information about Tehran Metro routes and schedules, and also the stations’ address, visit the following website:

http://metro.tehran.ir/

Tehran Metro logo is as follows:

This logo is usually found above the entrance to the buildings of most of metro stations in Tehran. These signs around the city represent subway stations. Metro stations are located underground and you can use escalators to go up and down stairs easily in the station buildings.

Moreover, among the easy-, medium-, and difficult-to-use means of public transportation in Tehran, this type of transport is medium-difficulty-to-use.

1.2.1. Metro Stations

1.3. Taxi

1.3.1. Public Taxi

Public taxis are one of the most popular and most widely used means of transport in Tehran in comparison with Metro and BRT. The cost of using taxis is 7 times more than using BRT and metro but it has its own advantages, including its ease of use. Taxi stations are located in squares and main streets of Tehran. Taxi fares depend on the distance between the source and destination.

To catch a taxi in Tehran you need to wait on the side of the street, raising your hand (as shown below) for an oncoming taxi and then tell the driver your destination.

Taxis in Tehran are often yellow or green and have yellow number plates with black letters, but sometimes private cars also carry passengers to their destinations that is generally so common in Iran. However, you’d better use the yellow or green taxis with yellow plates that are widely used in Tehran.

Up to 4 passengers can usually ride together in a taxi (3 passengers on the rear seat and one passenger on the front seat), but you can take a private taxi with no other passengers and pay a higher fare.

To hire a private car with its driver, you can use the term “Darbasti”.

As stated above, among different means of transport, taxi is an easy-to-use one.

1.3.2. Private Taxi

Private taxis are of two kinds: One group are those travelling around the city and carrying passengers, and the other are those managed by big transport companies and meet the demands of passengers using their applications, exclusively dedicated to taxi services.

As above mentioned, the first group are not recommended because they are not usually under an organized company; but the second category provide a convenient way to carry passengers from place to place.

To use the latter type of taxi service, you can download the taxi booking apps and request for a taxi online. You can access the available taxis nearby and travel around the city easily (for the convenience of tourists who have chosen Iran as their travel destination, the links to download a few of these apps are provided below).

Using these applications is very easy and you just need to choose the initial point and your destination on the map. The ride price will be shown up and you will confirm your request. Your request will be accepted by drivers nearby within a very short time.

The car model, number and its location can be seen on the application. When the car arrives at the initial point, a message will be sent to you.

Given that you are the only passenger, the taxi fare will usually be 3 to 4 times more than the regular taxis’.

To install the online taxi order applications, you can visit the following websites.

SNAPP website to download the application: https://snapp.ir/

TAPSI website to download the application:  https://tapsi.ir/

This type of transportation is absolutely convenient.

1.4. Car Rental for Tourists

Another way of travelling for tourists who have travelled to Iran is renting a car. Tourists in Iran will be able to rent a vehicle with or without an experienced driver. Iranviva Group suggests you rent a car with a driver, so there will be no problems or concerns related to finding routes, car parks around tourist sites, and traffic regulations, and you will easily access to all the city landmarks and tourist sites.

As you know, there are some car rental conditions and qualifications required that Iranviva Group has brought here as a list for tourists who travel to Iran.

1.4.1. Car Rental Requirements, Terms and Conditions

• Age-related Requirements: A minimum age of 20 years
• Driving license: A driver’s license valid for a minimum of 6 months

You can drive in Iran for 6 months from the time you enter Iran, with a valid driver’s license from your home country.

ID Requirements:

• A copy of passport
• Paying the rent and cash deposit
• Paying an amount of money as deposit that will be paid back to the client when the vehicle is returned.

For your convenience, some websites offering car rental for tourists have been brought here.

You can visit the following websites and book your desired vehicle for your required date:

https://hamirent.com/en/car-rental-terms/

https://www.saadatrent.com/english/required-documents

This type of transportation is absolutely convenient, too.

1.5. Intra-city Bus Service

In most parts of Tehran, there is no metro or BRT line and the major transportation is done via intra-city bus service.

To use intra-city bus service, you need to wait at bus stations found around the city. Bus fares can be paid in two ways: either in cash to the bus driver or electronically by ticket cards (for metro and bus). The bus tickets in Tehran cost about 2,000 tomans (0.1 euros).

To see Tehran bus routes, visit the following website:

http://eticket.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=88#tabs-1

Furthermore, installing the following online application, you can see the bus routes and schedules:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neda.buseta

This type of transportation is hard-to-use, indeed.

2. Inter-city Transportation

Tehran, the capital and the largest city of Iran, is home to nearly half of the country’s industrial companies. Tehran is also Iran’s center of administrative structure, so it hosts a large number of passengers from different parts of the country almost all around the year.

