Ferry Dubai (UAE) to Bandar Abbas (Islamic Republic Iran)

[RolandGER]

Hi,

just want to leave a note or two. Dont know where to paste information but with this thread it should not be lost.

1) MotoPlaner - Motorrad Touren Planung leicht gemacht (general website) is a great tool to plan routes and extract them to any website or bolg or to any GPS device. The sit eis in German though, but easy to understand, don't give up. This is not advertisment its just info and that you wait for the site to load when you clock my link below...

2.) I am traveling from Cape Town (RSA) to Stuttgart (Germany), via the ferry from Port of Sudan (Republic of Sudan) to Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and from Dubai Sharjah port (UAE) to Bandar Abbas (Islamic Republic of Iran).

MotoPlaner - Motorrad Touren Planung leicht gemacht (detailed view on where is what)

This link will exactly show you where is a ticket office in Dubai (1st point) and where to go to board the day of departure before 12 o'clock (2nd point with the finish line flag)

Ticket Office
copied from Bandar Abbas - Sharjah ferry | Caravanistan (GPS Coordinates seem to be wrong, but follow the map I sent and you will find them) (close at 4:30pm and need 20 minutes to issue the ticket.

Al Hili Marine Services travel agent is what I used
Al Khan Road, Sharjah Ground Floor, Al Ikhias Tower,
Tel: +97165288575, Fax: +97165288574, info@alhili.com

Cost's all in cash:
300 Dirham per person
1300 Dirham per motorcycle
30 Dirham port fee
25 Dirham access fee to the port (gate pass)

Date of information: Nov 2015

That includes all customs process.
The carnet and your national vehicles document stays with them when you get it returned when you enter the port.

Hope this info is helpful with any other traveler following on this path.
;-)

Have fun !
Roland

[regie]

Hey Roland,

Awesome info, cheers!

Have you done the ferry crossing yet? How about your transit visa for Saudi? I emailed the embassy in Turkey and got no response.

Regie

[RolandGER]

Note:

I came from South. No Saudi visa in any embassy other than Karthoum/Sudan possible.

Normally the visa is best to get in the neighbouring country's embassy.
Sudan in Ethiopia, Saudi in Sudan, etc.

Special is Ethiopia that you only get in the country of your residence, which makes you send your passport home by express, and what everyone does.

I was lucky to get Saudi visa in Karthoum within 3 days and for 550 SuandPound (55USD)

If you travel in unmarried couple, no visa
If you travel as woman alone, no visa
If you travel with motorcycle, no visa (I was lucky to get 72hrs/3 days)

With a car no problem.

Note:

[RolandGER]

... in short and to complete the story.

Arival in Bandar Abbas. I could drive my motorbike out of the ferry myself, park it and proceed with passport control. All foreigners wait till all Iranian are completed, then forreigners got passport proceeded. No issues with that, was a 30 minutes waiting only.

With luck someone changedd me money from USD to Iranian Rial.
Exchange rate downtown is 12-15% better.

So to get some fees paid you need to leave the port and go to the shipping company 2km outside the port, pay a 40USD equal in IRR (Islamic Republic Rial) and come back to the port.

After it is a process that takes 3-4 hrs and you need 15 or 18 different stations where, I dont remember, things are copied, stamped, approved, checked, doublechecked, copied again and and and. The day of arrival is the day you will spend on paperwork and getting out of the port.

In short, many fixers around, first offer was 70USD for the support plus all fees (~55USD equal in IRR) and negotiated with the fixer a 50USD.

I started to do it without the fixer since the 50USD seemed high to me, but then gave up later... english is not spoken a lot (2-3 people in the entire port), all documnts are in Farsi (Iranian language) and the process is not understandable at all. DOnt loose you time to fix it ourself, you will not manage. Focus on the negotiation with the fixer and all will be alright.

It cooled down to 23 degrees and I took a day rest because it was raining 6 hours in the morning.

Hotel recommendation: Hotel Apadana, not cheap (affrodable: single 30USD/n), but clean, central and parking. Next door is the Naz 1, Naz 2 and Naz 3 and the Dayra (all the same price category)

Phone: I paid for a sim card from Irancell/MTN and 5GB Data for one month 470.000 IRR (official rate is 30.000 IRR, on the odds Hotel you change for 34.500 IRR against 1 USD) so ~13USD to be online. Whatsapp, Skype and the german pages for email, news and weather work. Facebook for example doesnt. Subject to change every day. This is Iran.

Iran here I come !!!
I hit the rd tomorrow !!!

Be safe,
Roland

[Bartosz]

Hi Roland
You have quite similar history like mine. I was in Oman last year by 2 cars.
I used ferry 2 times. It was a little nervous time there. I spend first 2 days and then 3 days in Bandar Abbas.
When I complied my travel all memories are good. It is always the same
One of my car had not CPD, that's why I had to waited 1 more day.
If you need info from the road please ask.
Safe travel

[FlyGuy_LJ]

Hi there

Thanks for the info. I'm contemplating taking my 2009 Suzuki Swift(!) to Portugal from Dubai. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if it's technically better export via the UAE authorities or just take it out on normal plates. How do you refund your CdP fee if you don't intend on bringing the car back to the UAE?

I'm going to wait until the Iranian visa process calms down a bit for British citizens. Hopefully within the next year.

Final question, how much is the ferry crossing for a swift sized vehicle

Regards

[James Rothwell]

Originally Posted by Bartosz

One of my car had not CPD, that's why I had to waited 1 more day.

Hi,

How did you get around not having CDP at Bandar Abbas? How much did they charge you and any issues when leaving the country?