Crossing Iran - Pakistan border at Gabd-Reemdan

[TautTruffle]

So visas are not an issue, that's great.

What about transport? On the map there's barely even a road within 40km on the Iran side. The nearest proper city seems to be the port of Chabahar (which is apparently the future destination of a train line, but for now it's just bus).

Would it be feasible to turn up at Chabahar and get a taxi to Negur, or Rimdan, or even all the way to the border? If so what might be expected on the Pakistan side for a single traveller sans vehicle?

[Koen]

Hi,

just checked the border on google maps etc.. as I'm bored at work.
I see couple tourbuses at the border, side Pakistan, so probably you can get it their.
Also there is a hotel, if you have to wait for next day bus.

[TautTruffle]

OK Koen thanks, but you are aware that this entire region, for 500km east of the border, is Balochistan, where tourists are not allowed to travel without an escort?

[Koen]

i saw earlier post that couple people did not have escort:

"In all check points they asked me, where do I go and how. I answered Karachi and with bike. They told me the road was safe and let me go with my bike.

I could cycle 3 days visiting Gwadar and Pasni. I could enjoy the hospitality of balochi people as I did in iranian Balochistan. Unfortunatelly, the fourth day, probably because a cyclist in these villages is still too remarkable, two police men were in front of my hotel to escort me (they told me they got the information that it was not safe for me anymore). Next 250 km I was transported with the police vehicle and 250 km I cycled with two police men following me with a motorcycle/car until I left Balochistan.

A cyclist from Belgium was cycling two days ahead and I think he had no escort. If you try to cycle unnoticed (not visiting villages, but just crossing the police check points and wild camping), it is more likely that you don't get escort (on the other hand you miss meeting local people). Special mention to the police men I met (around 50 in total), they were extremly friendly and helpful."

[TautTruffle]

Yep I did also see that intriguing post.

Just did some scouting around GMaps. You're right, there are a couple of bus and taxi offices at the border and in the reviews people are talking about buses to Gwadar and even mentioning Karachi.

Wow this could be promising - maybe the security situation really has improved and the police are relaxing a bit? Really, it's almost closer to Dubai than to Afghanistan down there, how dangerous can it be?

[Koen]

I was in Pakistan last year, was perfect.
Just asked old colleague in Karachi, he said it's good in that area

[Arnaud_P]

Hi all,
I crossed the Reemdan border yesterday from Iran to Pakistan.
I think you can cross here only by foot. I didn't see any vehicle.
Crossing was very easy. Because I'm white, they made me pass in front of everyone. Otherwise the line is quite long. Get as early as possible there.
I would definitely recommend having an hotel booking to show. We showed our letter of invitation and it seemed to be enough.
Also, try to print the evisa.
The place seems very safe. There is not much military. After talking to Pakistanis in Iran, they all told us to use this border instead of Taftan.
We got a Taxi from Chabahar to the border. It was about 14 euros.
You can get to Karachi in the same day by bus. It cost 3400 Pakistani rupee I believe. You can change money at the border.
There is no escort but they will check you passport every hour or so when the bus is stopped at checkpoints.
The bus takes a loooong time to get to Karachi. We left around 11am and we arrived around 3am.

[Elli]

Thanks Arnaud for sharing your experience

Has anyone been crossing the border very recently ? Is it still the same? I am a solo traveler and wanna know if I can go by bus from border to Karachi as Arnaud wrote or if I have to get escorted?

One other question, as I work online I would like to know your experience of internet connection in Pakistan ? Is it worse than Tajikistan ? Do you think video calls would be possible ?

Thanks
Elli

[viszabori]

I crossed this border from Pakistan to Iran in November, took a bus from Karachi to the border.
There were no escorts.
I believe it's a similar story from Iran to Pakistan.
There's a bus from the border to Karachi, I think it leaves early afternoon, so the border should be crossed in the morning.

Viri