Esfahan Transportation

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I rented a car (very good, almost new car) with driver from Esfahan to Kashan via Abyaneh from Iran Travel & Tourism Tour travel agency. I paid 45 000 rials for approximately 3 hour journey including one hour in Abyaneh. I am sure you can get better price, but I am not that good in bargaining. In travel agency they told me the driver also will be a guide, but actually he was not. But anyway Abyaneh maybe is not the place you need a guide. On our way the friendly driver showed me some interesting places like caravanserais, ruins some castle etc and made one stop to make photos when I asked.

To get from Chahar Bagh Abbasi street to Jolfa I took a shared taxi - just stopped it in the street. It took me to other side of river and from there I took a little walk. Ask directions if you don't know where you have to go for Jolfa. The price for shared taxi was 1000 rials.

I went from Yazd to Esfahan by old Mercedez bus. The journey took 5 hours and the cost of ticket was only 12 500 rials. The taxi ride from Yazd center to bus station cost 10 000 rials in the day (when I went for ticket) and 15 000 rials in very early morning.

Going from Esfahan to Kashan I hadn’t bought a ticket in advanced but went to the bus station and hoped to find a ticket there. Buses for Kashan leave from Kaveh Bus Terminal north of the city. A car from the hotel to the terminal was IR 20 0000. There was no problem to get a ticket 15 minutes before the 9 o’clock bus was leaving. It was a comfortable Scania bus with air-condition and the price was IR 18 000 (July 2006). Until Natanz the bus used the highway and after a smaller road. On the bus a fruit drink was served. It took three hours to go to Kashan. In Kashan the bus stopped somewhere along Molla Sadra Boulevard, and from there a taxi to Sayyah Hotel was IR 8000.

The bus passes the area of Iran’s nuclear program (under ground) and there are a lot of military watch towers and guns. It is absolutely forbidden to take a photo. If you try to take a photo through the bus window someone might not notice, but you never know. A taxi driver in Kashan told me of two French tourist who had stopped on the way to Abyaneh to take photos. The military took their cameras and there were immediately sent out of the country. So it is best not to take a risk.

I bought the bus ticket for Esfahan, from Yazd, at the bus station two days before going (on the way to the Tower of Silence). The ticket was IR 24 000 (July 2006) and the bus was a comfortable, air-conditioned one.

As on many of the Iranian buses a movie was shown. From the beginning I didn’t pay attention, but after a while I realised someone spoke English and it continued to be a mixture of English and Farsi spoken. The movie was very easy to follow and was about an American man falling in love with an Iranian woman, and the name was something about an Iranian wedding. I wonder if it was to have a good view of the movie the driver had told me to have another seat than on my ticket. At least he glanced at me a few times when there were funny parts as to see if I enjoyed it.

The journey to Esfahan took about 4,5 hours and the bus stopped at Jey Bus Terminal east of the city. From the bus terminal to Aria Hotel the taxi was IR 15 000. In Yazd the taxi from Silk Road Hotel to the bus terminal was IR 10 000.

TAXI:
A shared taxi can be hired anywhere in the town, or hire a private one for 4500 Rials an hour within the city limits. Hiring one for a few hours is definitely a good idea if you want to visit some of the outlying sights, and it's worth considering even for a tour of the main sights within the city. Here is a short .listing of some taxi agents:
I. Ali Qapu 233332.
2. Arya, Chahar Bagh-e Bala Ave, Nazar Intersection 617710.
3. Est'ahan,SharifVaghefi St 255555.
4. Iman, Mahdieh St 239035.
5. Iran 245751.
6. Khaghani, Khaghani St 240366.
7. Kowsar, 292947.
8. Laleh, Zeinabieh St 250936.
9. Oghab, Mirfendereski St 610234.
10. Samaan 228900.
11. Sassan225054.
12.Shahab, Piruzi Sq. 619982.
13. Wireless Taxi 2 15050.
TOURIST MAP:
Available in English and Persian.
TOURIST OFFICE:
Shahid Madani Street, at its intersection with Chahar Bagh Avenue 221555.27667 (marked in English).

Kaveh Street, about two km to the north of Shohada Square. Here you can get buses to nearly all major towns of Iran. There is also a more or less weekly direct service with Cooperative Bus Company No I to Istanbul.
I. Jay Terminal 510003
2. Kaveh Terminal 413605,414375
3. Soffeh Terminal 688441-2
4. Zayandeh Rud Terminal 759182-3

I. Bank Melli Iran, Sepah Street, northwest cornof Imam Square 220038,226482.
2. Bank SaderatIran, Chahar Bagh Ave, Darvazeh Dowlat 30081-2.
3. Bank Saderat Iran, Imam Square 223954, 226022.
4. Bank Sepah (central), Sepaah Street 220823.
5. Iran Arz Exchange Office, Jahanguir Qashqa 'i Crossroads 61874.
6. Markazi Exchange Office, Apadana Crossroads, Ghodss Bldg 617514.
7. Sepahan Exchange Office, No 127, Nazar-e Sharghi Street 249225.