Iraq - Getting Around

Iraq has 38,402 kilometers of paved roads. Expressway No. 1-a 1200-kilometer, six-lane freeway-connects Baghdad to Kuwait in the south and runs to Jordan and Syria in the west. A 630-kilometer freeway (Expressway No. 2) runs north from Baghdad to the Turkish border, where it links up with the modern freeway connecting southeast Turkey to Ankara and Istanbul. Another Baghdad-Basra route is planned via Kut and Amarah and will be known as Expressway No. 3.

There are 2,032 kilometers of rail network, including the 461-kilometer Baghdad-Kirkuk-Arbil line, the 528-kilometer Baghdad-Mosul-Yurubiyah standard line and the 582-kilometer Baghdad-Maaqal-Umm Qasr standard line. The 516-kilometer line between Baghdad and al-Qaim and Qusaybah on the Syrian border was opened last year. The 252-kilometer northern line between Kirkuk, Baiji and Haditha, which connects the Baiji oil refinery with the al-Qaim fertilizer plant, was opened in 1988.

Iraq's main port of Basra is inoperative because of the closure of the Shatt al-Arab waterway during the war with Iran. Several Iraqi naval vessels were sunk in the waterway during the Gulf War.

Iraq has an international airport at Bamerni, 17 kilometers south of Baghdad. Another international airport was planned for Mosul, with a 4,000-meter runway capable of handling 30 landings and takeoffs a day. Domestic regional airports at Arbil (3,000-meter runway), Amara and Najaf (for small 50-seater aircraft) were also planned. Iraqi Airways has a fleet of four Boeing 747s, two Boeing 737s, six Boeing 727s and two Boeing 707s.

You can rent a car from the airport. You will need both national and international driving licenses. You can also take the bus service for the 17-kilometer trip from the city center to the airport. In Baghdad, the double-decker buses are cheap and can take you just about anywhere you want to go; don't forget to buy your tickets at the kiosks first. There are also private minibuses and shared taxis. A train service operates three times a day from Baghdad to Basra; don't plan on comfort or air-conditioning unless you're lucky. You can choose from three class services with sleeping accommodations, restaurant cars and air conditioning. You can take the train between most of Iraq's major centers (Baghdad-Mosul, Baghdad-Arbil and Baghdad-Basra).There is also regular bus service from Baghdad to other major cities and regular flights between Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. Domestic airports are at Mosul, Kirkuk and Basra, as well as Baghdad.

Taxis must be negotiated in advance. During the war, DP paid $1,200 to get out of Baghdad to Turkey (but we didn't have to tip). Taxis have meters, but it is legal to charge twice the amount shown on the meter. After 10 p.m. there is a surcharge.