Crossing from Turkey to Iran by Bicycle | Gürbulak Border Gate
I was on a bike trip started from Istanbul to India. In this post, I have tried to explain the things you may wonder about crossing from Turkey to Iran by bicycle . Let’s start from the beginning. I cycled from Istanbul to Ankara and then took Eastern express to Kars. After Kars, I had decided to head to Georgia and to move on from there but, due to the heavy snow, I went back to Kars to cross from Doğubeyazıt to Iran by sticking to the first plan. I took the road after spending a few days in Kars to wait for the cold weather to pass off.
As you will guess, I was told that Kars-Doğubeyazıt road was not safe to pass by bicycle because of the terrorist threats. (But in fact, it wasn’t! During winter there was no activity at all.) I considered going by bus but the buses that go to Iğdır are so small that it was impossible to find a place for my bags and my bicycle. That’s why I decided to hitchhike, hoping that I could find a truck that goes to the border. Finally, I stopped a truck to take me to border and I got there.
Short info: Gürbulak, near Doğubeyazıt, is the main border gate between Türkiye and Iran and it’s open 24 hours. Turkish citizens can enter Iran visa free for up to 90 days with a valid passport. I crossed it by bicycle in winter and the officers let me through without putting my bike bags through the x-ray. Women need to cover their hair, arms and legs from the moment they cross, and you shouldn’t bring any alcohol. The first town after the border is Bazargan.
2026 note: Because of the tension in the region, Türkiye and many other governments advised against non-essential travel to Iran in 2026. Please check your own government’s latest travel advice before you plan your trip.
Gürbulak border crossing. Does Iran ask for a visa?
Turkish citizens are free of visa for their visits not exceeding 90 days. Turkish passport holders can go to Iran both by airway and highway if you have a valid and in-date passport.
Many travelers worry that an Iranian stamp in their passport could cause problems in other countries. The good news is that since 2019 Iran officially no longer stamps tourists’ passports.
Crossing from Turkey to Iran by Bicycle
When I first reached the border gate, I wasn’t quite sure about what to do. So, I was nervous. As some of the officials could speak Turkish and were acting warmly, we figured out what to do before long. First, just like the ones with vehicles do, we left our bicycles out in a safe place and went in for passport check. In fact, people were passing their luggages through x-ray machine. But they didn’t ask it for our bike bags. Just like when we were crossing to Georgia through Aktaş Gate, we entered Iran without undergoing any body search. Only, a soldier untied our bags and took a glance at them and that was all. He said he had to do it because the security cams were watching.
In “Kars-Georgia Route” post, I told you that we had thrown all of our medicine in the trash in order not to be bothered because Georgia is sensitive about drugs. It was a miracle that we didn’t undergo any search there because I forgot that there was a vitamin pill left in my bag. Further, it was stuck in such a place that it would look as if I was trying to smuggle. This time, I entered Iran with a small bottle of alcoholic drink forgotten in my bag.
First city after crossing Iran border
After passing from the gate, a small city showed up. This place is very close to the border gate. I went down the road for about 1 km and arrived at downtown. Here, I met the nephew of the truckdriver Irfan who picked me up while I was hitchhiking in Turkey and then I exchanged Turkish Lira with Toman. (In Iran, you can exchange your Dollar and Euro easily. I exchanged Turkish Lira here because I was not sure if I could find another place after the border.) A brief information about the currency of Iran which had created a lot of confusion before I came here: Actually the currency is Rial but everybody looks into their finance according to Toman. Shortly, if you delete a zero from how much Rial you have, that is how much Toman you have. In other words, 100.000 Rial is equal to 10.000 Toman.
What Should Be Considered While Crossing Gürbulak Border Gate?
While entering Iran, women have to cover their arms, legs and hair. If you have tight clothes on you, you need to change them with the loose ones. Also, your shirt must hide your butt. For the details of women’s dress code in Iran, you can take a look at the article “Women clothing in Iran“.
The restrictions for men’s clothing is less harsh. Men are just not allowed to wear shorts.
Taking alcoholic beverages in Iran is also forbidden. If you are carrying alcoholic beverages, do not try to enter with them.
In order to travel Iran more comfortably, you can take a look at “Tips for traveling to Iran” post.
If you’re planning to hitchhike, I shared my tips in the hitchhiking section of my tips for traveling to Iran post.
Once you’re in Iran, my guide to the 5 must-see cities in Iran will help you plan your route. Tabriz is the first big city after the border, and I wrote a separate Tabriz travel guide.
Frequently asked questions about the Gürbulak border crossing
Is the Gürbulak border gate open 24 hours?
Yes, Gürbulak (Bazargan on the Iranian side) is open 24 hours a day and is the busiest land border between Türkiye and Iran.
Can you cross the Türkiye Iran border by bicycle?
Yes. I pushed my loaded bike through the passport check like any other traveler. Expect a quick look at your bags, and keep your passport and any bike documents handy.
How do you get from Doğubeyazıt to the Gürbulak border?
Minibuses and taxis run from Doğubeyazıt to the border, which is about 35 kilometers away. After crossing, taxis and minibuses take you from Bazargan to Maku, Khoy or Tabriz.
