Transport in Iran is cheap because of the government's subsidization of the price of gasoline. The downside is economic inefficiency, because of highly wasteful consumption patterns, and
air pollutionEnvironmental issues in Iran include, especially in urban areas, vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor air quality. Most cars use leaded gas and lack emissions control equipment. Tehran is rated as one of the world’s most polluted cities...
. In 2008, more than one million people worked in the transportation sector, accounting for 9% of GDP.
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
has a long paved road system linking most of its towns and all of its cities. In 2007 the country had 178,152 km (111,000 mi) of roads, of which 66% were paved. In 2008 there were nearly 100 passenger cars for every 1,000 inhabitants.
Trains operated on 11,106 km (6,942 mi) of railroad track. The country’s major port of entry is Bandar-Abbas on the
Strait of HormuzThe Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.The strait at its narrowest is wide...
. After arriving in Iran, imported goods are distributed throughout the country by trucks and freight trains. The
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
-Bandar-Abbas railroad, opened in 1995, connects Bandar-Abbas to the railroad system of Central Asia via Tehran and
MashhadMashhad is one of the largest cities in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan...
. Other major ports include Bandar e-Anzali and Bandar e-Torkeman on the
Caspian SeaThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres...
and Korramshahr and Bandar e-Khomeyni on the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf by most Arab states or simply The...
.
Dozens of cities have airports that serve passenger and cargo planes.
Iran AirIran Air or locally known as or Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the flag carrier airline of Iran, operating services to 20 scheduled and 5 charter destinations. The cargo fleet operates services to 35 international and 25 domestic destinations. Its main base is the Tehran Imam Khomeini...
, the national airline, was founded in 1962 and operates
domestic and international flights-East Asia:*China**Beijing - Beijing Capital International Airport*Japan**Tokyo - Narita International Airport*South Korea**Seoul - Incheon International Airport-South Asia:*India**Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport...
. All large cities have mass transit systems using buses, and several private companies provide bus service between cities.
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
,
MashhadMashhad is one of the largest cities in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan...
,
ShirazShiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Shiraz Ali, former Bermudian cricketer* Shiraz Minwalla, Indian string theorist...
,
TabrizTabriz is the fourth largest city of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals and residence of the crown prince...
,
AhvazThe city of Ahvaz or Ahwaz , is the capital of the Iranian province of Khūzestān. It is built on the banks of the Karun River and is situated in the middle of Khūzestān Province. The city has an average elevation of 20 meters above sea level...
and Esfahan are in the process of constructing underground mass transit rail lines.
Railways
- Total: 11,106 km
- Standard gauge: 8,273 km of gauge (146 km electrified) (2006)
- Broad gauge: 94 km of gauge (connected to Pakistan Railways
This article is about the rail company in Pakistan. For technical details and operations see: Transport in Pakistan.Pakistan Railways is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, headquartered in Lahore. It is administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways....
)
Electrified railway is 146 km from
TabrizTabriz is the fourth largest city of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals and residence of the crown prince...
to Jolfa and the tender for electrification of tehran mashhad has been finished according to
Railway electrification in IranRailway electrification in Iran describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to rail transport in Iran with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each system.The project is...
.
Note: broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with
Azerbaijan RepublicAzerbaijan , formally the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south...
and
TurkmenistanRepublic of Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic...
which have
broad gaugeIn railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1519 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge ....
rail systems; 41 km of the standard gauge, electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2007).
Railway links with adjacent countries
Afghanistan - planned Azerbaijan -
break-of-gaugeWith railways, a break-of-gauge is where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
/ Armenia - planned - break of gauge / Iraq - part under construction, part planned.
-
- one long link from Arak
Arak may refer to:* Arak, Iran, the county capital of Arak County, Iran* Arak, Russia, a village in the Tabasaran rayon of Dagestan, Russia* Arak , an alcoholic beverage* Arak gorges, series of gorges in Algeria...
via KermanshahKermanshah , is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km from Tehran in the western part of Iran and about 120 km from the border of Iraq. Kermanshah has a continental climate. The estimated population of the city is 822,921 and the majority of the inhabitants speak...
to BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
- one short link of about 50 km links Khorramshahr
Khorramshahr is a port city in Khūzestān Province in southwestern Iran. It is approximately north of Abadan. The city extends to the right bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway near its confluence with the Karun river....
to BasraAl-Baṣrah is the capital of Basra Province, and had an estimated population of 3,800,200 as of 2009. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it is incapable of deep water access, which is handled at the the port of Umm Qasr...
and is due for completion in 2006. Pakistan - break-of-gaugeWith railways, a break-of-gauge is where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
/ - missing link from BamBam is commonly used as a onomatopoeia for a sound, mostly that of an impact or collision.Bam or BAM may also refer to:Places:*Bam, Iran*Bam Province, Burkina FasoEvents:*2003 Bam earthquakePeople:...
to ZahedanZahedan is a city in southeastern Iran and the capital of the province of Sistan and Baluchestan. The city had an estimated population of 580,071 in 2005.
-Geography:...
completed 2009. Turkey - via Lake VanLake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes...
- train ferryA train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are referred to as "car ferries"...
