The train between Dorud and Andimeshk, Iran is hands-down one of the most beautiful train rides we’ve ever experienced and a must-see for travelers in Iran. Here’s how to get aboard.
The train ride between Dorud and Andimeshk is one of the most beautiful we’ve ever taken. The train passes through rocky canyons and river valleys, periodically stopping at tiny villages of literally 10 buildings or less. If you’re in western Iran and you have time, definitely don’t miss it. It was one of the highlights of our travels in Iran and must be one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.
Alex enjoying the ride while the wind blows through her hair (… erm, hijab).
Taking the train between Dorud and Andimeshk
The view isn’t too shabby either. Hi sheepies!
Getting a train ticket for the train between Dorud and Andimeshk
The train can be taken both ways. As of April 2017, it leaves Andimeshk (near Shush) around 04:00 in the morning, 12:00 in the afternoon, and there’s a train in the evening, too. The train from Dorud (near Khorramabad) leaves at 14:30 or 16:15. It seems there is no clear consensus on the departure time. The best thing you can do us show up early enough to get a ticket for the (theoretical) 14:30 train. Tickets can be bought starting a day before departure in Andimeshk, and starting 13:00 on the day of departure in Dorud.
The line can get pushy, so make sure to be there early! (Also make sure not to take photos of the train station, so as not to attract police attention. Oops.)
Tickets are 20,000 IRR per person and the ride takes about seven hours. Be sure to bring enough snacks and water for the ride.
Want more Iran inspiration? Don’t miss our favorite off the beaten track destinations in Iran!
Awww yeah, got dem tickets. Who’s the clueless foreigner now?!
This train is notorious for being overcrowded, but being a foreigner in Iran, you’ll likely get VIP treatment. You’ll get to sit in the car with all the train personnel, where no common rabble is allowed. Make sure to pick a seat with a window that opens, so you can enjoy the fresh air and the incredible views. If you leave from Dorud, sunset will be on the right side of the train.
The train can get really full…
… but as a foreigner, you’ll probably be given plenty of space.
Getting to Dorud from Khorramabad
To get to Dorud from Khorramabad, take a savari. These cost 80,000 IRR per person and take about two hours. The savaris leave from Azadi Square. Be there early, it can take a while before they fill up.
Tell the driver gha-taar (sounds like Qatar), which means “train”. As Iranian taxi drivers are wont to do, he will probably try to charge you more for driving a whopping 3 minutes beyond Dorud terminal. Politely (or impolitely) insist that it makes no difference, and pay only 80,000 IRR. Our driver insisted that he deserved 40,000 IRR extra, but gave up after a minute, and decided to take selfies with us when he realized we weren’t going to pay.
Getting to Andimeshk from Shush
To get to Andimeshk from Shush you have to take a minibus. These are 15,000 IRR per person and leave when full. They leave from a minibus terminal on Khomeini Boulevard. Since the train leaves early in the morning, you should head to Andimeshk the day before. Minibusses don’t go that early.
Hotel Rostan, on Imam Street in Andimeshk, is close to the minibus terminal and costs 900,000 IRR for a private double with shower and wifi. The train station is about 15 minutes’ walking from Hotel Rostan.
Staying in the villages along the way
The train makes several stops at tiny villages along the way. If you have a tent and food, you can get off and camp virtually anywhere–it’s all pretty remote. Catching the train the next day shouldn’t be much of a problem, as long as you’re okay with standing if necessary. There’s not really a limit to how many people can get on at the villages, and the train clears out after a few stops. Be sure to take note of what time it is when you get off so that you know when to catch the train the next day.
Epic football pitch? Check.
Even after the sun sets, the view is breathtaking.
So that’s our guide on taking the train from Dorud to Andimeshk or the other way around. One of the most scenic trainrides in Iran. Let us know in the comments if anything has changed.
Hi ! Thank you, I took the train a few weeks ago, it was amazing ! Less cool was the fact we were stucked by the snow in dorud and it was impossible to go kordistan :'(
Up to date information for eventual travellers : as of february 2017, in the way from Andimeshk to Dorud, the train left Ahvaz at 12:00 and arrived at Andimeshk at 14:45 (supposed to be 14:00), and we bought tickets the day before. So yes, if that timetable is permanent, you won’t have to wake up at 4:00 am !
Thank you Sebastiaan for your recommandations about the beautiful Iran, it was amazing !
edit : and people told me that they are planning to add a tourist train (for Iranian tourist I guess) in that line
Hi Simon, thanks for chiming in. What doe you mean by saying the train leaves from Ahvaz? This train leaves from either Dorud or Andimeshk.
