Ferry to Iran from Oman/UAE
 

My experiences with the ferry to Iran:

Oasis is the company that operates the major ferry from Sharjah (the most "Persian" of the Emirates), UAE, to various ports in Iran. If you contact the ferry companies in Iran you will find they all are agents for this same ferry.

It is possible to hitch a ride on a freight ship, but you need to take the captain of the ship to Immigration and Customs to complete the paperwork. For all but the smallest ships this is not worth their while. Some ships will point you to their agents which will usually charge a considerable sum to do the same thing. Most larger ships are simply not interested.

UAE or Omani Immigration authorities do not allow foreigners to travel to Iran on small dhows from their ports - these captains have special travel permits allowing them to come and go as they please and are not sufficiently regulated to satisfy Immigration officials that you will arrive safely. I've found dhow captains are more than willing to oblige, shame about Immigration.

One time I tried to travel to Iran the maritime border was closed (late March/early April). I heard all kinds of excuses for the cancellation of the ferry but the most likely reason was the Iranian navy's exercises at that time. Be warned, these exercises occur often - fisherman and small traders are routinely picked up and held indefinitely for encroaching - and the ferry is often cancelled.

In summary, although there are likely to be exceptions, generally speaking there is no maritime transport between Oman and Iran, and only one ferry between UAE and Iran. This one ferry is regularly cancelled at the whim of the Iranian Authorities and is often fully booked. Book early, try not to conicide with Iranian holiday periods, and hope the Iranian gunboats aren't doing their stuff.

Brett, Are you living in Abu Dhabi ? I am living in Dubai and intend to travel to UK via Iran and the Caucuses. in April 2007 My mobile no. is 050-6537084. Could you give me a call.
Regards
Peter

Have PMed you Peter

Iran May 2007
 

Hi Brett/Peter

I am in Muscat and plan to go through Iran to eastern Turkey by Landrover Discovery as from May 1st (my scheduled dep date from Sharjah to Bandar Abbas).

I was interested/worried to learn that ferries are regularly cancelled. Alarming.

I may be looking for a passenger. Anybody interested?

Ian

Ian, be sure to contact Oasis in Sharjah well in advance and they might have some idea of shipping stoppages. For instance, the ferries often stop during the Iranian festival period (in April), and I expect they know of upcoming naval exercises (after all, they are an Iranian company working out of an Iranian naval port).

Would love to join you but unlikely to be in town much over the next six months.

cheers
Brett

Hi guys,

I'm in Sana'a, Yemen and should start back up the peninsula in a few days' time, malaria cure permitting, insh'allah. Will be heading to Iran, Pak, India after that. Hope to meet you guys somewhere.

Ciao,
Peter.

Hi Ian
Don't be unduly alarmed. The trains don't run on time in England either but you get where you're going in the end. :)

If you need info., a place to hang out, or would like to visit the local desert when in Sharjah, drop me a line.
Stephan

Hi Brett. Can you tell me more about Oasis in Shardjah?Is it shipping company?At least tel.or email? I'm planning to tranfer my Kawasaki Anhelo to Azerbaijan,and will need ferry for it and me to reach Iran,and after I'm going to drive throught Iran to Astara border of Azerbaijan.And if it possible can you provide me with your tel.or mail to contact.thank you in advance.my tel in Dubai -050 5504346:scooter:

Oasis
 

See here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...uae-info-19372

It's a small ticket office for Oasis Shipping.
Waypoint: N25 19.022 E55 22.944

Stephan

I've just been to the Oasis office and can provide a little more info:

Ph 06-5596320
Fax 06-5595340
Email ofadxb (at) emirates.net.ae

Bring Carnet de Passages, bike rego and passport to the office.

Car ferries go every Sunday and Tuesday night from Port Khalid, Sharjah to Bandar Abbas. There are passenger ferries going to and from other ports, but NO other vehicle ferries. (stephano shipped his bike to Bandar Lengeh from Dubai 5 years ago, but apparently this is no longer possible.)

