Getting Around Isfahan: A Practical Guide for Visitors
Isfahan is a large, sprawling city, and its sights are spread across a wide area, so most visitors end up mixing several modes of transport during a stay. The good news is that the city is well-connected by all modes of transport, and the historic core around Chaharbaq street and the old town is compact enough to explore on foot once you are there. What follows is a plain-language guide to your options.
Arriving by Air: Isfahan International Airport
Isfahan International Airport (also known as Shahid Beheshti, airport code IFN) sits well outside the city to the north-east. It handles daily domestic flights to Tehran and Mashhad, plus international services to Dubai, Kuwait and Istanbul.
- By taxi: The most straightforward way into the city centre is a taxi from the airport. Agree the fare before you set off, and expect the driver to open with a higher figure than the going rate.
- By bus: There are also direct buses from Isfahan to Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, departing from Terminal-e Kaveh. These are useful if you are connecting to an international flight rather than heading into central Isfahan, and the journey takes under six hours.
Arriving by Train
Isfahan's railway station lies south of the city centre. There is a night train to Tehran, which offers comfortable sleeping compartments, and a daily train to Mashhad. Note that there are no trains to Shiraz, so if Shiraz is on your itinerary you will need to travel by road instead.
To reach the rest of the city from the station, take bus #37 to Soffe Bus Terminal, then change there for bus #91 towards the old town. The best place to get off is Chaharbaq street, where you will find many hostels, hotels, cafés and things to see.
Arriving by Bus
Isfahan is well connected to most parts of Iran by bus, but the city has several bus terminals, and it pays to know which one suits your route before you arrive.
- Kaveh terminal (north of the centre): buses to Tehran and Kashan depart frequently from here.
- Sofeh Bus Station (south of the city): buses coming from Shiraz terminate here. To get into town, take bus No. 91 going south.
- Jey Terminal (east of the centre): serves destinations east of Isfahan, including Varzaneh, Na'in and Yazd. There are shops and cafés inside the terminal building.
From Tehran, the busiest and most comfortable departure points are Beyhaghi terminal (also known as Argentina terminal) and the Southern Terminal. A handful of operators run luxury "European standard" coaches with very comfortable seats, extra leg room, an open mini-bar, water and snacks, and films shown en route. Royal Safar Iranian is one such luxury operator.
Getting Around the City
Metro
Isfahan has a metro system, which opened in 2015. It is a useful option for covering longer distances across the city, though the historic sights are best reached on foot or by bus once you are in the centre.
Buses
Buses are the easiest and cheapest way of travelling inside Isfahan. The key to using them is the Isfahan card, a multi-journey contactless card sold at certain bus stop booths. Paying with the card is cheaper than paying the driver directly in cash, so it is worth buying one early if you plan to use buses regularly.
One important practical point: buses have separate sections, with the front reserved for men and the rear for women. Board accordingly.
Taxis
Taxis are widely available and useful for short hops and for reaching places the buses do not serve well, such as Soffeh mountain and the bus terminals. Short rides are inexpensive, with longer trips costing more. Be aware that drivers will often open by demanding at least double the fair price, so it is worth agreeing a fare before you get in and being prepared to negotiate.
Walking
Walking is one of the most rewarding ways to experience Isfahan. The city is known for its grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques and minarets, and the historic core around Chaharbaq street is well supplied with accommodation, cafés and sights within easy reach of one another. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest city squares in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a natural focal point for a walking day. For longer journeys between neighbourhoods, though, you will want to combine walking with the bus or metro.
Practical Tips
- Buy an Isfahan card for buses rather than paying cash on board — it is cheaper and simpler.
- Remember the front/rear seating convention on buses.
- Agree taxi fares in advance; expect an opening price well above the going rate.
- If you arrive by train, the bus #37 to Soffe terminal and then bus #91 to Chaharbaq street is the standard route into the old town.
- Check which bus terminal your onward coach uses — Kaveh, Sofeh and Jey each serve different directions.