Zahedan

Zahedan is the capital of Baluchistan province in Iran. It is border city connecting Iran with Pakistan and if one is not going through Afghanistan, they'll have to pass through Zahedan on the overland route from Istanbul to New Delhi.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Zahedan Airport (ZAH  ^IATA) (on the outskirts of the city). Connections to Tehran, Isfahan, Kerman, Mashhad, Gorgan, Shiraz in Iran and also an International flight to Dubai  

By train

There is a direct train Tehran several times per week, which takes about 24 hours and is formed of couchette sleepers. Additionally, there are daily trains from Kerman and Khash. An international train is supposed to run twice per month from Quetta in Pakistan, with a journey time of 11 hours, but due to security concerns this train has been frequently cancelled. Make sure to check the status before travelling. As of early 2023 local information suggests this is being used as a freight-only service for now. Sandstorms frequently block the tracks and cause severe delays.

• 2 Zahedan railway station (ایستگاه راه آهن زاهدان), Motahhari Blvd. (updated Nov 2021)

See

• 1 Makki Mosque (مسجد جامع مکی زاهدان). (updated Jan 2018)
• Zahedan has also a Friday mosque for shiye
• Jame mosque
• The city has a Sikh gurdwara
• A colorful bazaar, Rasouli Bazaar, can also be found in the city, where Baluchi and Pashtun traders intermingle.
• About 100 km south of Zahedan is an intermittently active volcano, Taftan, which rises abruptly 4,042 meters from the surrounding plain.

Do

If you’re very lucky you might be in town for a camel race (mosabagheh-ye shotor-e davani), a traditional Baluchi activity usually held in summer.

Sleep

• 1 Esteghlal Grand Hotel (هتل استقلال), ☏ +98 54 3323 8052. (updated Jan 2018)

Go next

• Pakistan - this is a likely candidate for why you're here in the first place, but make sure you've got a visa before coming, as the consulate here no longer issues them. Mashad also has a Pakistani Consulate where you can get visas there, which is the nearest place to pick one up. Also Tehran has a Pakistani Embassy.