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Practical Information
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are the best times to travel around central and northern Iran, while visits to the south coast of Iran are best made in the winter months.
Visa
Visas may be obtained from Iranian Consulates and Embassies. A visa may also be issued on arrival for certain nationals.
Clothing
The essential requirement for the ladies is to conceal hair and to wear modest cloths. As for men, knee length shorts are not acceptable. Care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing which may be considered revealing.
Transportation
Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) is 50 km south of Tehran, and Mehrabad International and Domestic Airport (THR) is 10 km west of town. There is a reliable prepaid taxi service outside the international and domestic arrivals hall. Internal airlines are widely used as the primary means of transportation. There's also rail service, both within the country and to Europe and surrounding countries. Bus service is extremely popular, and many buses run each day between all cities and towns in Iran.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink in most of Iran, though many travelers stick to bottled water, which is widely available.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50 cycles.
Weights & measures
Metric System.
Time
Plus three and a half hours Greenwich Mean Time.
Language
The country's official language is Persian.
Communications
International telephone and internet broadband service is available in most hotels. The prepaid mobile is widely used, and postal services are quite efficient and reliable.
Photography
Visitors to Iran find ample themes with varied subjects for photography including people, monuments, and landscapes. With a few exceptions, photography is allowed in all the monuments, mosques, museums, and other attractions.
Persian cuisine
Prepared from fresh ingredients, the lightly seasoned dishes are generally based on rice, meat, fresh herbs, nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Currency
The currency is denominated in Rials. However, there is a local practice of quoting prices in Tomans, worth 10 Rials.
Money exchange
Major foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks located in international airports and at city banks which display the sign of "EXCHANGE" on their entrance, or at authorized exchange shops locally called "SARRAFI" usually found in city centers and at popular tourist areas.
Shopping
Shopping hours are generally 09:00 to 13:00, and from 16:00 to 20:00. Traditional bazaars are closed all over the country on Friday. For daily supplies, small corner shops sell everything.
Credit cards
Except for better tourist shops in large cities, credit cards are not generally accepted in Iran. Travelers are recommended to carry hard currency to cover their needs.
ATMs
Although Iran has a functioning network of ATMs (cash point machines), they can only be used with locally issued bank cards.
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