Esfahan Getting there & around

Getting around

Esfahani taxi drivers have a bad reputation, but in reality they’re not much worse than taxi drivers anywhere else in the universe – if they see someone fresh off the plane, train or automobile, they’ll try to take you. The cartel at Kaveh terminal will ask IR30, 000 for a trip to a central hotel, but you should laugh at this and offer IR10, 000. If you’re lucky, you might get it for IR15, 000. Either way, settle the price before getting in. Alternatively, take a shuttle taxi or bus – traffic passing on the terminal side of the road is heading south into town. Getting from town to Kaveh is cheaper.

Bus & tram

Bus & minibus

Buses and minibuses leave the local bus terminal, near Chehel Sotun Palace, every few minutes. Just ask – and keep asking – for one heading your way. Elsewhere in town ask at a bus stop and you will soon be pointed to the correct conveyance. Rides cost IR200 to IR500 and you buy books of tickets at booths along the routes. One very handy bus links the Kaveh and Soffeh bus terminals (IR500).

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Local transport

Taxi

Depending on the distance – and your negotiating skills – a fare in a private taxi around inner Esfahan costs anything from IR6000 to IR15, 000. Luckily there are so many taxis that it’s easy to negotiate by threatening to find another one. Avoid the taxi drivers hanging around Imam Sq as they can spot tourists a mile off. To hire a private taxi for an hour costs between IR20, 000 and IR40, 000, and can be a good way to see the Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan and Manar Jomban.

The long Chahar Bagh St is the city’s main thoroughfare, and every couple of seconds a shuttle taxi goes mostaghim (straight ahead) for about IR1000 per kilometre or so. To outlying destinations such as the transport terminals, look for taxis heading in the right direction from the following places: Takhti Junction, Laleh, Qods and Ahmad Abad Sqs (for anywhere to the east); Imam Hossein and Shohada Sqs (for the north); and the southern end of Si-o-Seh Bridge and Azadi Sq (for the south and west); or just ask anywhere.

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