How to Get Around Iraq

Getting in. Baghdad and Erbil are the main international airports, with Basra, Sulaymaniyah and Najaf also served. Note that the Kurdistan Region issues its own visa, which is not valid for federal Iraq and vice versa — check which you need before booking.

Internal flights between Baghdad, Basra and Erbil are the usual way to cross the country and avoid long road journeys through checkpoints.

Roads. Shared taxis and minibuses connect cities and are how most Iraqis travel. Expect frequent checkpoints, document inspections and delays. In federal Iraq, independent road travel by foreigners is restricted in practice and often requires permits; most visitors use a driver arranged by their operator.

Trains run on a limited network, including a sleeper between Baghdad and Basra, and are slow but a genuine experience.

In cities. Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in Baghdad and Erbil. There is no metro. Traffic in Baghdad is heavy and security barriers reroute it unpredictably.