Bike is 740 Dh (supposedly includes port charges, Oasis kept my carnet and rego for processing)
Passenger 160 Dh (includes dinner and breakfast)

There will be port charges to be paid in Iran, but I won't have details until I have crossed next week or so.

Get some Iranian Rials for drinks on the ferry (they don't take Dirhams, I think) and port charges and possibly the first hotel night.

Vehicles need to be in port before 11 am, but I was told with a bike before 2 PM is sufficient.

I expect formalities in Iran to take pretty much all day.

Oasis Contact Details
 

Hi Ian,

You can contact Oasis Freight at the following number. This is the Dubai office. They operate the Valfajre8 ferries between UAE and Iran.

Oasis Freight AgencyP.O.BOX 5562, Dubai.
Tel: 04 3525000

Alternatively google Valfajre8 and you get more info on their schedules, ports of call, rates etc...

I agree with Stephan. Don't panic. Contact these guys and see what they say.

regards

Dirk

Hi

I want to cross from Bandar-e-Abbas to UAE with my Toyota Hilux. Does anyone know how to arrange a ferry ticket in Iran? Should I book well ahead? Does anyone know which agent I should contact, and how much it will cost?

Thanks for your help

Daniel

Try here: Iran ferry ship, persian gulf shipping ticket, Travel Iran persian, Tour Operator Iran persian gulf, IranTravelingCenter

As mentioned above the company has an office in the UAE but it is actually an Iranian ship. Email enquiries are replied to (very quickly!) from Iran.

Cheers
Brett

word of caution
 

I crosed in the Valfarj-8 Oran Ormuz 12 a few days ago. The shipping agent was Oasis.
I was told I had to pay 45 us for my ticket and 75 for the bike plus two other payments of handling and other port expenses, all in all about 150 160 us. Once in Dubay, at the Oasis office I was hit with charges amounting to an aditional 180 us dollar.
The crossing went well, no rough see, I slept all night. In the morning I found the bike on its side, resting on some oil drums. When I fetch some staff to show them what had happened (I didn't know then but he was the scond on board and responsible for the car deck) shouted at me that It was no fault of them but my fault. After complaining to the Captain I was acused of tempering with the securing ropes.
Inspectinf the bike found they have put the bike on its central stand and tied the touratech panniers rack at back and just one side, the right at a very low point (the engine protection plate bars). Neither would do anything to prevent the bike from falling as it did.
You can't even talk to the guys, nothing is their responsibility and every attempt at making either Valfarj-8 or Oasis personell deal with the problem and damage turned out a very bitter experience.
If you have to use them, make sure you secure the bike/vehicle yourself. They have no clue how to secure a motorcycle and nobody there will accept any responsibility for anything.

The Valfarj offices are west of town on the main road (follow the street closer to the sea towards heading west) about 3 or 4 Km out, opposite and just before the entrance to a Iranian navy complex guarded by white uniformed navy personnel. As a landmark, there is an aerial and a water tower on the seaside side of the dual carriageway.
I hope this helps
f

I used the Valfajre 8 in 1999 and made sure that I made 'friends' with the guys who were loading the vehicles - my bike was well secured for the crossing - they even found sheets of foam to protect it just in case.

Remember, don't wear shorts in Iran - the fun police really don't like it - I arrived at Bandar Abbas in July and was promptly told off while waiting in the queue to sort the paperwork out for the bike!

Hello!

Can somebody help me? I just need to know the actual timetable for period of beginning Dec'2007 for 2 ferry's routines:

Bandar e-lengeh(Iran) - Dubai(UAE) - Bandar e-lengeh(Iran)
AND
Bandar e-Abbas(Iran) - Sharjah(UAE) - Bandar e-Abbas(Iran)

And 1 additional question: what are the odds that these ferries(or one of) will be canceled due the bad weather in this period(1-5 of Dec'2007)?

