Transport in Iran

In December 2014, a rail line from Iran opened to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The opening of the line marks the first direct rail link between Iran, Kazakhstan and China and upon comp]] rail project direct rail transport between China and Europe (while avoiding Russia) will be possible.[10][11]

• Afghanistan – planned
• Azerbaijan – break-of-gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)/1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) (Only to Nakhichevan, planned link to Azerbaijan proper for building Russia-Iran corridor)
• Armenia – planned – break of gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)/1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in)[12]
• Iraq – part under construction, part planned.
  • one long link from Arak via Kermanshah to Baghdad
  • one short link of about 50 km links Khorramshahr to Basra and is due for completion in 2006.
• Pakistan – break-of-gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)/1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) - missing link from Bam to Zahedan completed 2009.
• Turkey – via Lake Van – train ferry - 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)
• Turkmenistan – break-of-gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)/1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in)

• Couplers – SA3 and buffers
• Brakes – air
• Electrification – 25 kV AC

The Tehran Metro is a rapid transit system in Tehran carrying 5 million passengers a day and consisting of seven lines that run a total of 200 kilometres (~120 mi) with two further lines under construction.[13] The metro will have a final length of 430 kilometres (270 mi) once all nine lines are constructed by 2028. Metro services run from 5:30 to 23:00 throughout the city and the ticket price is 3,000-8,000 IRR ($0.10-$0.30 USD) and is based on distance of the trip.

Tehran Metro

The Tehran Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a rapid transit system serving Tehran which was officially inaugurated in 2008. The BRT has a network of over 150 kilometres, transporting 1.8 million passengers on a daily basis.[14] The BRT has a total of ten lines with a further expansion planned to bring the total length to 300 kilometres. The price of Tehran's BRT is somewhere between 4,000IRR to 9,500IRR ($0.15 to $0.35 USD).

The Mashhad Urban Railway is urban rail line in Mashhad, construction on line one began in 1999 and was opened on 24 April 2011. Line two has also been opened recently and finished construction. Furthermore, four other lines are either being constructed or are planned to be. Mashhad Urban Railway operates its single line from 6:30 to 21:30 daily. It has a daily ridership of 130 000 passengers and has a total length of 24 kilometres (14.9 mi).

The Isfahan Metro construction of line one commenced in 2001 and was finally opened to the public on 15 October 2015. Line one has a total length of 11 kilometres. The city is planning a second East to West line to serve the city.

The Shiraz Metro is a rapid transit system in Shiraz. Line one was officially inaugurated on 11 October 2014 after being in construction since 2011; the single line has a length of 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) and stops at six stations. Line 2 is currently under construction and has a length of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). The metro currently has a daily ridership of 500 000 passengers with 27 trains in operation.

The Tabriz Metro is a metro system serving the city of Tabriz. The first line was opened on 28 August 2015 with a 7-kilometre length and six stations. There is also a regional commuter line planned to the city of Sahand. Line one runs Northwest from El Goli Station to Ostad Shahriar Station.

The total route length of the various Metros is 253km.

Iran ranks 23d worldwide in traffic deaths per 100,000 population per year, with a rate of 24.3, half the rate of the worst country, Eritrea. Iran ranks first worldwide in terms of having the largest number of road accidents with 38,000 deaths and injuries per year. Other sources place the total number of fatalities at 100,000 over the past 6 years or 20,000 per year on average (2008).[6][18]

Transport officials say 46.8 percent of car accidents take place in cities, 21.5 percent outside, 19.5 percent on rural routes, 4.2 percent on urban highways and 4.2 percent on suburban highways.[19] Pedestrians account for 45% of traffic deaths in Tehran.[20]

The high death tolls in car accidents are blamed on high speed, unsafe vehicles, widespread disregard of traffic laws and inadequate emergency services.[21]

Motorcycles account for 50 percent of sound pollution in Tehran and 40-45 percent of accidents.[22]

