Tahran

Sleep

The old-styled Mosaferkhanehs and budget hotels are often low quality and overpriced. The reason is that Iran has had very limited exposure to the outside world. In many low budget places there are no European toilets or even no toilet paper and staff can be rather unfriendly with no English-speaking ability. However, a couple of modern hostels have opened in Tehran.

Connect

For information on mobile phone operators and using the internet in Iran, see Iran#Connect

You need to use a proxy server, VPN or a software like Freegate or Psiphon to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and some websites; otherwise, you might see this page which shows that the site you want to access is filtered and blocked by the judiciary system. You also need to use Freegate to check your bank account balance; otherwise, your account might get blocked due to the sanctions against Iran.

Stay safe

See also the warnings at Iran#Stay safe.

Considering that the population of Tehran is around 15 million, it is still one of the safer cities to visit in global terms. Violent crime is rare and exercising common sense and taking the usual precautions against pickpockets in crowded areas should ensure a hassle-free visit. Most areas are safe even late at night, although it is not advisable to take a private taxi at 02:00 for example (but the lack of public nightlife means that few tourists would be out at that time in the first place). South Tehran (or the areas south of the Tehran Bazaar) is the only area that should really be avoided after dark, as some of the more deprived neighborhoods are there.

Traffic in Tehran is very dangerous and should be considered to be among the worst in the world. Even though crossing the street might at first seem impossible, drivers usually do a very good job avoiding pedestrians. Still, try to cross the street when the locals do as there is safety in numbers. The rate of traffic accidents is disturbingly high, so faith should not be put on drivers' skills alone.

thumbnail|Traffic congestion is very acute in Tehran and driving habits are dangerous. Exercise extreme caution when crossing the street.

The fake police that have traditionally targeted tourists in Esfahan have also found their way to Tehran. These are usually uniformed men in unmarked cars flashing fake IDs and requesting to see your passport or to search through your luggage. Yo…

Go next

If the hustle and bustle of Tehran becomes too much, it's possible to go to the Caspian Sea for a day or two. The holiday town of Ramsar is about five hours away, and the drive across the Alborz Mountains is spectacular. A taxi round-trip for a day shouldn't set you back more than 500,000 rials (ask for taxis near Azadi Square). Qom — about 2 hours away southwest of Tehran by bus and one hour by car (120 km) is the most religious city of Iran followed by Mashhad