Most of the inter-city transportation of Tehran is via trains, planes, buses and personal vehicles. Public transportation is really affordable in Iran compared to other countries, and regarding the facilities for passengers on the bus and trains, you can travel easily wherever and whenever you want. Besides, if you would like to enjoy your trip to Iran to the most, you can travel by air. The cost of traveling by air is 6 times more than traveling by other means of transportation.

Tehran inter-city transportation system is described in the following part of the article, including routes, schedules, cost, how to buy tickets online, the introduction of airports, terminals and train stations, how to access the stations, travel time and distance and also the most economical means of transportation.

2.1. Train

Tehran railway station is the heart of Iran railway. This railway station, actually, connects east to west and north to south of Iran. That’s why its schedule is always busy and it has trains to all parts of Iran.

If you plan to use railway in Tehran, make sure to visit Raja website and other websites for booking tickets and train schedules, and, if necessary, book your ticket before traveling to Iran. Iranviva Group recommends you choose your train carefully and check different trains’ services and amenities to enjoy your trip to the fullest.

2.1.1. Types of Trains

Trains in Iran are of two types: Open coaches, and (first class and second class) corridor coaches (trains).

First class corridor trains: Each car on these trains is divided into several compartments, with some amenities and 4 or 6 seats that can be converted to beds.

Second class corridor trains: Each car on these trains is divided into several compartments, with 6 seats that cannot be converted to beds. Corridor Trains are also called ‘coupe’.

Open coaches: These kinds of train do not have compartments or other divisions and the seats are arranged in one or more open plan areas with a center aisle, similar to the bus seats. They are also called ‘salon train’.

Iranviva Group suggests tourists use 4-seat first class corridor trains. Although these trains are more expensive than other trains, they are better options for traveling because they offer more amenities.

This type of transportation can be very convenient, convenient or medium-difficult to use, depending on the type of train.

2.1.2. Train Ticket Booking

To book train tickets in Iran, you need to have an account on the train ticket booking sites. Once you have logged in, you can select the source and destination of your journey, time, number of passengers, type of train (ordinary, for women,…), and transportation companies, you will have a list of options available from which you can choose and enjoy an affordable and convenient journey.

For entering personal information and booking ticket you need to activate the option of purchasing by passport. The required information for foreign nationals to buy tickets includes first name, last name, date of birth, and passport number. In addition, you need to be at the station about 45 minutes before the departure time to do the necessary paperwork.

Examples of active train ticket booking sites:

https://www.raja.ir/home

https://ghasedak24.com/train-ticket

https://www.alibaba.ir/train-ticket

Tehran Railway Station Information and Trains Schedule

For trains schedules you can visit the website of Islamic Republic of Iran Railway Company mentioned below. There is a lot of information provided in this site regarding trains and train stations. If you need more information you can contact Tehran Railway Public Relations and telephone center via telephone number 0215149.

Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Official site:

http://www.rai.ir/Index.aspx?tempname=EngMain2&lang=2&sub=0&epageId=543

To get information about ticket cancellation and refund, you can visit the following website:

https://b2n.ir/695264

2.1.3. How to Access Tehran Railway Station

There are different routes to get to the railway station in Tehran. One of the best ways is using public transport in Tehran. You can also take a taxi, but keep in mind that due to the geographical location of the railway station and heavy traffic in the area on rush hours (6 am to 9 am and 4 to 7 pm), it will be better to get there using public transportation.

To go to the railway station by BRT, you should get to Valiasr Street and take BRT from Tajrish to the Railway Station (also named Moein Terminal). Another way to get to the railway station is using Tehran Metro Line 3.

2.1.4. Tehran Trains Ticket Price

Undoubtedly, it differs which Railway Transport Company you buy your ticket from, but you should know that any company you choose to buy your ticket from offers affordable tickets regarding the facilities they provide and convenience you would experience on your trip.

 Onboard Train Features & Amenities:

 Tehran Trains Schedule:

  2.2. Airplane

Tehran has two airports: Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini.

2.2.1. Mehrabad Airport:

Mehrabad airport has 6 active terminals and 5 car parks with a capacity of 7000 cars. This airport is also equipped with ILS and VOR systems.

Terminal 1: This terminal is for domestic flights, and all Zagros and Kish-Air airlines’ flights depart from this terminal. This terminal also has facilities such as a public hall, prayer room, restaurant, library and coffee shop.

Terminal 2: This terminal is used for arriving and departing flights of airlines like Qeshm Air, ATA Airlines, Iran Air, Meraj Airlines, Naft Airlines and Air Tour. There are also facilities in this terminal such as a restaurant, a transit lounge, fast food restaurant, prayer rooms, public halls, coffee shops and book stalls.