- yes - Turkmenistan - break-of-gaugeWith railways, a break-of-gauge is where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
/
Couplings, Brakes and Electrification
- Couplers
A coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together.- Nomenclature :The different types of coupling...
- SA3The SA3 coupler is a type of railway coupling used mainly, but not exclusively, in Russia and other States from former Soviet Union.The Russian railways used European buffers and couplings from their inception, albeit with the buffers at a slightly wider spacing due to the slightly wider gauge....
and buffers
- Brakes
Brakes are used on the vehicles of railway trains to slow them, or to keep them standing when parked. While the principle is familiar from road vehicle usage, operational features are more complex because of the need to control trains, i.e...
- air
- Electrification
Electrification refers to the modification of a system so that it operates using electricity.- Electric grid :A more specific usage of the word refers to the act or process of building the necessary infrastructure to supply electric power to homes and businesses, especially in rural and isolated...
- 25 kV ACThe AC, railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially on high-speed lines.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
Metro
- City with underground
A rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
railway system:
- Tehran Metro
The Tehran Metro is a rapid transit system serving Tehran, the capital of Iran. The system consists of 4 operational lines, with construction having begun on 3,4,6,7 line in 2007....
Along with extension work on the
Tehran MetroThe Tehran Metro is a rapid transit system serving Tehran, the capital of Iran. The system consists of 4 operational lines, with construction having begun on 3,4,6,7 line in 2007....
, six other metro projects are being built. In total, 172 extra kilometers will be built in Tehran between now and 2012 and over 380 kilometers in the other cities. All these work sites are ongoing at present (2008).
- Other cities with plans to construct a metro:
- Mashhad Metro
- Isfahan Metro
- Shiraz Metro
Shiraz metro is the subway system of Shiraz, the capital city of Fars Province and the largest city in southern Iran with a population of over 1.2 million in the city and over 1.7 million in the metropolitan area...
- Tabriz Metro
- Ahvaz Metro
- Karaj Metro
Roadways and automobiles
- Total: 172,927 km (2006)
- Paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways)
- Unpaved: 47,019 km
Note: there were more than 7 million vehicles in Iran by 2006 mostly manufactured or assembled locally.
Road accidents
Iran ranks first worldwide in terms of having the largest number of road accidents with 38,000 deaths and injuries per year. Other sources place the total number of fatalities at 100,000 over the past 6 years or 20,000 per year on average (2008). Currently, road accidents account for a majority of deaths in Iran. Transport officials say 46.8 percent of car accidents take place in cities, 21.5 percent outside, 19.5 percent on rural routes, 4.2 percent on urban highways and 4.2 percent on suburban highways.
Waterways
850 km (on Karun River; additional service on
Lake UrmiaLake Urmia Lake Urmia Lake Urmia ( Daryâcheh-ye Orumiyeh; ; , ; ancient name: Lake Matiene is a salt lake in northwestern Iran near Turkey. The lake is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea...
) (2006)
Note: the Shatt al-Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use.
Pipelines
- Condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 19,161 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,438 km; refined products 7,936 km (2007)
- Iran is currently undergoing negotiations with neighboring Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
for the construction of an oil and gas pipeline to that country to help integrate their respective economies and solve the energy shortage being faced by Pakistan.
Ports and harbors
- All ports: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz
The city of Ahvaz or Ahwaz , is the capital of the Iranian province of Khūzestān. It is built on the banks of the Karun River and is situated in the middle of Khūzestān Province. The city has an average elevation of 20 meters above sea level...
, Bandar AbbasBandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran , on the Persian Gulf...
, Bandar-e Anzali (Caspian sea), BushehrBushehr , pop. 165,377 , is a city on the southwestern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. It is the chief seaport of the country and the administrative centre of Bushehr province. Its location is 28° 59' N, 50° 49' E, about south of Tehran...
, Bandar-e Emam KhomeyniBandar Imam Khomeini is a port city on the Persian Gulf in Khūzestān Province, Iran. Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, it was known as Bandar Shahpur...
, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman (Caspian sea), ChabaharChabahar , previously also Bandar Beheshti, is an Iranian city and a free port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman.Chabahar is situated on the Makran Coast of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and is officially designated as a Free Trade and Industrial Zone by Iran's government...
(Bandar-e Beheshti), Kharg island, Lavan island, Sirri island, KhorramshahrKhorramshahr is a port city in Khūzestān Province in southwestern Iran. It is approximately north of Abadan. The city extends to the right bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway near its confluence with the Karun river....
(limited operation since November 1992), NoshahrNowshahr also spelled as Noshahr and Noushahr, is a port city in the province of Mazandaran in northern Iran.-Climate and Tourism:...
(Caspian sea), Arvand Kenar.
- Main: Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran , on the Persian Gulf...
, Bandar-e Eman KhomeyniBandar Imam Khomeini is a port city on the Persian Gulf in Khūzestān Province, Iran. Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, it was known as Bandar Shahpur...
- Major Export Terminals (loading capacity, bbl/d): Kharg Island
Kharg Island is a continental island in the Persian Gulf belonging to Iran. It is located 25 km off the coast of Iran and 483 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz...
