Nowruz travel guide

The Nowruz 1405 train presale opened on Sunday 10 Esfand 1404 (1 March 2026) for travel from 20 Esfand 1404 to 17 Farvardin 1405, with returns to 18 Farvardin. It was announced about six days ahead.

Routes were released over three days: day 1 (10 Esfand) all routes except Mashhad routes, Tehran–Khaf and Tehran–Tabas; day 2 (11 Esfand) Mashhad routes except Tehran–Mashhad; day 3 (12 Esfand) Tehran–Mashhad, Tehran–Khaf, Tehran–Tabas, Semnan–Mashhad plus leftover capacity.

Each day used the standard stages: 08:30 to 11:00 online only, 11:00 to 13:30 in person at authorised offices, and from 14:00 all channels.

For Nowruz 1406 expect a similar window in late Bahman or early Esfand 1405 (February 2027). That is an inference from the 1405 pattern, not an announcement. Ordinary months open about 2 to 4 days before the month starts, so Esfand 1405 tickets will open separately in late Bahman.

Train fares rose 21% on 17 Khordad 1405 and a further 20% from 1 Aban 1405 on salon, 4-berth and 6-berth classes for all companies. In Aban 1405 Tehran–Mashhad ran from about 1,390,000 toman (6-berth coupe) to about 4,160,000 toman on the 5-star Fadak train. 5-star fares are not regulated and move with demand.

There is no reliable domestic airfare cap to quote. In Shahrivar 1405 the Administrative Justice Court annulled the pricing decrees after the Airlines Association's complaint, while the CAO rejected full liberalisation and opened cases against platforms selling above permitted ranges. In Aban the Association announced a 40–45% rise and the CAO denied it.

Domestic airfares are volatile: Entekhab's Tehran–Mashhad daily average was 7,105,000 toman on 10 Aban 1405 and about 6.7 million the day before, with reported swings between roughly 4.5 and 10.4 million in the same week. Business seats were reported above 20 million.

Many Kish and Qeshm charter tickets at Nowruz and in summer are fully non-refundable; for charters to Kish, Qeshm and Chabahar the penalty was 50–60% more than 72 hours before departure, 70–80% between 72 and 24 hours, and almost nothing refunded inside 24 hours (1404 rules).

Sample Aban 1405 starting prices per person: Kish 2–4 night air packages 14.9 to 22 million toman, Mashhad 2-night train tour 8.7 million, Mashhad air tours 17.5 to 21.5 million. Nowruz prices will differ.

Nowruz 1405 saw about 29.07 million domestic trips. Mazandaran led with 4.46 million, Gilan followed with about 3.2 million, then Khorasan Razavi, East Azerbaijan, Hamadan and Ardabil.

Hotel occupancy was only about 4%. Most travellers stayed with relatives, in rural homes, eco-lodges (بوم‌گردی) or private villas, so villa and eco-lodge comparison matters more than hotel search for Nowruz.

Trips got longer and more frequent: the average stay rose to 6.8 days from 4.1, and repeat trips reached 36%. During the 1405 war, travel was limited to areas considered safe.

Kish is the main no-passport 'abroad-like' destination. Its passenger duty-free allowance was raised from $80 to $3,000 per traveller and runs until the end of 1405, so it expires right around Nowruz 1406 unless extended.

Set a presale alert and be online at 08:30 on release day; in-person offices get the leftovers from 11:00 and everything reopens at 14:00. Tehran–Mashhad is released last in the Nowruz presale.

For flights, the CAO's own advice in Aban 1405 was: check nearby dates, compare airlines, look for last-minute seats, price the return separately, use price-drop alerts, and buy only from official or reliable sales systems.

Fadak sells exclusive compartments (کوپه دربست), sends SMS alerts for its next presale and refunds without penalty within one hour of purchase.

Refund rules for system (non-charter) domestic flights per the 1404 table: more than 24 hours before departure 10% of the base fare, 24 to 3 hours 30%, 3 hours to 30 minutes 50%, under 30 minutes or no-show 60%; taxes and airport fees are always refunded. Since the war, refund rules have been changed ad hoc, so confirm before buying.

Bus refunds online close 60 minutes before departure (90 to 120 in exceptions); printed or rescheduled tickets must be refunded at the terminal.

Installment booking is widely promoted by Alibaba, Snapptrip, Jabama and IranHotelOnline; if your flight is on an MD aircraft that is not cleared to fly, you are entitled to an aircraft swap, a transfer or a full refund.

The Nowruz train presale releases Tehran–Mashhad, Tehran–Khaf, Tehran–Tabas and Semnan–Mashhad last, on day 3, because they are the most contested routes.

Air capacity is tighter than before: since 1 Mehr 1405 the CAO has banned ticket sales on MD aircraft that have not completed the required engine directive. This is not a blanket grounding, but it removes seats.

National events can stop all Tehran flights at short notice: both Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini had no flights from 05:00 Monday to 05:00 Tuesday 16 Tir 1405, and Tehran–Mashhad was prioritised afterwards.

Airspace can also close: it was shut when the war began on 9 Esfand 1404, and on 29 Farvardin 1405 the CAO announced only a partial reopening of eastern airspace by NOTAM. Check the advisory page before a Nowruz flight.

Roads: the RMTO had about 7,500 active long-distance buses in Tir 1405. Our sources have no Nowruz road-traffic figures, so plan buses early and expect terminals to be busy.

1406: the official calendar had not been published as of 29 Mehr 1405. The occasions, including new war-related days, went to the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution and the calendar is due by mid-Aban 1405 under the bylaw; whether to add a day for the leader's funeral was undecided. Re-check once it is out.

Unofficial 1406 dates: Eid al-Fitr 8–9 Esfand 1405 (February 2027), Eid Ghadir 4 Khordad 1406, and Tasua/Ashura on 24–25 or 25–26 Khordad 1406 depending on the source. All provisional.

1405 (for the pattern): reports said 1 Farvardin coincided with Eid al-Fitr, the Nowruz holidays were 1–4 Farvardin plus 12 and 13 Farvardin, and the year had 25 official holidays. The article cited for this turned out to cover 1402, so treat these as unverified.