Imam Khomeini International Airport

Total: 140 (2013)[32]

over 3,047 m: 42

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29

1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

914 to 1,523 m: 36

under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Total: 179 (2013)[32]

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 135

under 914 m: 32 (2013)

Total: 26 (2013)[32]

• In 2011, some 27 million travelers and businessmen passed custom departments.[39]
• Over five million passengers have been transported via border points mainly Mehran and Bazargan.
• In 2002, about 70% of visitors arrived by land, about 29% by air and less than 1% by sea[35]

• In 2011, cargoss and commodities from 100 countries have been transported across Iran. Over 10.5 million tons of oil products and non-oil commodities were transited via land (91% via road and 9% via railroad) and marine borders.[39]
• In 2010, 10 million tons of commodities from 110 countries, worth $31.5 billion, transited through Iran for 82 destinations.[40][41]
• In 2009, the value of goods transited was about $25 billion. This figure constitutes seven percent of the GDP.[42]
• From March 22, 2009 until September 22, 2009 over 3 million tons of goods worth some $11.3 billion were transited through Iran. Regarding the countries of origin, China was first in terms of volume, Turkmenistan ranked second, Uzbekistan came third, Turkey fourth and UAE fifth. Among the destinations, Afghanistan was first, Iraq second, Azerbaijan third, UAE fourth and Turkmenistan ranked fifth.[43]
• Some 33 million tons of goods and 29 million passengers are transported annually by the rail transportation network, accounting for 9 percent and 11 percent of the whole transportations in the country (2011).[44]
• Per capita parcel post for each Iranian stands at 15 per annum (2008).[45]
• One million tons of commodities, fuel and barter have been transited abroad per month (2008).[46]
  • Fuel is transported in Iran by road tankers, tank wagons, tanker ships as well as through pipelines. Nearly 10,000 tankers from 400 private sector companies transport fuel by road. In 2013, nearly 87 billion liters of fuel were transported by Iranian tankers. Iran's tank wagons and ships transported 3 billion liters and 8 billion liters of fuel, respectively.[47]
  • 3.498 million tons of non-oil commodities were transited abroad via Iran during March 20-November 20, 2008 (79% of the commodities were transited by road).[48]

• More than 90 percent of the country's imports and exports, particularly in the fisheries and oil sectors, are undertaken through the sea (2009).[49]
• In 2008, 84% of the transited goods through Iran were transported through roads while the rest was transported via railroad.[50]

• In 2011, Bandar Abbas was the country's most active border in terms of transit (37 percent), followed by Parvizkhan (17 percent), Bazargan (9 percent) and Bashmaq (7 percent).[39]
• In 2008, some 24 border crossings except Kileh in Sardasht (West Azarbaijan) and Yazdan in Southern Khorasan were active nationwide. Bandar Abbas, contributing 40.8% of transit operations, was considered the most dynamic in terms of transiting cargo. It was followed by Bazargan (16.6 percent), Sarakhs (14.1 percent), Bandar Anzali (9.2 percent) and Pileh-Savar (3.9 percent).[2]

• Every ton of transit cargo earns $150 for the country and creates 40 jobs.[2] Iran will earn a revenue of US$12 billion when the volume of goods transported through the country reaches 40 million tons annually.[40]

In September 2009, Iran formally joined the Transport Corridor Europe – Caucasus – Asia (TRACECA) programme, also known as the "new Silk Road." TRACECA was founded in 1998 with the aim of promoting economic relations, trade and transport communications between Europe, the Caucasus and Asia. This programme consists of the EU and 14 member states (including Iran) from Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Iran's strategic location means that it is a key transport corridor between Europe and Central Asia.

In August 2010, Iran declared that it "did not sign on to TRACECA project" and said it has been fostering improved transport links through a series of bilateral agreements with neighboring states instead.[51] According to Iran's first Vice-President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi "If all the potential of the country's transit sector is tapped, it can bring in as much revenues as [the] oil [industry]". He also announced that Iran will join China and Europe by rail in the near future.[52]