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GUIDE
TO BUSINESS TRAVELERS : VISA, HOTELS & TRANSPORT
VISA
& OTHER FORMALITIES
Travel
regulations should be checked before traveling. No travel restrictions
between Iran and Tajakistan since August 1992.
Passport
is required by all except certain seamen. Visa is also required
by most nationals, and must be obtained in advance from Consulate
General.
Nationals
of Israel are prohibited entry. There are extensive regulations
regarding nationality, transit visas, etc.
There
are no currency restrictions on entering. Limit of US$10,000 is
imposed upon leaving unless declared on arrival. Credit and charge
cards are not accepted. It is advisable to
take cash. The dollar, sterling and the D-Mark
are the most easily traded currencies. One should be prepared to
be given large quantities of low-denomination notes by money changers.
HEALTH DECLARATIONS
Details
of health requirements should be checked before traveling.
Mandatorily
Cholera and yellow-fever certificates are likely to be required
if traveling from infected area.
Typhoid,
paratyphoid and cholera inoculations are advisable. AIDS certificate
is required if staying more than three months.
ACCESS TO IRAN -
AIR & SURFACE
National
airline: Iran Air, (Homa).
Others
airlines: Aeroflot, Air France, Air India Armenian Airlines, Alitalia,
Austrian, Azerbaijan Hava Yollary, British Airways. Emirates, Gulf
Air Lufthansa, KLM, Kuwait Airways, MAS,
PIA, Swissair, Syrian Arab, Turkish.
Tax:
Foreign nationals leaving the country have to pay IR 1,500, (Jan.1995).
International
airports: Mehrabad (Code: THR), 12 km west of Tehran with duty-free
shop, buffet, restaurant, bank, post office, shops; Shiraz (Code:
SYZ), 15 km from city, with buffet, currency exchange, post office,
shops, Bandar Imam Khomeini (Code: BND).
There
are roads from Iraq. Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan, though the
routes are not always passable. There are rail lines from
Turkey.
Main
ports: Bandar Shahid Rajai, Bandar Imam Khomeini (containers), Bandar
Bushehr, Bandar Anzelli, Bandar Chah Bahar and Bandar Nowshahr.
Khorramshahr, the main port and Kharg Island (both oil terminals)
are undergoing reconstruction following the war with Iraq.
TRANSPORT
City
Taxis are not metered and frequently shared.
Those hired by telephone or by hotels are more expensive. Tipping
is not expected.
National
Air: Iran Air runs frequent services between
most cities and Tehran. Seats can be difficult to acquire without
Booking well in advance.
Road:
Surfaced roads seven main centers, and total network comprises 140.00
km. Condition of secondary roads may vary.
Buses:
Scheduled long-distance coach services may vary, but have included
Tehran-Anzali, Khorramshahr-Bandar Iman Khomeini, and Tehran-Zahedan
and all other main cities and towns.
Rail:
Rail service on 4,000-4,500 km network may vary, but three classes
of service have operated in the past, with sleeping accommodation,
air-conditioning and restaurant service available.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS & WORKING HOURS
HOLIDAYS
Fixed
dates: 11 Feb (National Day - Fall of the Shah), 19 Mar (Petrol
Nationalisation Day), 21-24 March (Nowruz, the Iranian New Year),
1 Apr (Republic Day) 2 Apr, 5 Jun (Revolution Day).
Variable
dates: Exact dates of Islamic religious festivals are determined
by the Lunar Calendar, birth of Mohammad, Edi-e-Qorban Edi-e-Qadir,
Tasua, Imam Ali's Martyrdom, Birthday of Twelfth Imam and other
religious holidays. Friday is an official holiday
in Iran, Thursday is a half-closing day for
offices only-shops and markets are open.
WORKING
HOURS
Government
and business : 0700/0800-1500/1600 (closed on Thursday and Friday).
Banking:
0800-1600: (0800 - 1130 on Thursday)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telephone:
Dialling code for Iran-IDD access code + 98 followed by area code
(631 for Abadan, 31 for Isfahan, 51 for Mashhad, 71 for Shiraz,
21 for Tehran). Approximately 2.2m telephones in total (1990),
of which 40 per cent are in Tehran and 7 per cent
in Isfahan.
Telex
and telefax: There are telex and telefax facilities at the Central
Telegraph Office and in the major hotels in Tehran.
