Overview
Tehran Metro (Persian: متروی تهران, Metro-ye Tehrān) is the rapid transit system serving Iran's capital and the largest metro network in the Middle East. It is owned and operated by Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway (TUSRC) and carries more than 3 million passengers a day; in 2018 alone, 820 million trips were made. As of 2023 the system is about 310 km long, with plans to reach 500 km and 330 stations across eleven lines by 2040.
Riding it end to end is straightforward. Services run every day from 05:30 to 22:00, with trains roughly every five minutes on working days (Saturday–Thursday) on most lines. You enter a station, buy or tap a ticket, descend to the platform, and board; all metro signs carry English translations, maps are available at information desks, and an English-language metro app exists. Expect huge crowds at rush hour, as many residents commute by metro rather than car.
The network
The system combines an urban metro with a long-distance suburban rail line. Seven lines are active (Lines 1–7), with construction under way on extensions and further lines (including Lines 8, 9, 10 and 11).
- Line 1 (red): about 92 km with 32 stations, running mostly north–south from Tajrish to Kahrizak, with an airport branch to Imam Khomeini International Airport and an extension to Parand. Part of it runs at surface level. It is the only line open 24 hours a day (with infrequent late-night service), and its Darvazeh Dowlat station is also open around the clock.
- Line 2 (blue): about 26 km with 22 stations, an east–west route from Sadeghiyeh to Farhangsara, with peak headways of around two minutes.
- Line 3 (light blue): about 37 km with 25 stations, a south-west to north-east diagonal from Azadegan to Ghaem; Rahahan station connects to the main railway station.
- Line 4 (yellow): about 26 km with 23 stations, an east–west southern corridor, including a branch to Mehrabad Airport with two stations inside the airport (T1–2 and T3–4).
- Line 5 (green): about 69 km with 13 stations, the suburban Sadeghiyeh–Karaj–Hashtgerd corridor, using locomotive-hauled double-deck coaches with roughly 10-minute headways.
- Line 6 (pink): about 32 km with 26 stations, a north-west to south-east diagonal opened in phases from 2019; its Shahr-e Aftab station is described as the largest metro station in the Middle East.
- Line 7 (purple): about 30.5 km with 22 stations, a north–south corridor that serves Milad Tower.
Useful stations for visitors include Tajrish (Line 1, for Tajrish Bazaar and mountain hiking), Panzdah-e Khordad (Line 1, for the Grand Bazaar and Golestan Palace), Sa'adi (Line 1, for the National Jewellery Treasury), Imam Khomeini (Lines 1 and 2, the main interchange in the historic centre), Rahahan (Lines 1 and 3, for the railway station), Sadeghiyeh (Lines 2 and 5, the busiest node) and Darvazeh Dowlat (Lines 1 and 4). Note that the central "Imam Khomeini" station is a different place from Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Beyond the metro, Tehran has an inexpensive but confusing city bus network, with route information in Persian only and no published network map. The red Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses run on dedicated lanes and are the fastest surface option, linking Azadi Square with Terminal-e-Shargh in the east, the railway station in the south with Tajrish Square in the north along Valiasr Street, and other major corridors. The sources do not describe any tram or ferry services in Tehran.
Tickets & fares
Fares are very cheap and are approximate — they change, so check at the station. A single metro journey is quoted at around 5,300 Iranian toman (about US$0.05) in one source and around 15,000 rials in another, regardless of distance travelled. Following a fare revision approved by Tehran City Council, metro journeys within Tehran and up to 30 km were set at 4,300 toman, with suburban routes (including to Parand and Hashtgerd) rising by 30%. Seniors may travel free on the metro.
- Single tickets: sold at ticket offices in every station.
- Rechargeable prepaid cards: cheaper and more convenient for multiple rides per day, and using prepaid tickets costs much less than paying per journey. The same stored-value contactless card is shared with the buses and BRT.
- Bus fares: regular buses charge 2,200 toman for up to 2.5 km plus 560 toman per additional 2.5 km; articulated buses charge 2,200 toman for up to 5 km plus 480 toman per additional 5 km. Some buses require the prepaid card (minimum 5,000 rials), bought from booths beside bus stops and metro stations; others accept cash of roughly 1,000–4,000 rials. On BRT lines you usually pay at the station entrance with the card or to the guard.
The sources do not describe tourist-specific passes or a formal zone system beyond the distance-based suburban pricing above.
From the airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) handles international flights and lies about 35 km south-west of the centre; Mehrabad (THR) handles domestic flights and is connected directly to Metro Line 4.
- Metro: the easiest way into the centre. A dedicated line (referred to as Line 8 in one source) connects the airport terminal with Metro Line 1 (red). The fare was quoted at 75,000 rials (March 2019) and covers the full network. Trains run irregularly — roughly at 06:50, 08:10, 09:30, 10:50, 12:10, 13:30, 14:50, 16:10, 17:30, 18:50 and 20:10 — and Line 1's Darvazeh Dowlat station stays open 24 hours to serve late and early flights.
- Bus: services to and from the city (for example Haram Metro station) run every 30–60 minutes between 07:00 and 23:00, leaving in front of the main exit, for 20,000–30,000 rials.
- Shuttle taxis and green minibuses: these run between the airport and Shahed station on the red line; a metro ticket plus a shuttle taxi (about 40,000 rials) is probably the cheapest option from town, though finding them at the airport can be difficult. The last one departs around 21:30.
- Taxi: a fixed rate of 800,000 rials (about US$19 or €17 as of November 2025), booked at the booth outside arrivals; the drive takes 45 minutes without traffic but can exceed 90 minutes. Taxis to the nearest metro station (Haram-e-Motahhar) cost 500,000 rials.
Etiquette & customs
- Women-only carriages: on every train, the first carriage and half of the second from each end are reserved for women. Women may ride other cars freely, but men must not enter the women-only cars.
- Bus segregation: city buses are divided into a men-only front section and a women-only back section; on BRT lines the women-only section is at the front, and women pay when getting off at the driver's section.
- Queues: men's and women's queues and seating are separate on the BRT.
- Rush hour: the busiest times are roughly 07:00–09:00 and 16:00–20:00 (18:00–20:00 on the metro); expect very crowded trains and buses.
- Smoking is forbidden everywhere in stations, including open areas.
- Courtesy: people will often give up their seat if they know you are a tourist, and locals are generally happy to help you find your stop — just ask.
- Masks: during the COVID-19 period, wearing a mask was made a requirement to enter the network, with enforcement at every station.
The sources do not specify an escalator standing side, so simply follow the flow of other passengers.
Official links
Survival terms
- مترو (metro) — metro/subway
- بلیط (belit) — ticket
- خط (khat) — line
- ورودی (vorudi) — entrance
- خروجی (khoruji) — exit
- تعویض خط (ta'viz-e khat) — transfer
- کرایه (keraye) — fare
- کارت اعتباری (kart-e e'tebari) — rechargeable/stored-value card
Keep a charged prepaid card with you and avoid the 07:00–09:00 and 16:00–20:00 crush if you can, so your journeys stay cheap and comfortable.