Transportation & Infrastructure Guide in Iran
Public transit, airports, and getting around
Public Transport
Road Infrastructure
Public Transport
6.2/10Good metro in Tehran (179 km by 2023, expanded from 78 km in 2010) with frequent service to beat traffic; buses and BRT common in cities; reliable Raja trains on 11,106 km rail for intercity (faster than buses); rural coverage limited but improving. Integration moderate, 52% access to public transport; affordable due to subsidies.
Road Infrastructure
6.5/10Extensive 173,000 km network (73% paved, 1,429 km expressways); plans for 5,000 km new highways, 10,000 km main roads; $6.63B upgrade includes ITS for congestion/safety, rural repaving, border facilities. Urban congestion high (Tehran 1 km road/1,000 capita vs national 6), maintenance ongoing but variable.
Internet Speed
3.8/10Average fixed broadband ~38 Mbps (2026 Speedtest data), mobile ~25 Mbps; urban 4G/5G decent but government restrictions limit speeds; fiber limited to major cities, rural gaps significant; improving via investments but lags regional peers.
Avg: 38.2+ Mbps • Limited to Tehran/urban centers; ADSL dominant in rural areas
Airport Connectivity
7.1/10290 airports total, 64 major (large/medium) provide strong domestic coverage; Tehran Imam Khomeini key international hub, Bandar Abbas major entry; good regional links to Middle East/Central Asia, though sanctions limit global routes.
Hubs: Tehran Imam Khomeini (IKA), Tehran Mehrabad (THR), Bandar Abbas (BND), Mashhad (MHD)
Transportation Costs
- Metro Pass
- IRR 200,000/month (Tehran)
- Bus Trip
- IRR 10,000-20,000/ride
- Taxi
- IRR 50,000 start + IRR 20,000/km
- High-speed Train
- IRR 500,000-1.5M Tehran-Mashhad
Mobile Network
Reliable 4G nationwide with good speeds in populated areas; 5G growing but throttled; service quality high despite occasional restrictions.
Driving License
Foreign licenses valid 3 months with IDP (required for non-Persian); long-term residents must convert to Iranian license via exam after 3 months. Drives on right.
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