I thank in advance for your answers!!

dubai port procedure
 

dodgy is at least half right. shipping from bandar to dubai is a bit of a nightmare. the roro ferry from bandar to sharjah no longer exists - or they don't want you on it, so you have to go via dubai. the second problem is they put your bike on the catamaran and then regard it as cargo shipping. including the usual hassels, so it took us two times five hours to check the bike in at bandar; they want you to show one day early to do the customs but then keep you busy another four hours the day the boat leaves. it goes on sundays and mondays at more or less 10am. there are port taxes to be paid in bandar (15 $) and the boat costs you 55$ and 139$ for the bike. the real fun starts in bandar. you cannot clear the bike the same day because customs is closed when you arrive. then you have to go to the shipper (oases) who charges you another 300 dirhams. add the port taxes etc in dubai and it will cost you about 500 dirhams in total to get your bike back. and try not to laugh at their no delay sign; it took us 23 hours to clear the bike.

but if you expect it... it's less bad, i suppose.

Please specify which "bandar", which means no more than "port", you're talking about...

Timetable is here Iran ferry ship, persian gulf shipping ticket, Travel Iran persian, Tour Operator Iran persian gulf, IranTravelingCenter

Email them any questions and they will reply.

Hello Desertsoul, Brett and the others here,
- the "Bandar" Gaea was referring to was Bandar-e Abas (Iranians use this abbreviation for their biggest port);
- where she wrote "the real fun starts in bandar" it should have been Dubai;
- we have written three times in the last month to the IranTravelingCenter.com and never received one reply. Once for the train Teheran-Istanbul and twice to ask schedules, prices and procedures for the Valfajre-8-ferry. Maybe the person speaking english was on holiday or maybe they have only just recently gone out of business, we don't know. O, and the timetable on the website is no longer correct.
Anyway, a friend of us here in Dubai is working on a severe complaint, taking it to the highest possible levels, so maybe in the future the "shipping a bike on a ferry"-procedure will get 'normal'.

Warm greetings from Trui and Gaea, heading south to Yemen and back in a couple of days.

Oman to Pakistan
 

I wonder if it would be better to get a ferry Oman to Pakistan and then cross into Iran.
Cheers
Ian

Ferry to and from iran
 

Hi
I guess i agree with all these comments , except i think i got to add a few points.
1- If you want to transfer your bike, you got to take the RoRo ferry leaving dubai to bandare abbas. try to sat y with your bike , by that i mean go check it before the ferry takes off and while underway. there are some problems that you know might happen and it is a good idea to be avoiding it even if you might have to sleep a couple bucks into the worker up there to let you check your bike as you are going to Iran.
2- This Dubai oasis freight agency is the offshore ticketing agent for Valfajr 8. so you need to go get your ticket right from their office. they have a number of offices all around the gulf .i am going to put their addresses here.

3- these folks at the Oasisdxb seem to be not really that much efficient . But unfortunately that is the only option you got.
Here are their email and contact addresses in dubai. you can contact the right person based on your questions:

taff information
1-66-521
Mr.Asghar Safi Mazdabadi Managing Director
Mobile: +971 50 6538105
Email: mazdabadi@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 224
Emergency:
Notice:
3-74-521
Mr.Sajjad Haider Assistant Manager Operation Manager Valfajre
Mobile: +971 50 4548360
Email: haider@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 217
Emergency:
Notice:
3-73-521
Mr.Ashish Kumar Biswas Manager Operation / IRISL
Mobile: +971 50 4507814
Email: biswas@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 213
Emergency:
Notice:
3-70-521
Mr.Syed Nazer Ghoreifi Director Finance
Mobile: +971 50 6468049
Email: ghoreifi@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000, 971 4 3516363
Work Ext.: 15
Emergency:
Notice:
3-69-521
Eng.Syed Hussain Tavalla Director Technical
Mobile: +971 50 6287182
Email: tavalla@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 14
Emergency:
Notice:
3-68-521
Mr.Ahmad Darbandsari Director Commercial
Mobile: +971 50 6452206
Email: darbandsari@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 232
Emergency:
Notice:
3-67-521
Capt.Mohammad Sattari Operation Director Commercial
Mobile: +971 50 6536230
Email: Capt.Sattari@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 231
Emergency:
Notice:
4-521-521
Mr.Yousef Neshat Commercial
Mobile: +971 50 5586908
Email: neshat@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 248
Emergency:
Notice:
4-556-521
Mr.Mohammad Ali Ansarizadeh Assistant Director Technical
Mobile: +971 50 6516174
Email: ansarizadeh@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +97 14 3525000, 351 6363
Work Ext.: 13
Emergency:
Notice:
4-72-521
Mr.Gopala Krishna Kurup Balu Executive Operation / PCL
Mobile: +971 50 4502269
Email: balu@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 230
Emergency:
Notice:
4-71-521
Mr.Saeed Ebrahimi IRISL Representative Supply
Mobile: +971 50 6468069
Email: irislspcl@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3516363
Work Ext.: 12
Emergency:
Notice:
6-607-521
Ms.Rizza David Documentation PCL
Mobile:
Email: rizza@oasisdxb.com
Work phone: +971 4 3525000
Work Ext.: 236
Emergency:
Notice:

Did the ferrywork out ok? As I'm considering the reverse option Iran->Dubai->India - anyone know if that is possible, easy, at short notice - looking at avoiding pakistan

Actually, the ferry used to go to Sharjah, not Dubai and the office is also in Sharjah.

There are no other vehicle ferries in the gulf that I know of and there are no boats anywhere else, i.e. Oman, India, Pak... except wooden dhows, but the bureauprats won't allow you to use them yourself, althoug you may be able to ship your bike on one. AFAIK there is a passenger ferry from Bandar Lengeh to Dubai, but when I enquired I was told it wouldn't take bikes. Now that the roro is gone this may have changed, as Trui & Gaea took a catamaran.

The RO-RO is not gone, personally used it on December 23rd from B. Abbas to Sharjah. The case is that due to jetty rebulding process at the usual Bahonar port in B. Abbas now it uses the Rajaee port, just some 10 km from B. Abbas. However, the catamaran they usually use as a fast passenger ship can also take up to 10 normal cars (they said 4x4 are too high for that vessel).

My notes from the process of using the Ferry from Iran to Sharjah

Iran side:
Notes: All caged up
Photos: My Images - /20071217 - ISAAC 3

Sharjah/Dubai side:
Notes: See Dec 24th on this page


From this I suggest if you use the ferry you check whether the tide is in or out!! And also whether there is a public holiday the day after you land!

Road conditions in iran and Turkey
 

I'm planning to drive (yes car not bike) from UAE back to UK next year via iran and turkey. The info here on ferry possibilities is really useful. Does anyone have any comments on the conditions of the roads in iran and Turkey? Talking to various people there are pretty good roads in iran on main routes and anything else is up to individual preference of how far off the beaten track you go. turkey seems more variable. anyone got any comments on this?

That seems about right. I've just crossed Turkey east to west mainly along the southern coast and though roads are good, there are some with truck ruts and uneven surfaces. They are more of concern to a bike though and, for the most part, you probably wouldn't even notice them in a car.

A few that we took in the hills north of Antalya turned into dirt tracks without any warning but even these would be easily navigable in a car in fair weather.
Stephan

That's really good news for other travellers, thanks for posting that here. It just goes to confirm that if you talk to 10 different officials you get 10 different answers.

Ferry Sharjah - Bandar Abbas: Update
 

Hi folks,

a bit late, but here are my experiences with the ferry Sharjah - Bandar Abbas (May 2008)

Contact Oasis 3-4 days before you want to go. Earlier is useless, as they don't known the exact schedule of the boats either.
Phone the friendly Mr Nazar +971507868280 and ask for the schedule, show up 2 days in the office before boat leaves.
I took the "speedboat", leaving in the morning. You can do the customs the day before departure. If you're not a UAE resident with a UAE number plate, don't let the guys at the harbour entrance tell you that you have to get an exit permission at the police! This applies only to residents.
My bike was put into a cage and lifted onto the upper deck. But don't think they are really well prepared for that.....

