Tehran, Iran's sprawling capital at the foot of the Alborz Mountains, pairs Qajar-era palaces and a vast historic bazaar with modern towers, mountain gondolas, and a genuine after-dark cafe culture built around teahouses rather than bars.
- Public
- Tehran Metro (7 lines, about 163 stations) and an extensive BRT network form the backbone of getting around the city, both inexpensive and far faster than driving during peak traffic hours.
- Taxi
- Shared khatti taxis on fixed routes are the cheapest option; private dar baste taxis cost more but go door to door. Cash only — foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in Iran.
- Rideshare
- Snapp is Iran's dominant ride-hailing app, functioning similarly to Uber with fixed advance pricing; Uber and Lyft are unavailable due to sanctions.
- Walking
- Central Tehran is walkable within individual neighborhoods but the city is large and sprawling with hilly terrain in the north, so most cross-town trips require the metro, BRT, or a taxi.
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 4/5 — Tehran Metro and the extensive BRT network are efficient, inexpensive, and the best way to avoid the city's heavy road traffic
- Taxi
- 3/5 — widely available through khatti shared taxis and dar baste private hire, but requires agreeing prices in advance and cash-only payment since foreign cards are not accepted
- Rideshare
- 4/5 — Snapp offers reliable, fixed-price rides similar to Uber, though a local SIM or Wi-Fi is needed to book, and Uber/Lyft do not operate in Iran at all
- Walking
- 2/5 — central Tehran is large and hilly with heavy traffic; walking works within neighborhoods but is impractical between most districts
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- Fixed-rate airport taxi counter at Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) arrivals hall to central Tehran: roughly 60 minutes, cash payment only in rial or toman since foreign cards do not work anywhere in Iran
- Shuttle
- No dedicated airport shuttle bus service comparable to Western airports; the metro and taxi are the standard options from both IKA and Mehrabad
- Bus
- No direct express bus link from IKA into central Tehran; travelers rely on metro or taxi
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
Tehran's BRT network covers roughly 100+ km across about ten dedicated bus-lane routes, carrying around 1.8 million passengers daily; regular city buses cover remaining routes
Alternatives
metro, khatti shared taxi, dar baste private taxi, Snapp ride-hailing
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- Shared 'khatti' taxis run fixed routes and are hailed by shouting the destination; they are inexpensive but require some familiarity with common routes. Private 'dar baste' taxis are hired for exclusive use and cost more; agree on the fare before getting in since meters are uncommon. Neither type generally accepts foreign payment cards — cash only.
- Apps
- Snapp, Tap30, Tapsi
- App Names
- Snapp, Tap30, Tapsi
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Long-distance VIP and standard buses connect Tehran's terminals (South, West, East) to cities across Iran, offering an affordable alternative to domestic flights
Flights
Mehrabad Airport (THR) handles most domestic routes to cities including Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd, and Kish Island
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Airports
Imam Khomeini International Airport
From centre: approximately 30 km southwest of central Tehran
Options: Fixed-rate airport taxi from the official counter in the arrivals hall to central Tehran: roughly 60 minutes depending on traffic, paid in cash (rial or toman) only, as foreign cards do not work; Tehran Metro Line 1 (red line) connects to the airport, but requires a change of train at Shahed-Baghershahr station toward Tajrish; trains run 24 hours but only every 70-80 minutes, making it slow for time-sensitive arrivals; Snapp ride-hailing app can be booked once a local SIM card or Wi-Fi connection is available, offering a fixed quoted price with no bargaining
Mehrabad International Airport
From centre: approximately 9-11 km west of central Tehran
Options: Tehran Metro Line 4 (yellow line) serves Mehrabad directly with separate stations for different terminals, avoiding surface traffic; Taxi to central Tehran: roughly 15-20 minutes outside peak traffic; Snapp ride-hailing app available
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Carry cash in rial or toman for all transport — no foreign Visa, Mastercard, or other international card works anywhere in Iran due to sanctions
Download Snapp before arrival if possible, or arrange a local SIM card immediately on arrival to be able to book rides and get fixed pricing without bargaining
Agree on the fare with a dar baste (private) taxi driver before getting in, since meters are uncommon and prices are not fixed the way Snapp's are
The Tehran Metro has women-only carriages, clearly marked, in addition to mixed carriages open to all
From Imam Khomeini International Airport, the fixed-rate taxi counter inside arrivals is more reliable and safer than accepting offers from unlicensed drivers outside
Traffic in Tehran is heaviest between roughly 7-9am and 4-7pm on weekdays (the Iranian work week runs Saturday-Wednesday, with Friday as the weekend) — the metro or BRT is far faster than a taxi during these windows
Internet access in Iran has been subject to intermittent blackouts through 2026; do not rely on having connectivity to book a ride or check a map in real time, and keep an offline map or written addresses in Farsi as backup