Maybe are they a few trains on that line, and the one you describe still exist at that time. But the one I took, I’m sure of that, was coming from Ahwaz and going to Tehran, I just took it on the Andimeshk-Dorud section 😉
And I took the same to Tehran the day after (only exit of Dorud with the snow)
Hi Sebastiaan,
I just arrived in Andimeshk by train from Dorud, and want to thank you for that great tip. It was absolutely amazing. Like you said, immediately after the staff saw me, they almost ‘forced’ me to sit in their compartment 😀
For future Travelers it might be interesting, that the train leaves Dorud at 16:15 (4:15 pm). The ticket sale begins about an hour before. As far as i know, there are also trains from Ahvasz to Tehran and also to Mashdad, using that way, but they start mostly late at the day.
Hi Sebastian. Glad you liked it. It certainly is a gorgeous journey. Do you per chance know if that train from Dorud was delayed? Another traveler took the same train about a week ago, and his left Dorud at 14:30. There might be several trains, though. If that’s the case, I’ll add your departure time to the post, too. What time did you arrive?
Hi, as far as i know the train wasn’t delayed. The chef of the train, told me, after he stopped laughing at me because i was at the train station at 11am (to be sure to get the ticket) xD, that the train leaves Dorud everyday at 4:15pm. I arrived in Andimeshk about 10:30pm. Maybe at some days there are several trains, but on this day definitely not :-). But before i left to Dorud, i asked in a travel agency in Khoramabad about the train schedule and they also told me that the train leaves Dorud at 2 pm. So I’m still absolutely not sure about the schedule xD
Haha that’s so confusing. I’ll include a little disclaimer that no one is really sure about the official timing from Dorud 😉
Hi!
The pictures are fantastic and you finally convinced me to do this trip.
You write the (only?) train leaves Dorud 4pm “something”. So it will be dark most of the ride, correct?
Thus does it make much sense at all to use it for this direction?
Is it much more recommendable to do the ride from Andimeshk to Dorud?
Thanks in advance!
Marcus
Hi,
If the timings are still the same (which they might not be, things can change fast), it makes more sense to go from Andimeshk to Dorud. However, we’ve been told that trains from Dorud also leave around 2:15 PM, which is a more reasonable time.
My question is to authors: Why cannot u travel without being snobby, and without making “oh, my …, we risked our lives” sort of notes?
Feel free to point out where in the article such comments are made.
Hi I am travelling there in two weeks time. What is the best way to get there from Tehran? Thanks
I just finished the route just yesterday. Thanks very much for the great information. Exactly happened in the same manner you described!
Train depart at 1400 hours and please be around here 1 hour before that. And yes the train is notoriously crowded as this being the economy class train.
There is one very early in the morning , probably before 7am and it’s first class.
As for me, my train schedule was delayed for a day due to track repair. But this also give me a chance to take my travel pace slower.
Again… Thanks… without this blog I wouldn’t have known this gem exist.
Hey JC!! thanks a lot.
have u done andimeshk – dorud? or vice versa? was a long distance one or just making this route?
there’s in fact trains coming from tehran or ahvaz doing this route, but i was thinking maybe this long distance ones are more comfy, maybe closed windows, and this exclusively track dorud/andimeshk is somehow older train, like 2nd class, but maybe more slow and let the windows open and better for travellers? could someone confirm? doing it next week!
Hello Seb, so the train is still running in 2022? I am unable to find any current information about it and it does not show up at any online timetables. I will be in the area in September. Thanks!
After reading your nice article I took the train about 2 weeks ago. I am travelling the world in my Landcruiser ask stayed at a hotel in Dorud, on my way to Esfahan. The reception helped me with timetables and booking a hotel in Andimeshk so I could take the train back to Dorud the next day. However, when I arrived at the station in Dorud I had to go through a poice check and they took copies of my passport including my US Visa with was within the passport. I took pictures out of the train window on my way to Andimeshk.
When the train arrived in Andimeshk the military was waiting for me and I was taken to the poice station for a lenghly “interview”, they wanted to check my phone, asked why I was travelling by the train, where I planned to stay etc., etc. They also told me that the next day I should arrive at the police station one hour before the train departed, which I did. Here there were 9 people waiting for me, including the police chief and some from the secret police. They asked so many questions, why I came to Iran, which religion I believed in, which places I planned to visit, why I had a US visa (which I ironically only had because I had been to Iran earlier and thus could not apply through ESTA), my favorite Iranian food, where I had been in Andimeshk the night before (In the hotel), etc., etc. At some point I was sure I was going to be arrested and put to jail, but I managed to explain my way out of it.
I was then put on the train by the military and took the trip back to Dorud. To be honest it was quite intimidating. Such a shame as the trip was beautiful. I made a post about it on my IG account muddybumper360, but excluded the interrogation part, obviously.