Terminal 3: This terminal is dedicated to pilgrimage and religious flights to Saudi Arabia and the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Terminal 4: This terminal is used for flights departing from Tehran to other cities of Iran by Caspian, Sepahan, Mahan, Taban, Aseman and Atrak Airlines. It also has facilities such as restaurants, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, transit lounge, a place to host travelers of delayed flights, as well as cold and hot buffet restaurant.

Terminal 5: Like Terminal 3, this terminal is used for religious flights and pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Terminal 6: Unlike terminal 4 that is used for departing flights from Tehran, this terminal is used for arriving flights from other cities to Tehran.

The amenities of Mehrabad airport include car parks, ATM, bank branches, restaurants and coffee shops, lost and found department, baggage wrapping service, airport taxi, car rentals and more.

2.2.1.1. Access Routes to Mehrabad Airport

Metro

The first metro station of Mehrabad Airport (line 4) is located in front of Terminal 2, and the second one is located next to terminal 6.

Taxi

Another way to reach Mehrabad Airport is via taxis. There are two ways for tourists to use taxis. First, they can use taxi applications (see above how to use the services of taxi applications). To do this, wherever you are in the city, you can choose the source and destination (Mehrabad Airport) and order a taxi. Your taxi will be there as soon as possible. The second way is using the yellow or green taxis around the city.

Besides, to get out of Mehrabad airport, you can use taxis as mentioned above or you can take taxis at the taxi service booths at the airport.

Bus

Using intra-city buses is another way to access Mehrabad airport. To do so, you must use the Mehrabad-Vanak bus line.

This bus line starts from Vanak Square and after passing through Molla Sadra St., Chamran Expressway, Hemmat Expressway, Sheikh Fazl-allah Nouri Expressway, Jenah Highway, and passing Sadeghiyeh metro station and Azadi Square you will reach Mehrabad airport.

In addition, BRT line 10 from Azadi terminal to Hesarak will also pass Mehrabad Airport.

Mehrabad airport flight information

Flight information phone number: 199

Call Center phone number: 61021

Airport management phone number: 66025343

SMS system number: 3000199

2.2.2. Imam Khomeini International Airport

Imam Khomeini International Airport is the largest airport in Iran, and an airport near Tehran mainly for international flights.

More than 40 prestigious international airlines are active in Imam Khomeini International Airport, including Air France, Emirates Airline, flydubai Airline, Lufthansa Airline, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Furthermore, the domestic airlines in this airport include Iran Air, Zagros Airlines, Mahan Air, Kish Air, Aseman Airlines and Caspian Airlines.

2.2.2.1. Access Routes to Imam Khomeini International Airport

Imam Khomeini Airport is located 30 kilometers from Tehran in Tehran-Qom highway, so there are different ways to get to this airport:

Private car

To go to Imam Khomeini International Airport on your own car, you need to go to south of Tehran first and take Shahid Kazemi Highway and continue your route to the south. After passing the toll booth, you will enter Tehran-Qom Freeway. After about 30 km, you will see airport signs that show you should exit the freeway to get to Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Taxi

To get to Imam Khomeini airport from Tehran by taxi you have two ways: either you can use taxi applications (as mentioned above), or you can call the numbers 1833, 1828 and 1804, asking for a taxi. Airport taxi fare for 24 hours is about 42.8 euros.

Moreover, if you are at Imam Khomeini Airport and you are going to Tehran or any other cities in Iran, you can take a taxi at the airport taxi booths.

Metro

Tehran Metro Line 8, continuing line 1 (Tajrish-Kahrizak) connects Imam Khomeini International Airport to Shahr-e Aftab staion, at the beginning of line 1, through which tourists and travelers will be able to get to Tehran.

Bus

Imam Khomeini airport special buses from Terminal 4 of Mehrabad Airport to Imam Khomeini International Airport leave every one hour. These buses also stop at Azadi Square and Haram-e Motahhar metro stations.

The welfare services at Imam Khomeini airport include Internet, CIP services, restaurants, rest hall, currency exchange, boarding emergency services, bank, Luggage Storage, and hotel.

Airport Phone numbers: 096330, 021-5100118 and 021-5100111

SMS system: 10009633

To buy a plane ticket, you can visit the following websites and, entering information such as source and destination, date and number of passengers, you can see flights available on that special date and choose your desired flight. Remember that to book your ticket, first you should click on the option of purchasing by passport and enter your passport number along with other details.

Passengers will be checked in up to 45 minutes before departure in international flights and up to 30 minutes before departure in domestic ones. So you need to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your scheduled departure time for international flights. For domestic flights this time is between 1 to 1.5 hours.

https://ghasedak24.com/

https://www.alibaba.ir/

To check flight status and ticket inquiries, visit the following website:

https://ebooking.iranair.com/Booking

To check flight schedule, visit the following websites:

https://fids.airport.ir/

http://iranscanner.com/

To get information about ticket buying regulations, and ticket cancellation and refund, you can visit the following websites:

https://ebooking.iranair.com/Rules/Ticket

https://ebooking.iranair.com/Rules/Change

This type of transportation is really convenient to use.