SOCIAL CUSTOMS
Muslim
law is strictly adhered to. Always refer to the stretch of water
to the south of Iran as the Persian Gulf- never the Arabian Gulf.
Avoid contentious subjects such as Iraq and Israel. It is useful
for the visitor to be aware of the different communities
comprising Iran. Arms should be covered with
a scarf over the hair. Men must never offer to shake hands with
a woman.
HOTELS
The
situation and status of hotels should be carefully checked. The
use of the name of an international management chain does not imply
a current connection with the chain, but may indicate only a provisional
link or the usual name by which the hotel is known.
Isfahan
(area code 31) Abbasi, Charbagh Avenue,
Isfahan,
Motahary Avenue (city center), PO Box 16 (tel: 35491, 60586)
Shiraz
(area code 71) Homa, Sadri Avenue (City centre), PO Box 528 (tel:
28000/12: tlx: 332231).
Tehran
(area code 21) Asia, 40 Mellat Avenue, Serahe Ekbatan (tel: 297021/19).
Azadi
Grand, Chairman Expressway, Evin Crossing (tel: 297021/31: tlx:
212845: fax: 299018).
Boulevard,
278 opposite Zhaleh Arcade, Keshavarz Boulevard (tel: 650459).
Bozorg-e-Tehran
(Grand Hotel), close to Motaharri Avenue, Vali-e-Asr Avenue (tel:
624383).
Buloor
(Belair), Sepahbod Qarani Avenue (Tel: 829881/2).
Caspian,
428 Ayatullah Teleqani Avenue (Tel: 834066/9).
Commodore,
Taleghani Avenue (Tel: 642703).
Crystal,
Lalezar Now Avenue (Tel: 393796).
Diamond,
Seventh-Tir Square, Dr Mufatteh Avenue (Tel:822907).
Ekbatan,
Taleqani Junction, vali-e-Asr Avenue (Tel: 301664).
En
Ghelab, 50 Taleghani Avenue (city center) (Tel; 667251/5: tx: 212599).
Esteqlal,
after Jam-e-Jam, Vali-e-Asr Avenue (Tel: 29001/5).
Evin,
Evin avenue (Tel: 291030).
Ferdowsi,
Ferdowsi Square (Tel: 824559).
Gilan,
Southern Ferdowsi Avenue (Tel: 302282).
Gilan
Now, Ferdowsi Avenue (Tel: 316206).
Hafez,
Bank Alley, Ferdowsi Avenue (Tel: 679063).
Homa
(formerly Sheraton), 50 Bizhan Street, Vali-e-Asir, PO Box 11-196
(Tel: 683021/8).
Independence
(formerly Hilton) (Tel: 683021/8).
Independence
(formerly Hilton) Tel: 290031/9); tx: 212363
Keshavarz,
42 Keshavarz Boulevard (Tel: 899939).
Kian,
Zardosht Street, Vali-e-Asr Avenue (Tel: 650235).
Laleh
(Inter-Continental), DR Fatemi Avenue (Tel: 656021/9: tlx: 212300
intercon).
Lalezar,
Lalezar Now Avenue (Tel: 316542).
Marmar,
Sepahbod Qarani Avenue (Tel: 830083/7: tx:212475).
Miamei,
Vali-e-Asr Avenue (Tel: 620200).
Mina,
DR Mufateh Avenue (Tel: 823255).
Naderi,
Jamhourie-Islam Avenue (Tel: 678610)
New
Naderi, Goharshad Alley, Naderi Avenue (Tel: 671356).
Pamchal
S. DR Mufateh (Mobarezan) Avenue, (Tel: 820825).
Parastoo,
Shahrokh Alley, Jamhourie Islami Avenue (Tel: 672422).
Park,
Vahdate Islami Avenue (Hafez) (Tel: 672020/9; tx: 212549).
Pars,
40 Sepand Street, Nejatollahi Avenue.
Parsian,
DR Beheshti avenue (Tel: 622708)
Pirooz
S, Vali-e-Asir Avenue (Tel: 533584).
Quds,
Taleqani Avenue (Tel: 6409310).
Sanjar,
DR Ali Shariati Avenue (Tel: 751445/7).
Shiraz,
opposite Cinema Odeon, N. Sa'adi Avenue (Tel:301018).
Tehran,
Mosadeq Avenue, Valiasr Square (Tel: 8983171; tx: 212675 kings).
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