How To Get Around Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraqi Kurdistan is, without doubt, a destination that few travelers make it to and can I understand why, the tourism infrastructure is not exactly top-notch. However if you are anything like me and you have a burning fire inside you to explore the lesser-known places of this earth, you will find a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan to be a safe and rewarding trip, which is well-worth the hassle. One of the many question that you might have before your trip to Iraqi Kurdistan is “how do you get around?” and having recently visited Iraqi Kurdistan, I well equipped to answer your questions.

Taxis are the main mode of transportation in Iraqi Kurdistan. If you are traveling between cities like Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, shared taxis are the most common option. If you want to save a few dollars on your trip, there is the option of traveling in a minibus between the cities.

This blog post will walk you through everything that you need to know when it comes to getting around in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Travel Within Cities

As mentioned taxis are the main mode of transportation in all of Iraqi Kurdistan. Due to the super cheap gas prices, taxis are also an affordable way of getting from A to B, in any major city. I recommend that you download the app Careem, the Middle Eastern answer to Uber, which makes it super smooth when ordering taxis. The minimum amount to spend is 5,000 Iraqi Dinars (roughly $3) and it will take you almost anywhere around town. Catching a cab on the street also works, just remember to bargain if they demand anything unreasonable. Bargaining is part of the culture in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Travel Between Cities

When traveling between major cities in Iraqi Kurdistan, like Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, shared taxis are by far the most common option. These taxis depart all day regularly and will wait until they fill the car with at least 3 passengers plus a driver until they leave. The taxis are usually a Toyota Corolla and they do have AC. Expected to pay between 15,000 to 20,000 Iraqi Dinars ($10-12) per person for a one-way ticket between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

From Erbil, taxis leave from a place called Baghdad Garage so you need to take a taxi there. In Sulaymaniyah, the taxi station is located about 15-20 minutes outside of town and is known as Sulaymaniyah Terminal, see the map below. These are also the stations where the driver will drop you off when you are traveling to any one of the cities, a lot of the time you can choose to pay the driver a bit extra and he can drop you off at your hotel.

The Traffic Is Wild

The traffic situation in Iraqi Kurdistan is one that I have touched on before when writing about the overall safety in Iraqi Kurdistan. I will say it again: the traffic and driving rhythm is by far the most dangerous aspect of visiting Iraqi Kurdistan!

Kurds tend to drive very aggressively and often without seatbelts, and this because particularly apparent when you are traveling in a shared cab between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Be prepared, there is no highway between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and the road is only a two lane road, with traffic coming from the opposite direction. Kurdish drivers also drive very fast, usually at speeds of 130-150 km/h (80-90 mph). Seatbelts are often non-existent in these taxis and I even heard from a local that it is considered rude wearing a seatbelt as it suggests a lack of trust in the driver’s skills.

Cities Are Not Made For Walking

One thing that you will notice as you arrive, especially as a European, is that the cities are simply not made with pedestrians in mind. Sidewalks, if they do exist, are often poorly maintained. Crosswalks are also a rare site and even if they do exist, crossing the street is a challenge by itself since no driver will willingly stop for you. Instead, you need to force them to stop by simply walking out into the street, for you to be able to cross the street.

Get A Guide For A Day

One thing of the best things, that me and my friend did during our trip to Kurdistan, was to arrange for a guide to take us around the countryside of Iraqi Kurdistan for a day, and I would recommend that you do the same. For a full-day trip, we paid roughly $210 for two persons, however I do believe that you could negotiate this price down further.

This might seem like an unnecassary expense at first, however the guide will be able to show you things that you previously did not know of and you will also be able answer any questions that you have about the region, giving to get a better sense of the culture in Kurdistan. We choose to go with Iraqi Kurdistan Tours, and our guide Karwan, was well-read and gave us great insight in to this fascinating part of the world.

Drivers Don’t Use GPS apps.

Interestingly enough regular taxi drivers (not Careem drivers) don’t use any GPS app, they solely rely on the old-fashioned way of knowing where the place is located. As a foreigner, you might be surprised by this fact. Instead, if the drivers don’t know where you want to go, they will usually ask another driver. If they still don’t know the place, you can offer to guide the way with your GPS app.

Getting To And From Erbil Airport

Erbil Airport is the place where you will most likely arrive on your Kurdistani adventure. The airport is just like any other airport except for that the actual arrival hall is located a short 5-minute bus ride away from the airport terminal, which was a bit confusing for us when we arrived. After walking through customs and having picked up your luggage you will need to take a bus to the meet & greet area, which leaves right at the entrance to the airport. It is also here that the taxi driver will drop you when you again depart from Erbil.

Another thing to keep is that, Erbil airport has an additional security check-point for all cars going to the airport. Usually the security check doesn’t take too long but it can be good to keep in mind so you don’t miss your flight.

Renting A Car

Just like any other city in the world, you can also choose to rent a car and head out to explore the countryside of Iraqi Kurdistan on your own. Renting a car is cheap and you will think the gas prices are ridiculously low if you are from the West. Several, rental car agencies are available at the meet & greet center at Erbil airport and also around town. I usually book all my car rentals through rentalcars.com, and I recommend that you do the same.

Conclusion

In conclusion, taxis are your best friend both when traveling around town and between cities. If you are not on a tight budget and are several people traveling together, I would advise you to book a guide for a day. I’m usually not much for guided tours but I am happy that we did.

Happy Travels!