Transportation

All of Iran’s major cities have their own network of buses, sometimes subway and are linked by highways and railroads. However, traffic congestions, pollution and rapid population growth are all making life more difficult in megacities across Iran. At the same time the facilities available to the public are attracting people living in smaller urban areas to migrate to big cities.

In Tehran, where the number of cars on the road constantly rises, the use of taxis has become an integral part of the city’s transportation system. Every day millions commute between their homes and workplaces either inside those cities or outside using either public or private transportation. The influx of people during the morning and evening rush hour causes hour long traffic jams on city’s streets and highways flowing in and out of them, resulting in heavy air pollution and a rise in fuel consumption, not to mention the inevitable waste of time.

As the air pollution started to get worse, the Iranian government embarked on a plan to make it easier and cheaper for commuters to make their daily journeys. The plan included building subway systems in Tehran and other big cities including Tehran, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan, etc. Iran has also allotted loans to bicycles and electric motorcycles in line with a campaign dubbed “Car-free Tuesdays campaign”. Some cities such as Isfahan and Neishabur are taking the campaign more seriously as they have set up bike lanes and cycling infrastructure that suits cyclists’ need to take long-distance and safe rides along the way.