Armenia - Iran border crossing (Nordooz - Agarak)

[esther]

Crossed the Armenia - Iran border on 18 July 2019. We traveled by bus from Yerevan to Tehran. It was not a direct bus, it also made a stop at Tabriz. In Yerevan we walked into a few travel agencies (look for Persian writing) and compared the offers. The cheapest offer was Royal Safar Iranian.12.000 AMD per person (cash) for the bus Yerevan-Tehran (24 hour drive). We bought the tickets three days in advance. The buses can fill up quite quickly. The bus departs near Children's Park at 11.30 in the morning. At least, that was what the ticket said, because the bus was late. The drive was comfortable, we got snacks on the bus and there were many toilet breaks (no toilet on the bus). There is no wifi on the bus. We arrived at the border at 11 in the evening after a long drive through the Armenian mountains. The passport control was quick, there was no one asking us for health insurance. There are two checks at the Iranian border. We had to wait quite some time after the passport control for our bus to arrive (45 minutes). This gave us time to exchange money (there is an exchange shop inside). Around 11 in the morning we arrived in Tehran and were dropped off at Azadi. Unfortunately, it was not Azadi, but a random place along a high way. We had to walk for 20 minutes in the hot sun (36 degrees) to reach a metro station. I suspect the bus driver did not want to go to Azadi square and though that this was good enough. Overall, smooth journey, but the drop-off point could have been better.

[Kanter]

Crossed Armenian Iran border on July 24th. Starting from Yerevan at 11 AM, in Kilikia. Booked tickets 4 days before, for 12 000 AMD. Bus very comfortable, 3 seats for each rank. Good driver, several breaks for toilets and lunch. Road is scenic. Arrived 9 PM at border, first check in the bus for all passeports, then all out with luggages. Scanner and Armenian control : Iranien going back home passeport's check very fast, for me, 5 long minuts of checking all pages, trying to see if my document was a real one. Then asking for Iranian visa. After that, 600 m walk through no man's land with a last control of Armenian side: a policeman asks me what day I will go in Iran (???) : today, 24th. Not funny...
Crossing the bridge and I am in Iran. First control by soldier, smiling: welcome to Iran. Then, real passeport check, few questions: what s your job in France ? Which cities will you visit ? Stamp on e visa not in passeport. Office for insurance was empty, nobody asked me something, only have shown my certificate to control guy. 2 AM arrival in Tabriz, bus goes to Teheran. Taxi are close to drop off point which seems to be main bus station. Iranian guys help me to translate.
Forgot to say that currency at border 1 e 130 k rial. Do not change too much, for them 200e was impossible and 100e huge. 20 to 50 e seems better.

[jav005]

I crossed this border, from Armenia to Iran, on the 24th of February, on foot. It was very easy. On the Armenian side, the guard spent ten minutes scrutinizing my passport, with the help of a magnifying glass. There a similar report about this here: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=12177&start=70
In that case it was "only" five minutes, maybe because of the queue behind; there was nobody behind me.

On the Iranian side, or for what matters, never in the crossing, need I show any of: vaccination certificate, PCR test, health insurance. Just passport and visa.

There is a waiting room on the Iranian side where I waited for a friend to come and pick me up, and also helped me exchange currency with a good rate, so I cannot provide info on those points. As to the latter, there is an exchange booth inside the Iranian waiting room, as well as a bank office, but if I remember correctly none on the Armenian side

[Poney]

We cross from the both side of the border during july 2022.
We took the first time the company Tatev Travel from Erevan to Tabriz. The bus started from Kilikia bus station at Erevan all days at 12:00 (+37491524402 Whatsapp number, they also have an office around republic square no credit card).
Due to the bad road around Tatev city , it took a lot of time to go to the border. We arrived the first time at 9 pm. It was really easy to enter Iran. But you have to wait a very very long time, beetween 2 and 4 hours because the bus is totally checked by iranian customs. We arrived in Tabriz on the side of motorway at 4 am in the morning (the bus continues to Teheran). Be carreful some taxi drivers are waiting and ask a very high price to go to the center. If you walk 5 minutes you can reach the official taxi station at the big bus station (350 000 rials).

