Hi,
Im crossing to Iran fro Dubay Tue 24 2008. I met several guys with Iranian rationing cards for tourists but no one has been able to tell me who sells them or where do you ask for them. Embasy says at border but last year at Bandar e Abbas port no one knew anything about them and the same in Taftan. I crossed the country buying from motorists at petrol stations but it'll be great if I could just buy my own without delay and bargaining.
Im arriving at Bandar e Lengeh.
Any info most appreciated.
Thanks
DD

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Hi DD,
Have tried the search button ???
what your looking for is the main N.I.O.P.D.C office.
Regards
joe

Thanks Celt.
I've found threads for petrol and rationing (including some entries I wrote last year) but not the name of the place you need to get it from, or info about purchasing, places or prices. Please do point me to any other info existing at the forums if you are so kind... But thanks a lot nevertheless. I'll try if there is an office in Bandar e Lengeh.
Many thanks.
DD

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been running around offices in esfaha and tehran 3 weeks ago trying to get hold of this blessed tourist "benzin kart", they all discouraged me from getting one (and at the end i didnt get it) because:

1) it costs 40 euro and it lets you purchase 100 Lt
1) then you pay 500 tomans per Lt

Now consider the current price per Lt: 100 tomans with card, 400 tomans without card - when u go over ur allowance, do the maths and u will see that with a tourist card you will pay petrol double than if you buy it at 400 tomans.

I have been riding 3000km in Iran so far, i dont have a card and it doesnt take any longer to refill, here is the procedure:

- to the attendant at the petrol station: "hello, I would like some petrol but I dont have a petrol card" that in farsi more or less sounds like "salam aga, man benzin mikharam, petrol cart nedaram".
- the attendant at this point will tell you to pi$$ off in a very fashionable manner pointing his chin to the sky
- but you can perform magic with your fingers: show FOUR fingers of your right hand and at the same time say "tomans" then ONE finger of your left and say "litre", he will understand u are willing to pay 400 tomans per liter (4 time the normal price) and he will agree saying "tamam" and you are done. Better than harry potter.
It worked all the time no problem.

bare in mind that 400 tomans per Lt is cheaper than the price of a tourist petrol card at 40 euro + the usual price of the petrol, and the petrol card lasts only 100 Lt then you have to buy a new one.

If your bike has a high comp rate once at the petrol station u want to buy some of the stuff in the red bottles as well, octane booster, 500 tomans, lasts one tank and half (mine is 20Lt).

hope this helps, dont buy a petrol card.

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... and Nelly The Elephant packed the trunk and said goodbye to the circus...

Where?
I'm coming up from Lengeh Port towards Shiraz - Esfahan... not going to Teheran, 'do.
Last, year in the Baluchistan and eastern regions I could not get petrol ofering money. Some drivers will let you buy some of their allowence to the annoyance of the petrol pump attendants. From Kerman west was a lot easier. I wonder how is it near the Turkish border where they see more tourists!
Many thanks for the tip.
DD

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