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Turkmenistan is one of the least-used ways into Iran, and the hardest to arrange. It is still open. Iran and Turkmenistan share a long border along the Kopet Dag mountains, and two crossings take ordinary travellers. You fly to Ashgabat, cross into Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province and continue to Tehran from Mashhad.
At a glance (last checked 14 November 2026)
- Crossings for travellers: Serakhs to Sarakhs, and Artyk to Lotfabad
- Status: Serakhs is fully open, while other crossings may face restrictions without notice
- Hours: daytime only at both
- Hardest part: the Turkmen visa and border permit
- Iranian city on the other side: Mashhad
First, sort out the Turkmen paperwork
- Visa: Turkmenistan launched an e-Visa portal on 1 October 2026. Its tourist e-Visa does not list a letter of invitation among the required documents
- Transit visa: usually valid for about five days, with proof of your onward journey and your Iranian visa
- Border permit: some governments say crossing the land border also needs special authorisation from the Turkmen government
- Time: allow several weeks
Rules here change often, and official sources do not always agree. Check with the Turkmen embassy in your country before you book anything. You also need your Iranian visa before you reach the border. Our visa guide explains how to get one.
Then fly to Ashgabat
- Airport: Ashgabat International Airport
- Via Istanbul: Turkish Airlines flies Istanbul to Ashgabat several times a day
- Via the Gulf: Emirates and flydubai fly from Dubai
- Direct from Europe: Turkmenistan Airlines runs seasonal flights from cities including London and Frankfurt
Compare fares from your home airport below. (Affiliate widget.)
Then pick your crossing. There are two realistic options.
Option one: Serakhs to Sarakhs
- Where: south-east of Ashgabat, on the old Silk Road
- Status: the main gateway, used for road and rail freight, and fully open
- Hours: daytime only. Arrive in the morning
- Between the posts: a shuttle runs across the gap between the two immigration buildings
- On the Iranian side: Sarakhs town, then about three hours by road to Mashhad
This is the crossing most governments now point travellers to. It is the furthest of the two from Ashgabat.
Option two: Artyk to Lotfabad
- Where: south-east of Ashgabat in Ahal province, nearer the capital than Serakhs
- Status: open to ordinary passports this year, but restrictions can come without notice
- Hours: daytime only. Avoid weekends, when the crossing runs at reduced capacity
- Watch out for: unofficial helpers who charge for things you can do yourself
- On the Iranian side: Lotfabad, then Dargaz and on to Mashhad
Not available: Gaudan to Bajgiran. This is the closest crossing to Ashgabat. In March it was open only to holders of diplomatic passports.
Stopping in Mashhad. Mashhad is Iran’s second city and home to the Imam Reza shrine. It is worth a night before the long journey west. Budget beds are listed on Hostelworld.
From Mashhad to Tehran. The overnight train from Mashhad railway station takes about 12 hours. Long-distance buses run through the day and night. Domestic flights take under two hours, but Iranian airlines are under US sanctions and LiT does not link to them. Buy train and bus tickets at the station or through an Iranian agency, because foreign cards do not work in Iran.
Money and phones. Bring all the cash you will need in euros or dollars. Our money guide explains how to change it. Set up a travel eSIM such as Airalo or Saily before you leave home. Our eSIM guide compares the options.
Insurance and delays. Most travel insurers will not cover Iran right now. Our insurance guide explains how to stay covered as far as the border. If your flight to Ashgabat is delayed or cancelled, AirHelp can claim any compensation you are owed.
Other routes. If the Turkmen paperwork is too much, the land routes through Turkey and Armenia are simpler. Our trip cost calculator gives a daily budget for your stay.
Iran and Turkmenistan share a land border of 1,148 kilometres.
Header photo: the Kopet Dag mountains on the Turkmenistan and Iran border. Hans Birger Nilsen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
