Comments on: Midnight Express: Iran to Turkey by Train

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:35:10 +0000

@Rosemary: Thank you so much for your kind comment! We try to tell what we experience so others may hopefully learn from it as well.

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:15:03 +0000

Audrey, you’re an inspiration for living an authentic life !
Thanks for telling the real story …
Rsmry

By: Why you should travel overseas even if you're scaredBreathedreamgo

Why you should travel overseas even if you're scaredBreathedreamgo — Sat, 04 May 2013 12:23:38 +0000

[...] the moment we boarded the plane for Tehran to the time we took the train from Iran to Turkey, we were welcomed everywhere we went by ordinary Iranians we met on the streets and markets. And [...]

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:33:37 +0000

Thank you for that interesting, insightful and well-written article on Iran. I used to live in Tehran (I’m American) and I would also recommend Iran as a great place to experience.

By: Katka

Katka — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:39:24 +0000

Daniel – I never said I didnt come come twice as big as I left for Iran . The food was amazing, and I was fed by Lebanese pilgrims – Shias that went to visit the holy site. Very interesting experience indeed.
Yes, we might thing of it as paradox, but actually I always felt “better” as a woman in the Muslim countries. I feel like I am more respected, more treated like a woman. Less danger – even in countries where tourists are often bothered, like Egypt. But Iran was the best in this respect as I was never bothered and I always felt very, very safe.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:25:54 +0000

@Hossein: I’m glad that you found our words open and generous. We’re glad to be ambassadors of America and to places around the world, Iran included. We aim to be fair and honest about our experiences and the people we meet.

Thank you for your invitation to have us as guests. When we return to Iran, we’d be glad to take you up on your generous offer!

In the meantime, everywhere we go, let’s see beautiful people.

Thank you for your comment.

@Katka: So great that you had a chance to experience this as well.

“Made some friends who fed me as well.” If I had taken all the food offered to me in Iran, I’d be twice my current size.

I’m especially glad, and not at all surprised, that your experience as a lone woman in Iran was a positive one and that no one opposed. Iran struck me as a bit of a paradox in terms of the attitude towards women. Views towards women and their role in productive society seem — under the surface — more advanced than the requirement to wear the hijab might suggest.

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 07:41:32 +0000

@Aaron: We are complete train buffs, so when a friend mentioned this train journey from Iran to Turkey it became one of the focal points of our whole trip to Iran. It is kind of an odd thing that Americans require a guide, but we were able to travel from Tabriz to the border (and on to Istanbul) without a guide and without the Iranian immigration authorities asking any questions. If you were to start the train journey in Tehran, it might be a bit different (i.e., they might want you to have a guide until Tabriz). Best thing is to ask the tour company arranging your visa what is required for this train journey.

By: Aaron @ Aaron's Worldwide Adventures

Aaron @ Aaron's Worldwide Adventures — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:11:43 +0000

Sounds like a fantastic journey! I’ve always found train journeys to be such wonderfully social experiences.

I’m curious though. As Americans we have to travel on a tour, but you were able to get on the train without a guide escorting you?

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:42:22 +0000

@Robert: Our tickets were around €65/person back in November 2011, but the price might be different if you are buying them in Turkey. Last I checked there is still only one train a week from Tehran to Istanbul. If you ask a local travel agent in either Van or Tehran, they can probably confirm the current situation. There are daily buses, however, if you do need to get back on a different day.

@Hossein: Thank you for your kind comment. We hope that by sharing our experiences from meeting Iranians and traveling through Iran that we can provide a more personal and different perspective than what is seen on the news. The more we listen and try to understand each other, the more peace we will have.

@Katka: Sounds like you had a great experience traveling by train through the Middle East. I can imagine many people feeding you and wanting to take lots of pictures. Iranians show great hospitality.

By: Katka

Katka — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:25:33 +0000

I have done this myself, taking the train from Damascus through Turkey and on to Iran – what an unforgettable experience! Loved the food they fed us, especially on the Iranian train. Made some friends who fed me as well. I remember eating all the time, and taking pictures. No one could understand why a lone girl goes to Iran. But no one opposed either .