(5 million), Lavan IslandLavan Island is an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf. It has an area of 76 km². The island has one of the four major terminals for export of crude oil in Iran. The largest one is in Kharg Island....
(200,000), Neka (50,000), Assaluyeh (250,000 gas liquids), Kish Island and Abadan and Bandar Mahshahr.
- Major Oil/Gas Ports: Kharg Island, Lavan Island, Sirri Island, Ras Bahregan.
Merchant marine
- By type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3
- Registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1)
- Shipping freight (important for liquid natural gas (LNG) exports) will grow by an average of 5.3 percent a year in the 2009-2013.
Over the next two decades, Iran would need 500 new ships, including 120 oil tankers, 40 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and over 300 commercial vessels.
Airports and airlines
Iran’s airports are improving their international connections, and Arak Airport in Markazi province has recently begun to operate international flights, making a total of five such airports in the country, in addition to ten local airports. In May 2007 international flights into the capital, Tehran, were moved to the
Imam Khomeini International AirportImam Khomeini International Airport is located in Tehran, Iran. The airport is located about south of the city. It was designed to replace Mehrabad International Airport, which is in the west of the city, now inside the city boundaries...
(IKIA), just outside the city because of capacity constraints at the existing central Mehrabad Airport.
- There are 54 "major" airports in Iran (2008): 8 international, 21 air border, and 25 domestic.
- Number of flights from airports nationwide reached 31,088 in a month (October 20-November 20, 2008): 10,510 domestic, 4,229 international and 15,404 transit.
National airline:
- Iran Air
Iran Air or locally known as or Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the flag carrier airline of Iran, operating services to 20 scheduled and 5 charter destinations. The cargo fleet operates services to 35 international and 25 domestic destinations. Its main base is the Tehran Imam Khomeini...
Airports - with paved runways
Total:
129 (2007)
- over 3,047 m: 40
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
- 914 to 1,523 m: 32
- under 914 m: 5
Airports - with unpaved runways
Total: 202 (2007)
- over 3,047 m: 1
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
- 914 to 1,523 m: 145
- under 914 m: 46
Transit
- More than 90 percent of the country’s imports and exports, particularly in the fisheries and oil sectors, are undertaken through the sea (2009).
- In 2008, 84% of the transited goods through Iran were transported through roads while the rest was transported via railroad.
- In 2008, some 24 border crossings except Kileh in Sardasht (West Azarbaijan) and Yazdan in Southern Khorasan were active nationwide.
- Bandar Abbas, contributing 40.8% of transit operations, was considered the most dynamic in terms of transiting cargo. It was followed by Bazargan (16.6 percent), Sarakhs (14.1 percent), Bandar Anzali (9.2 percent) and Pileh-Savar (3.9 percent).
- Every ton of transit cargo earns $150 for the country and creates 40 jobs.
- Over five million passengers have been transported via border points mainly Mehran, Bazargan.
- In 2002, about 70% of visitors
Tourism in Iran before the accession of the theocracy, was characterized by a significant numbers of visitors travelling to Iran for its diverse attractions, boasting cultural splendours and a diverse and beautiful landscape suitable for a range of activities...
arrived by land, about 29% by air and less than 1% by sea
- Per capita parcel post for each Iranian stands at 15 per annum (2008).
- One million tons of commodities, fuel and barter have been transited abroad per month (2008).
- 3.498 million tons of non-oil commodities were transited abroad via Iran during March 20-November 20, 2008 (79% of the commodities were transited by road).
See also
- Tehran Metro
The Tehran Metro is a rapid transit system serving Tehran, the capital of Iran. The system consists of 4 operational lines, with construction having begun on 3,4,6,7 line in 2007....
- Airlines of Iran
Iran has several private and public airline companies in operation. The oldest is Iran Air.As of June 2009, Iranian planes fly 45 international flight routes....
- Ministry of Petroleum of Iran
The Iranian constitution prohibits the granting of petroleum rights on a concessionary basis or direct equity stake. However, the 1987 Petroleum Law permits the establishment of contracts between the Ministry of Petroleum, state companies and "local and foreign national persons and legal entities."...
(Oil subsidies)
- Privatization in Iran
According to the Fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan , the Privatization Organization of Iran affiliated to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance is in charge of setting prices and ceding shares to the general public and on the stock market...
- Environmental issues in Iran
Environmental issues in Iran include, especially in urban areas, vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor air quality. Most cars use leaded gas and lack emissions control equipment. Tehran is rated as one of the world’s most polluted cities...
- Economy of Iran
The economy of Iran is dominated by oil and gas exports which constituted 50-70% of government revenue and 80% of export earnings between 2006 and 2008. It has a large public sector, with an estimated 60% of the economy directly controlled and centrally planned by the state...
- List of Major Iranian Companies
- Communications in Iran
Iran’s telecommunications industry is almost entirely state-owned, dominated by the Telecommunication Company of Iran . Fixed-line penetration in 2004 was relatively well-developed by regional standards, standing at 22 lines per 100 people, higher than Egypt with 14 and Saudi Arabia with 15,...
Key Organizations
Useful Links