Q. Is it possible to travel across the Kurdistan/Iran border?
A. As far as I know it is not officially possible (and I don't recommend an illegal crossing). If you want to travel between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran it is necessary to go back through Turkey.
Q. Do I need a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. No. Generally at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing at Zakho you are permitted entry without a visa, and I assume it is the same at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. The passport stamp requires registration within 10 days at the Residence Office. You need to ask around to find this office.
With this entry stamp in your passport you may still exit the Kurdistan region. For instance, entering Kirkuk you will not be stopped. But don't think this is a great reason to visit Kirkuk or Mosul or anywhere else dangerous. It is likely that within a few hours of arriving there will be a price on your head. Don't go.
If you want to enter Iraqi through any other border or airport (ie. Baghdad) you need a visa in advance, which apparently can be difficult to get. And those regions are not recommended for travel either.
Q. What is the exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar?
A. The official rate is around 1250 dinar to US$1. The unofficial rate on the street can be up to 1400 dinar to US$1. It varies depending on the bank or money-changer. US bills below $10 are not always accepted.
Q. How much money should I take for my Kurdistan trip?
A. I recommend at least US$50 per day while within Iraqi Kurdistan, plus money for travel in and out.
US$50 includes $15 for accomodation, $15 for a shared taxi ride between towns, plus $20 for food and other miscellaneous costs.
You should allow at least US$300 for a flight out, or if going via the Turkish border, enough money for a taxi all the way to Silopi, so allow $50 from Zakho, $80 from Dohuk or up to $100 from Erbil. These are upper estimates to allow for being ripped off or having to pay for a whole taxi without sharing the cost.
Q. What are the costs of travelling between cities in Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. For more detail see this page. Generally one seat in a shared taxi costs US$15 for the following regular journeys, each between two and four hours:
Zakho - Dohuk
Dohuk - Erbil
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah (costs more if you want to avoid driving through Kirkuk)
There are shared taxis and minibuses which travel between smaller towns which you can find at various garages in each city.
Q. What other places are worth visiting apart from the main cities?
A. From Dohuk, there are the mountain towns of Amadiyya and Akre to the east.
From Erbil, there are the mountain resort towns of Salahaddin, Shaqlawa, Bekhal and Gali Ali Beg in dramatic mountain valleys.
From Sulaymaniyah, there is Halabja to the south-east, and Dukan and Derbendikhan dams nearby, with lakeside cabins available.
Some more info is here (from the KRG).
Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Getting around between cities
The main form of public transport between the major cities in Iraqi Kurdistan is shared taxi. Cars are generally white and orange sedans, some large, some quite small. Some newer, some older and beat-up. The roads between cities are not very safe for driving, with usually just one lane in each direction, and over-taking a dangerous activity. I witnessed one head-on collision.
Security:
Taxis seem to only travel on roads controlled by Kurdish forces. There are LOTS of security checkpoints, probably 10 or more on a 3 hour journey, usually before and after towns. You have nothing to fear at these checkpoints, in fact you should be grateful for them keeping Iraqi Kurdistan safe from terrorists. At some the soldier will just wave the taxi through, but at most ID will be checked. Have your passport ready. At some checkpoints, they'll want to check on foreigners more carefully, and you may end up being questioned by the head official. Just be honest and open and you should be fine. But, if they're suspicious of you, it helps to have a local Kurdish contact who can vouch for you.
Details:
Generally there is a normal price for one car, and this price is divided by the number of passengers. Usually you will end up waiting until enough passengers come to fill up all the seats.
In Dohuk, the taxi offices are next to the Hotel Birjin. In Erbil, get in a local taxi and ask for the "Suly Garage" if you're going to Sulaymaniyah. In Sulaymaniyah, "Erbil Garage" etc.
Zakho border - Dohuk: $45 per car, approx 1 hour.
Zakho border - Erbil: $90 per car, approx 4 hours.
Dohuk - Erbil: 20,000 dinar ($16) per person. 80,000 dinar per car. Approx 3 hours. The road goes close to Mosul, but doesn't actually pass through. Apparently the road is controlled by Kurdish forces, but a few soldiers I saw had Iraqi flags on their shoulders...
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah: 15,000 dinar ($12) per person. 3-4 hours. The cartel at the 'Suly Garage' in Erbil were shifty guys, constantly changing prices and 'extra charges' for having a large bag. Be firm in your negotiations. The road between Erbil and Suly passes through the north-eastern suburbs of Kirkuk. I heard that this road is safe, and controlled by Kurdish forces, but the vibes weren't good. Thankfully it only took around 30 minutes to pass through Kirkuk.
Sulaymaniyah - Erbil: 15,000 dinar ($12) per person, 3-4 hours. Takes the same route as above, through Kirkuk's suburbs.
If for some reason you think travelling in a 4WD/SUV would be safer, think again. They are more likely to be targeted for attacks. I sat next to a VIP in one taxi. He said he travelled like this to stay safe.
And if you are bloody crazy you can get a taxi or even minibus from Erbil just to Kirkuk, or even Baghdad. Seriously, you would have to be a foolhardy dunce with a death wish to do this as a foreigner.
Security:
Taxis seem to only travel on roads controlled by Kurdish forces. There are LOTS of security checkpoints, probably 10 or more on a 3 hour journey, usually before and after towns. You have nothing to fear at these checkpoints, in fact you should be grateful for them keeping Iraqi Kurdistan safe from terrorists. At some the soldier will just wave the taxi through, but at most ID will be checked. Have your passport ready. At some checkpoints, they'll want to check on foreigners more carefully, and you may end up being questioned by the head official. Just be honest and open and you should be fine. But, if they're suspicious of you, it helps to have a local Kurdish contact who can vouch for you.
Details:
Generally there is a normal price for one car, and this price is divided by the number of passengers. Usually you will end up waiting until enough passengers come to fill up all the seats.
In Dohuk, the taxi offices are next to the Hotel Birjin. In Erbil, get in a local taxi and ask for the "Suly Garage" if you're going to Sulaymaniyah. In Sulaymaniyah, "Erbil Garage" etc.
Zakho border - Dohuk: $45 per car, approx 1 hour.
Zakho border - Erbil: $90 per car, approx 4 hours.
Dohuk - Erbil: 20,000 dinar ($16) per person. 80,000 dinar per car. Approx 3 hours. The road goes close to Mosul, but doesn't actually pass through. Apparently the road is controlled by Kurdish forces, but a few soldiers I saw had Iraqi flags on their shoulders...
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah: 15,000 dinar ($12) per person. 3-4 hours. The cartel at the 'Suly Garage' in Erbil were shifty guys, constantly changing prices and 'extra charges' for having a large bag. Be firm in your negotiations. The road between Erbil and Suly passes through the north-eastern suburbs of Kirkuk. I heard that this road is safe, and controlled by Kurdish forces, but the vibes weren't good. Thankfully it only took around 30 minutes to pass through Kirkuk.
Sulaymaniyah - Erbil: 15,000 dinar ($12) per person, 3-4 hours. Takes the same route as above, through Kirkuk's suburbs.
If for some reason you think travelling in a 4WD/SUV would be safer, think again. They are more likely to be targeted for attacks. I sat next to a VIP in one taxi. He said he travelled like this to stay safe.
And if you are bloody crazy you can get a taxi or even minibus from Erbil just to Kirkuk, or even Baghdad. Seriously, you would have to be a foolhardy dunce with a death wish to do this as a foreigner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
