Iran has one of the Middle East's most under-appreciated railways: a network built across deserts, mountains and a UNESCO-listed main line that connects the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea. Trains are comfortable, inexpensive by international standards and a genuinely good way to see the country's dramatic landscapes. Here is how the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways system actually works — one part of our wider look at rail travel around the world.
RAI: how Iran's railway is organised
RAI (Islamic Republic of Iran Railways) is the state operator running both passenger and freight services across a network of roughly 8,000–14,000 route kilometres depending on how branch lines and industrial spurs are counted. Long-distance passenger trains connect Tehran to every major provincial capital, and a slow but steady modernisation programme has added new electrified and higher-speed sections in recent years, alongside older diesel-hauled services that still cover much of the network.
Trains in Iran are generally clean, punctual by regional standards, and considerably more comfortable than the equivalent-priced long-distance bus. Sanctions and import restrictions have slowed fleet renewal, so expect a mix of older rolling stock — some Iranian-built, some inherited or refurbished — alongside newer sets on the busiest corridors.
Tehran: the hub of the network
Almost every long-distance train either starts, ends or passes through Tehran Railway Station (Rah Ahan), in the south of the capital and connected to the metro. From Tehran, direct overnight and day trains run to Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, Kerman, Tabriz, Ahvaz and the Caspian coast. Because the network radiates from Tehran, most multi-city itineraries route back through the capital rather than connecting directly between provincial cities.
Buy tickets in advance where possible — popular routes such as Tehran–Mashhad (a major pilgrimage route to the shrine of Imam Reza) sell out around religious holidays and the Iranian New Year (Nowruz) in particular.
The Trans-Iranian Railway: a UNESCO-listed line
The Trans-Iranian Railway, completed in 1938, is one of the great feats of early-20th-century railway engineering: a line built without foreign loans, financed domestically through taxes on tea and sugar, running from the Persian Gulf at Bandar Imam Khomeini in the south, over the Zagros Mountains, across the central plateau, and on to the Caspian Sea port of Bandar Torkaman in the north. Along the way it crosses more than 4,000 bridges and viaducts and passes through some 220 tunnels, including sections that spiral through the mountains to gain height. The line was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 in recognition of its scale and the engineering required to cross such varied terrain in a single route.
Travellers rarely ride the full original line end to end, but sections of it form part of the modern Tehran–north and Tehran–south corridors, and the mountain-crossing stretches near Zagros and the approach to the Caspian are among the most scenic rail travel in the Middle East.
The desert routes
Trains heading south-east from Tehran towards Yazd and Kerman cross the edge of Iran's great central deserts, the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut. The journey is a study in stark, beautiful emptiness — mudbrick villages, qanats (ancient underground irrigation channels) and long stretches with nothing but sand and distant mountains. Yazd itself, a UNESCO World Heritage city of windcatchers and adobe architecture, is one of the more rewarding overnight-train destinations in the country.
Further south again, the line to Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf coast completes the desert-to-sea run that forms the southern half of the original Trans-Iranian route. Boats across the Gulf itself are covered in our ferries in the Persian Gulf guide, for travellers continuing that way.
The Caspian routes
North of Tehran, lines drop down through the Alborz Mountains to the lush, subtropical Caspian coast — a striking contrast to the arid plateau most visitors associate with Iran. The descent from the high plateau towards Sari, Gorgan and the Caspian ports is one of the most dramatic short stretches of track in the country, moving from semi-desert to rice paddies and forest within a couple of hours. These routes are popular with domestic tourists heading to the Caspian resorts, particularly around Iranian public holidays, so book ahead in peak season.
Classes and comfort
- 4-berth sleeper (Ghazal / Simorgh-class compartments) — private or semi-private compartments with four berths, bedding provided, generally the most comfortable option for overnight travel and the class most foreign visitors choose.
- 6-berth sleeper — cheaper compartments with six berths, still with bedding, less private but perfectly workable for a night's travel.
- First and second-class seating — reclining seats for day trains on shorter routes, air-conditioned on newer rolling stock.
- Newer branded services — on some of the busiest corridors, RAI and private-sector partners run higher-comfort trains with airline-style seating, food service and more reliable air conditioning.
Booking practicalities
Tickets can be bought at station counters or through Iranian booking agents and travel agencies, including ones that specialise in foreign visitors — a practical route for anyone not comfortable navigating Persian-language booking systems. International credit cards generally do not work inside Iran because of sanctions, so most travellers arrange rail tickets, alongside other bookings, through a local agency or tour operator before or on arrival, paying in cash (rials) or via a pre-arranged agency account.
Because of these payment restrictions, independent online self-booking is harder in Iran than almost anywhere else covered on this site. Build in flexibility, confirm your onward rail tickets as soon as you arrive in a city, and lean on hotel staff or a local agency for help if a route looks fully booked. For travellers combining rail with buses on a wider regional trip, see our Iran and the Silk Road overland guide.
Entry rules and visas
Before any of this matters, you need to be able to enter the country at all. Requirements vary sharply by nationality and change with the political situation, so check our Iran entry requirements guide and your own government's current travel advice well before booking flights or trains.
Elsewhere in the region, rail travel works very differently — compare notes with our guides to India by train and Turkey by train, both useful if Iran forms part of a longer overland route through Asia.
Frequently asked questions
Do foreign visitors need a visa to travel in Iran, including by train?
Yes — most nationalities need a visa or an approved visa-on-arrival authorisation to enter Iran at all, arranged in advance. Requirements and eligibility change depending on nationality and current diplomatic relations, so check your own government's travel advice and an Iranian consulate or authorised visa agency before booking any travel, including trains.
Is the Tehran–Mashhad train worth taking over flying?
It is a long overnight journey of many hours compared with a roughly 90-minute flight, but it is popular with pilgrims and travellers who want to see the desert scenery and travel Iranian-style. If time is tight, flying is far faster; if you want an authentic slice of Iranian rail travel, the night train is a good introduction.
Can I buy Iranian train tickets online from outside the country?
Direct booking is difficult for foreign card holders because of sanctions on Iran's banking system. Most visitors book through a local tour operator or travel agency, either in advance or after arrival, rather than through RAI's own systems directly.
Is train travel in Iran safe?
Long-distance trains are a well-established, heavily used part of daily life in Iran and are not a particular safety concern in themselves. As with any trip to Iran, check your own government's current travel advisory before departure, since the broader political and security situation can change.
Sources and further reading:
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Trans-Iranian Railway listing and history.
- The Man in Seat 61 — Iran rail routes and booking guidance.
- Your government's travel advice for Iran (check before booking or departure).