If you arrive around 5 p.m. in Bandar Abbas, the Valfajre office is already closed and you have to leave the bike overnight at the customs.
The next day, try to get a local to help you through the customs, otherwise you will go mad. I had a taxi driver translating and helping me and I still needed 4 hours (faster is impossible).

Officials are (very) friendly, but procedures are hillarious....
Be aware that nobody asks you to get an insurance if you arrive per boat. I was never stopped by the police in Iran so I don't know what would happen if you can't present one...

Roads are excellent in Iran, but traffic (especially in cities) can be breathtaking.

Cheers

Robert

Bandar Abbas port
 

Can anybody tell me which port in Bandar Abbas the ferry to Sharjah goes from.

Is it the big commercial Port Shahid Rajaee or the smaller port to the west of the town ?

Does this ferry really only run twice a week?

Thanks,

Bob

AFAIR it is the one closer to the town.

Thanks Lars,

Appreciate it.

Bob

Bob:

just re-read this thread and according to post #25 they now use another pier - my information seems to be out of date.

Sharjah to Bandar Abbas this march
 

hi there,

is there any recent news in terms of ferry from sharjah to bandar abbas in iran?
i will return from muskat to germany via iran and turkey mid march on my xt600.
what are the latest experiences, specially considering carnet de passage.
when i entered dubai 2 years ago by motorbikebike, a carnet was not necessary.
is one requested in iran, if yes maybe one can "bakshish" one's way around this document?:thumbup1:

otherwise there is the option to cross saudi arabia on a transit basis...and return via syria and turkey...

best regards from the german outback

wolfram

hi wolfram,

iran requires CdP, but, there are some lads who has crossed iran without CdP. getting saudi visa (even transit) as hard as going to the moon (means not impossible but there are a few folks which have been "granted" with saudi transit visa for their motorbikes). syria and turkiye is not a problem.
drop me a line when you around istanbul if you need somewhere to sleep for free and coffee/beer. also for ride around istanbul...

good luck

hi ozhan,

tesekur ederim for your quick answer.
since i already have my xt600 in oman (i got it there by airfreight to dubai and from there on its own wheels to muskat) without cdp, i think i will give it a try and do without official carnet.

should i get a transitvisa for saudi arabia, i will try the trip to the moon next year :rolleyes:

no matter how i will get back, if i am in the vicinity of istanbul, i will give you a ring, beers are on me...
my first time in istanbul was 1984 with a kawa 1000, then on a roundtrip on a xt600 ténéré in 1986 and then working for camel trophy in 1994 in a landrover.
i wonder how this great place has developed/changed since then.

should your travels take you to germany one day i'd be delighted to offer you my hospitality.
i live in the southwest, close to france (66440 blieskastel), a nice area for biking and outdoors.

best regards from the german outback

wolfram

hello wolfram,

bitteschon. actually, i used to live in germany for 3 years when i was child. my dad was an mp in the nato base near aachen. but my german is now crap. i was in germany last september after 21 years for a conference in rthw, near aachen. next time i'll give you a ring.
istanbul has developed a lot since 80's and 90's. the population is almost 14 million and still beautiful.
sorry cant help you with carnet for iran or visas for saudi, but whenever you are in turkiye you will be trouble-free. and also i'll offer the beers as a part of turkish hospitality.

so, until then take care.

ps: check my webpage for previous visitors from hubb. ODT-2006

Hi Ozhanu,
I realized this year in April about how beuatiful country Turkey is, while travelling to Syria and Jordan. I might to use Turkey for a transit to Iran 2010 in April or May.
I will be glad to meet you and to share some more bikers experiences and tips for your country.
Would you like to join me for some beers or cay?

Btw. I was stopped by turkish police and i got a penalty for speed limit. They asked me to pay the penalty at your border, but I could not find any competent office (really). I hope they did not saved my "sin" in any database and it will be allowed for me to enter Turkey without any additiononal charges :innocent:

Peter from Slovakia