There is also another company operating the travel Royal Safar Iranian, bus starting all days at 11am from the beyghati bus station in Teheran. To buy the ticket you have to go to a travel agency in any city you want. The bus was really slow, we were at the border at midnight and wait 4 hours. The bus arrived at republic square in the center of Erevan at noon, so you have to be very patient.

Crossing this border is easy and quick for passengers but the travel takes long long time, be brave...

Price of one way ticket was 18000 ADR yerevan to tabriz and 11.000.000 IR tehran to yerevan.

[Bart&Karen]

We, a Belgian and a Mexican on the road, are ready to cross from Armenia to Iran with our campervan soon.

We're wondering if someone can help us clear some things out:

- my camper's Belgian car registration certificate is on the name of my company, my Carnet de passage on my personal name. On Turkish, Georgian, Armenian borders I had no problem entering using a "MOTOR VEHICLE POWER OF ATTORNEY" document where I state as manager of the company that I can do with the car as i wish...
Does anyone have any experience entering with a car on company name and a CDP on your personal name?

- Does any kind of insurance needs to be shown at the border? travel insurance? car insurance? Should it be from an Iran company? Can this be easily bought at the Nordooz - Agarak border? We have belgian travel insurance but no car insurance for Iran yet and I dont seem able to buy it via https://www.hafezinsurance.ir

Thanks a lot!

Karen & Bart

[Lzh]

Hi,

We entered to Iran using this border. 30th of July. It was our van so i can not help you with your first question. I only can tell that the staff of the Iranian border here were very kind and helpful (probably the kindest border staff that we have ever found) so I would say that you wont have any problems as far as you explain the situation. At least they will try to help you if they can.

Regarding the car insurance. We entered using our green card. We requested our insurance in Spain to enable Iran as a country in our green card. It was not enabled by default but they did upon request.

Still, nobody asked about our car insurance or travel insurance when we entered the country and we saw companies selling car insurance once you cross the border. Dont know the prices.

Hope it helps you.

[bamboo]

Border crossing on May 10th.

I bought a bus ticket from the bus station in Yerevan. The bus smelled like gasoline and was suffocating during the whole journey. Bus departed at 11:30am, arrived at the border around 7pm. Custom from both sides were quick and efficient. As a female, I was asked to cover my hair on the Iranian side. No questions asked. An Iranian border agent stamped on my grant notice, and didn’t care to look at my insurance nor my hotel reservation. I and other passengers waited almost 4hrs for them to clear the bus and continue our journey. The bus dropped me off in the middle of a highway in Tabriz, and the driver pointed to the opposite direction with the sign “Terminal” and signaled me to get a taxi. He then took off to Tehran. The highway was dark and car drove quickly. A truck pulled over next to me and the driver whistled and started approaching me. I ran as fast as I could across the highway and was almost run over by a car. I walked around for 15’ to find the terminal and a taxi at 3:30am. There was a man with a plain car who signaled me to get in his car, and I was hesitant to do so because it wasn’t a taxi. Luckily, a taxi approached at the same time so I immediately hopped in.

In retrospect, I should have asked where the bus would drop me off in Tabriz (I thought they would drop me off at a bus station when I told them I was going to Tabriz, maybe due to language barrier, I misunderstood) and ask my guesthouse to send a car to pick me up.

[HugoL]

Has one attempted this crossing recently? Specifically from Iran into Armenia.

Looking at overland options at the moment from Asia to Europe and this seems to be the most feasible now that Azerbaijani border remains closed and the situation in Russia.

[Alberto]

Has one attempted this crossing recently? Specifically from Iran into Armenia.

Looking at overland options at the moment from Asia to Europe and this seems to be the most feasible now that Azerbaijani border remains closed and the situation in Russia.

We crossed from Armenia into Iran at the end of June. We've had 0 problems.

It should be smooth also for you. Armenia is pretty easy to enter.

[Arnaud_P]

I crossed the border Armenia to Iran the 13th of September 2023.
I took a night bus from Yerevan to Tabriz.
It went a mot smoother than expected.
I used a eVisa without any issue. They also didn't check my insurance or hotel reservation. It took less than 2 minutes to pass the border on the Iranian side.
We waited for the bus another 45 minutes and took off. It did not smelled like gasoline thankfully.
The bus dropped me not far from the bus station of Tabriz. Some taxi where waiting. You should try to change some money at the border.