iran... petrol problem?

**trui_gaea** · #1 2nd July 2007

we heard that there's a quota on petrol in iran (100 litres per family per month) and that as a result there are petrol shortages, and long jams and even incidents at petrol stations around teheran...

is this so? and does it affect foreigners? does the same rule apply?

a quick answer would be great, as we will cross the border from dogubayazit ın 3 days...

thx

trui & gaea

**ozhanu** · #2 3rd July 2007

hi trui_gaea,

here is your answer:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ht=iran+petrol

enjoy riding in Turkiye.

ozhan u.

**trui_gaea** · #3 3rd July 2007

for the reply. we already heard about the higher prices, but also about enormous ques at the petrol stations... so we are not sure weather this will cause problems. i guess we'll just have to try.

thx anyway

turkey is great by the way

g&t

**beddhist** · #4 6th July 2007

Since I've just met a couple of Austrians who don't want to go to Iran, because they heard that foreigners can't get fuel there any more, let's put this to rest:

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Q&A: Petrol rationing in Iran

I don't know whether foreigners can get a fuel card at the border, but if not, that's not a big deal. We just pay the higher price, still cheap compared to Europe.

The queues should disappear, I hope, once the system is running smoothly.

Hi Tui and Gaea, have fun on your trip!

Cheers,
Peter.

**gozell** · #5 8th July 2007

There is some queuing at petrol stations but is manly in the big cities and trucks mostly.

Tourists in Iran dont have the smartcard needed for buying petrol but no worries. so far Ive been able to get petrol. I just turn up a petrol station outside the big cities, and sooner or later someone will lend you his card.. Fill up and away you go!

**wilma and fred** · #6 14th July 2007

We entered Iran yesterday from Bazargan. At Maku we needed to take fuel and could only take for 14000rial/lt which is 14 times the normal price. In Tabriz we went to the minister of oil resp for Tabriz. He wrote us an official permission to take cheap fuel in Tabriz. So we do only have a very short term solution. We will stock some extra fuel on the bike and later try to find friendly Iran people who let us use there card. Soon we come with more info.

**superspy** · #7 16th July 2007

Your info will be appreciated!
So actually u don’t even get the 100lit card…
We are coming from Greece with bike, beginning of Aug and we planned to do about 4000+ km in Iran…
Now except of the other difficulties we have some extra challenge…

**gozell** · #8 17th July 2007

According to the Dutch Embassy in Tehran they are planning to hand out petrol smartcards to tourists with vehicles at the border.... But how much of this is true, dunno...

**wilma and fred** · #9 17th July 2007

When we entered Iran, the card system was not implemented yet for tourists. Nowadays, we can get our benzine very easily at 1000 rial/ liter by using Iranians card. When we arrive at a petrol station and we ask for benzine, the petrol guy always asks for the card and says without card it is impossible to take benzine. We are very dissappointed then and tell him we need only 10 liters. As our bike is the middle of the attention wherever we come, it is also at the gasstation. Normal citizens come to us and offer spontaniously to use their card. As this cardsystem is new, the people still have enough credit (they also hope the governement will give more credit in a couple of months, so they keep on spending the same amount as before), i can imagine that in a couple of weeks or months when people are getting out of credit, benzine will be a black market product.... maybe by that time tourists can get their petrol card at the border...

**Dodgydago** · #10 19th July 2007

I entered Iran at Taftan from Pakistan and left two days ago Bandar Abbas to the UAE.
There were queues at all the petrol stations I went to. Some friends there asked the local authorities and the Police but no one knew anything about how to sell petrol to visiting tourists. At the border no one told me about rationing cards or what to do for petrol.
In Zahedan I was escorted everywhere by police. Thery took me to a petrol station and, realizing I had no card and that the station attendants where not going to sell me any petrol the police themselves took me to a location where you could buy ilegal petrol from a big plastic tank. the price was 6500 Tumar or 65000 Rial, six times the price they pay for petrol.
Nevertheless, if you ask around many people are happy to sell you some petrol. Many give you a litre or two and don't want to except money from you! Lots of nice guys around!
It is only a bit time consuming or more expensive than for Iranians but you get by. I did and I'm not special nor speak Farsi.
The rations, as I was told are 3 litres a day for a car or 1 for a motorbike but they can buy in advance.
I hope this help.
Fernando

**trui_gaea** · #11 20th July 2007

Ok. We have also crossed Iran by now, via the Northern route (Tabriz-Ardabil-Mashhad).

It is indeed so that Iranians get 100 liters per month, fueling up without card is impossible and the only way is indeed borrowing Iranian's cards. (Apparently no-one thought about the handful of foreigners driving around when they invented the system). This is not that hard (they are so helpful), but it takes time, since you rarely get a full tank at once. It is significantly harder around big cities like Teheran (many commuters), and easier in rural areas.

Tabriz and Isphahan are easier, because they 'ignore' the system and you can get free petrol or indeed a special permission to get petrol (Iranians can get more here to, so they will help easier). Taxi-drivers also tend to help, as they get 800 liters. We paid the normal price everywhere (1000 rial/liter), except at the Azerbejani border, where it was 3000.

But for those of you coming back in autumn, the problem will be bigger then. The Iranians got cards with a four months quota. Now, it's holiday-season, but many commute and no-one has enough. So most cards will be empty by september/october. (Even now, Iranians are already buying second hand cars, because they come with a petrol card).

We've also heard rumours about providing petrol cards for foreigners at the border, but so far that's just an idea. And even then, 100 liters gets you through the country but not to all the sites, so...

We'll check with our embassy too and keep you posted.

Good Luck,

G&T

**muffti** · #12 21st July 2007

hi,

i like to cross iran in september/october, does somebody now abbout diesel???

thanks

marco

**gozell** · #13 21st July 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by muffti

hi,

i like to cross iran in september/october, does somebody now abbout diesel???

thanks

marco

At the moment Diesel isnt restricted, ie NO card needed... But this might chance also....

**superspy** · #14 30th July 2007

Any confirmation on this?

Quote:

Iran to supply tourists open market gasoline

Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - IranMania.com

LONDON, July 24 (IranMania) - The head of the Energy Committee of Majlis (Iran?s parliament) said that foreign tourists could use open market gasoline at 6,000 rials (64 cents) per liter with credit cards, MNA reported.

Talking to MNA, Kamal Daneshyar added that the parliament and government came to the agreement at Sunday?s session.

The Energy Committee is convinced that the government has no alternative but to supply open market gasoline, he said.

**ozhanu** · #15 1st August 2007

Hi All,

I have fresh news from Iranian Embassy in Ankara. As I mentioned before I have an Iranian friend here who has good relations with Iranian embassy. I shown her the previous post and ask him if it is right or wrong. Then he called the embassy and ask this issue. The guy in embassy told him that, the tourists should contact with the Iranian Auto Club (e-mail:Autoclub@mail.dci.co.ir) and tell the situation. Then they will send an e-mail like confirmation. With this letter one can buy unlimited petrol in Iran for about 50 US cent per liter.

It is what I have been told. Hope this helps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by superspy

Any confirmation on this?