 Cost of Flight Tickets from Tehran to Some Major Cities of Iran:

2.3. Inter-city Bus Service

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to travel in Iran has always been using the buses. In this section, you will be familiar with this type of transportation in Tehran.

Tourists who have traveled to Iran or plan to travel to Iran, just need to visit websites (mentioned below) to book bus tickets, selecting the source, destination and date of travel and choosing the best bus from the list of available buses with the services and amenities offered.

Tehran has four active bus terminals, each of which offer transportation services to different cities. It is, therefore, essential for you to check the terminal name before purchasing tickets. You should also be at the terminal about half an hour before the departure time.

Websites to search and buy bus tickets:

https://www.alibaba.ir/bus-ticket

https://ghasedak24.com/bus-ticket

You can see the ticket cancel and refund conditions in the websites mentioned above too.

2.3.1. Tehran Bus Terminals

 South Terminal (Khazaneh)

Most of the buses that leave the south terminal go to the southern and central cities of Iran including Zahedan, Kerman, Bandar Abbas, Shiraz, Isfahan, Hamedan, Ahvaz, Asaluyeh, Bushehr, Andimeshk, Semnan, Kashan, Mashhad and so on.

However, there are also some buses in this terminal for other destinations including Ardabil, Sabzevar, Astaneh, etc. To access the South Terminal or to go from the terminal to the city of Tehran, you can use taxis, BRT and metro.

The South Terminal metro station is located in the south Gate of the terminal, in line 1 of Tehran metro (Tajrish – Kahrizak).

There is a taxi station and intra-city bus station with the same name (South Terminal) in the west side of the terminal and passengers can easily travel to various parts of Tehran.

South Terminal Address: Tehran, Besat Expressway, opposite Ghoo oil factory, Khazaneh passenger terminal

South Terminal phone number: 021-5518539

 East Terminal (Tehranpars)

The main destinations of the buses from this terminal are most of the cities in north and northeast of the country, such as Amol, Babol, Sari, Gorgan, Kalaleh, Bojnoord, Mashhad, etc.

To reach this terminal, you can use taxis, metro and BRT lines from Azadi Square to East Terminal.

There is a taxi station and intra-city bus station with the same name (East Terminal) next to the terminal and passengers can easily travel to various parts of Tehran.

The metro station of this terminal is not constructed yet, and the nearest metro station to the terminal is a street away.

East Terminal Address: Tehran, Damavand, Tehranpars 3-ways, Tehranpars terminal

East terminal phone number: 02177864355

 Beyhaghi Terminal (Argentina Square)

transportation companies in this terminal offer services to passengers of 55 Iranian cities, including Isfahan, Mashhad, Rasht, Hamedan, Ahvaz, Tabriz, etc. and three countries of Iraq, Syria and Turkey. If you have chosen this terminal, you can use BRTs, intra-city buses and taxis next to the terminal.

Beyhaghi Terminal address: Tehran, Argentina Square, Beyhaghi terminal

Beyhaqi terminal phone number: 02188534384

 West Terminal (Azadi)

Transportation services are provided in this terminal to most cities of Iran, including cities in west, north, northwest of Iran and some foreign cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Tbilisi, Batumi and so on.

To get to this terminal, you can use taxis, BRT and metro. Azadi Square metro station, line 4, is the nearest metro station to the Azadi terminal.

West terminal has facilities including a clinic, emergency room, mosque, ATMs, car park, mom & baby room, a variety of stores and services provided for disabled people.

West Terminal address: Tehran, Azadi Square, the northwest side of the square, West (Azadi) terminal

2.3.1.1. Types of Buses in Bus Lines

Ordinary Buses

These buses, mostly Volvo model, have 38 to 50 seats. Obviously, the more the number of seats are, the less comfortable the passengers will be on the bus.

You will only be able to recline the seats on the bus a little, so these buses are not convenient enough and they are not recommended.

VIP Buses

VIP bus series, manufactured by companies like Scania, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Buggy and MAN, provide passengers with better services than regular buses. There are at least 20 seats on these buses that make them more spacious and certainly more comfortable for passengers.

VIP buses are among the convenient types of transportation.

 Cost of Bus Tickets from Tehran to Other Major Cities of Iran:

In this article, we have tried to give you, as tourists to Iran, more details of how to travel in Tehran or out of Tehran, so you can travel to Iran with piece of mind, and enjoy your trip in Iran.

If you have more questions after reading this article and other articles provided by Iranviva group, do not hesitate to contact us.

Our colleagues in Iranviva are ready to answer all your questions.

You are really welcome in advance for visiting Iran.