The following is our report on crossing the Iran – Iraq border crossing between Bahsmaq and Penjwen from Iran to Iraqi Kurdistan. We had a great border crossing and a fantastic time traveling in Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan. Here is everything you need to know to make your crossing just as smooth!
We crossed the Iran-Iraqi Kurdistan border from Sanandaj to Sulaymaniah.
Iran Iraq border crossings
There are multiple Iran Iraq border crossings. However there are only two options for crossing the Iran – Iraqi Kurdistan border:
- Piranshahr – Haji Omran
On the Iranian side this border crossing is convenient for those coming from north Iran (Tabriz). On the Iraqi side this crossing is closest to Erbil (154km). - Bashmaq – Penjwen
On the Iranian side this border is convenient/closer to Tehran (or if you are already in Iranian Kurdistan). On the Iraqi side this crossing is closest to Sulaymaniah (104km).
We used the Iran Iraq border crossing at the Bashmaq – Penjwen crossing from Sanandaj (Iran) to Sulaymaniah (Iraqi Kurdistan).
The overland Iran-Iraqi Kurdistan border at Bashmaq and Penjwen is open 24 hours a day, closing only for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Leaving Iran to cross the Iran Iraq border crossing at Bashmaq-Penjwen
We had spent an amazing three weeks in Iran and had a fantastic time learning about the beautiful Persian culture and history and meeting friendly Iranians in every city we visited.
However, during our last week in Iran huge unrest broke out around the country following the arrest and death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman visiting the capital city of Tehran when she was arrested for ‘improperly’ wearing her mandatory hijab.
As images of the unrest went global online, the government literally shut down the internet. And by that stage there had been protests and unrest in over 40 Iranian cities.
We were originally planning to extend our visas and continue travel in Iran but swiftly changed plans and decided to leave the country crossing the border from Iran to Iraqi Kurdistan at Bashmaq.
We were fortunate to find a driver who agreed to take us all the way from Kashan to the Bashmaq Border Terminal 700km away.
Sanandaj and Iranian Kurdistan
The main border town on the Iranian side of the Iran Iraq border crossing to Iraqi Kurdistan is the small town of Marivan. From here there are shared taxis and drivers who will take you to the border.
But the most logical place to start is the larger city of Sanandaj. This is one of the largest cities in Iranian Kurdistan and has several options for a place to stay.
In our case having driven by taxi all the way from Kashan (7 hours away) it was a much appreciated overnight break before heading to the border in the morning.
- Getting to the border from Sanandaj, on the Iranian side, takes around 3 hours.
- Getting to the border from Marivan, on the Iranian side, takes around 30 minutes.
Using the Iran Iraq border crossing at Bashmaq/Penjwen
Your taxi will drop you about 1km from the main border terminal and you will need to walk from here. There are keen porters waiting to carry bags but if you’re backpacking like us this is easy to put your bag on and walk past the huge queue of large fuel trucks also waiting to cross.
Iranian customs (exiting Iran)
This is fairly straightforward and took us around half an hour. Our bags were x-rayed as we entered the border terminal building. There are two lines of passport/immigration cubicles with officers working in one side as we crossed. However before we approached immigration we were actually separated and Gavin was asked to step into the office with one officer (none were in uniform) and asked a few questions (in very broken English) about where we had been in Iran.
This was mildly unnerving given the circumstances and unrest in the country at the time but we had anticipated a few questions and answered honestly but non-specifically. (Plus we were also the only non-Middle East people we had seen since leaving Kashan 24 hours ago). Fair call I suppose…
We were stamped through immigration and walked outside the terminal having exited Iran.
Iraqi Immigration and Customs (entering Iraqi Kurdistan)
As soon as we exited the border terminal having now exited Iran we could see two flags flying above the Iraqi side – one flag of Federal Iraq and one of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The first booth we passed was some kind of temporary pandemic-related office. However as both countries have since relaxed requirements for Covid this was fairly nonchalant. The lady officer asked us in Farsi something about vaccinations; we nodded and were waved through.
We walked across the road (where trucks were crossing the border) to the Iraqi immigration building.
Inside there is a hallway with people waiting to be called into the different offices. Someone told us to head down the hall to ‘Number 3’. The officer welcomed us inside to sit down and began processing our visas. This took around 30 minutes.
He wrote down for us that each visa cost 100,000 Iraqi Dinar (not USD as we had expected). But there was an office to exchange money just outside the immigration building.
- We exchanged $400 USD for 580,000 IQD.
Check the latest rates with XE here. And note you do need more than 100,000 IQD for the visa as the next stage (and officer directions from building to building) was an additional 5000 IQD each for some kind of insurance (thanks Google camera translate).
But that was it! Our passports were stamped and we set off on foot about 1km to the exit and carpark outside of the Iran Iraqi Kurdistan border crossing at Bashmaq.
Getting to Penjwen and onwards to Sulaymaniah
About 1km up the road from the first border terminal car park you can see shared taxis waiting. These taxis will take you to Penjwen – the closest border town – for around $2 USD. From there you can get a second shared taxi to Sulaymaniah or even a bus (or hitchhike).
- Getting to the border from Penjwen on the Iraqi side, takes around 15 minutes.
- Getting to the border from Sulaymaniah on the Iraqi side, takes around 1.5 hours.
Where we stayed before and after the Iran – Iraq border crossing (Iran to Iraqi Kurdistan)
- Sanandaj, Iran: Tourist Hotel Sanandaj
Thank you to TAP Persia for helping us book this hotel in Sanandaj before crossing the Iran – Iraqi Kurdistan border. - Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan: Khan Saray
A very friendly hotel to start your travels in Kurdistan after crossing the Iran Iraqi Kurdistan border. The hotel is located on a bustling market street but with a beautiful breakfast and a restaurant on-site. (The hotel is located with a back entrance to a shopping mall!). - Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan: Hotel Ararat
Convenient hotel located not far from Erbil Citadel. We had an amazing time exploring Erbil with Iraqi Kurdistan tour guide Haval.
Crossing the Iran – Iraq border crossing (Iraqi Kurdistan)
So there you have it! That is our complete guide for the border crossing from Iran to Iraqi Kurdistan using the Bashmaq – Penjwen border crossing.
Leave us a comment if you have any questions or let us know any updates.
Happy travels in Iraqi Kurdistan!
More about travel planning for Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
Read more about travel in the Middle East
- Saudi Arabia Travel Guide: Everything you need to know about visiting KSA.
- Jordan Travel Guide: Read all about magical Jordan.
- Visiting Umm Qais in Jordan
- Crossing overland from Israel to Jordan (and the worst noise ever).
- UAE with kids: Three Emirates in three days.
- Quick tips for visiting the Sheik Al Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi with kids.
