Tehran Transportation

Shared taxi use predetermined routes, usually going from sqaure to square through the important streets.

Just standing by the street will bring the attention of the shared taxi drivers.
They will use the clacson and will slow down coming to you; be prepared to scream a generic place like Ferdosi or Valiasr (not a specific address because they won't bring you there!) and if they are directed there they will take you.
You must be quick to get in, because shared taxis are heavily used and many times someone faster than you will take it before you.

Usually the front seat can be used by two persons, especially if there are women in the back seats.

I've never really understood how much can cost a ride on a shared taxy, usually it depends by the distance but 2000 rands was the average; the first days I wasn't used to it and some drivers made me pay 10000 rands while other passengers payd only 2000 so be aware and always watch how much the other passengers pay.

Taxis in Tehran are everywhere, but the traffic is so terrible that they are not the best option to go around in the city.
Don't expect luxurious cars, you will usually get an old, hot paykan. If you are lucky you'll get a peugeot and if you are extremely lucky the air conditioning will work.

The yellow taxis are regular and you will use it on your own; usually they don't use the meter, I just negotiated a tariff before getting in.
If you come from the international airport as you exit, many taxi drivers will offer their services: they are insistent and often they ask too much, mind that 50000 rials for the city centre is the right price.
Out of the domestic flights terminal things work differently as you go to a kiosk and the clerk ask your destination, give you a receipt, then a driver is called. Sometimes there aren't enough taxis so you share the taxi with someone else who stops near your destination, but you can wait even an hour to get your taxi. The price was always 50000 rials for the three times I used the service, despite different destinations.

Anyway, more often than not you will use "private taxis", occasional drivers who want to get some extra rials. They usually ask for a ridiculous high price so you must always negotiate the tariff before getting in the taxi! Even after a negotiation they sometimes try to ask for more, telling you the destination is far (dur, dur!) and so on. Don't listen to them, if for european standards the price could appear low, for iranian standards what you are paying is already too much.

Even if just one time, I saw also a gree taxy, driven by an old lady, which was for "women only".

The bus system in Tehran is not good and I suggest to avoid it.

While extremely cheap, the buses are old, slow and crowded. In spring and summer they are terribly hot too. Due to the terrible traffic in Tehran they are never on time, but the meaning of "on time" is pratically unknown in this part of the world.

Buses run usually from 6AM to 11PM but on Friday and in other festivities the service is not regular. Buses have arabic numbers but after few days you will learn all of them. If you are not sure just ask the people, they will kindly help you.

Buses usually go from a station to another, the most important stations are in Rah-Ahan Square (right in front of the Railway station), Imam Khomeini Square, Valiasr Square and Azadi Square (if you go in the west part of the city).

You can buy tickets in the kiosks at the bus stops, just 200 rands for one. When you enter the bus, give the ticket to the driver.

Don't forget that the back seats of the bus are for women only and the front seats are for everyone, but you better never sit near a woman who is not related with you.

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One of the easiest ways of getting around Tehran, is by taxi. There appears to be three different types of taxi – the yellow metered ones in picture one (make sure the meter is switched on before you commence the journey), the shared white non-metered ones in picture two (agree a price before getting in) and private cars taking passengers. The shared taxis will ply certain routes, almost like a bus. The private cars are mostly run by government workers in the spare time to supplement their income.

Taxis are almost impossible to find when it rains!

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Tehran Metro was a great way of getting from A to B within the city quickly, cheaply and painlessly. The station names are in English so it is easy to find your way round, and the whole system in clean and efficient. There are women only carriages, but women are permitted to travel in any of the carriages. Maps on the wall showed you the routes (picture 3). In picture five you can see the sign to look out for when trying to find a station.

One way ticket cost 1000 IR. I used the Metro in 4 different occasion and I was able to sit in every time I was on the Metro. People were very curtious to me and each other, They were not very eager too sit as soon as a seat was vaccated by some one. There was a sepearte car for women.

For a map and more info visit www.tehranmetro.com/index.asp

While we were in Tehran, we usually took a metro around...they didn't exactly take us to where we wanted to go but usually they were within walking distance. The first and last cabin are for women only. Each trip costs about 1000rials. The metro seemed to always be crowded, I must have taken them like over 10 times but managed to be able to sit down only once.

When I arrived at night in Tehran Mehrabad Airport two men before going outside the terminal approached me of where I wanted to go. When I called the name of hotel in the center Of Tehran they said it will cost 20 usd. This was ridiculous price and I said it's too much, I can pay them 5 usd. Then they said it's impossible. So, I went out to official taxi boot and got official taxi with meter - this was the only time I saw taxi with meter inthe whole Iran trip!!! The meter showed tomans not rials and I ended up paying 60 000 rials.