Freight reference · 3D
Trucks, wagons and ships
Transit cargo crossing Iran changes hands between ships, trucks and trains. Pick a model to turn it in 3D and see its typical size, payload and use.
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Tilt (curtain) semi-trailer under TIR
The most common truck on the transit roads from Türkiye and Europe to Central Asia and Afghanistan. A TIR-approved tilt trailer is closed with one steel cord threaded through all the eyelets of the tarpaulin, so customs can seal the whole load space with a single seal.
| Inside (L × W × H) | 13.6 × 2.48 × 2.7 m |
| Volume | about 90 m³ |
| Pallets | 33 Euro pallets |
| Payload | about 24 t |
| Best for | General cargo, consumer goods, machinery parts |
Skeletal container semi-trailer
Carries one 40-foot or two 20-foot containers from the port to an inland terminal or the border. Containers stay sealed from the port of loading, which keeps transit formalities short.
| Carries | 1 × 40′ or 2 × 20′ |
| Length | about 12.4 m |
| Twistlocks | 8 to 12 |
| Payload | limited by the axle rules of each country |
| Best for | Port-to-border container transit |
Refrigerated semi-trailer
An insulated box with its own cooling unit at the front. Used for fruit and vegetables from Iran and Central Asia, meat, dairy and medicines. On long routes the temperature log is part of the paperwork.
| Inside (L × W × H) | 13.4 × 2.46 × 2.6 m |
| Volume | about 86 m³ |
| Pallets | 33 Euro pallets |
| Temperature | about −25 °C to +25 °C |
| Best for | Food, flowers, pharmaceuticals |
Tank semi-trailer
Steel or aluminium tank with several compartments for fuel, bitumen, chemicals or edible oil. Dangerous goods travel under ADR rules with orange plates that show the hazard and UN numbers.
| Capacity | about 30,000–38,000 litres |
| Compartments | 1 to 6 |
| Plates | ADR orange plates for dangerous goods |
| Best for | Petroleum products, bitumen, chemicals |
Flatbed semi-trailer
An open platform loaded from the side or from above by crane. Steel coils, pipes, beams and machinery are lashed down with straps and chains, and coils sit in wooden cradles or a coil well.
| Deck (L × W) | 13.6 × 2.48 m |
| Deck height | about 1.4 m |
| Payload | about 25 t |
| Best for | Steel, pipes, building materials, machinery |
Low-bed trailer for heavy and out-of-gauge cargo
A low well deck keeps tall cargo such as transformers and turbines under bridges and power lines. Several axle lines spread the weight. Each heavy move needs a route survey, permits and, above certain sizes, a police escort.
| Deck height | about 0.4–0.9 m in the well |
| Axle lines | 3 to 8 or more, or modular trailers |
| Capacity | about 40–150 t and more |
| Best for | Transformers, generators, turbines, columns |
Container flat wagon
A 60-foot flat wagon takes one 40-foot and one 20-foot container, or three 20-foot ones. Container trains run from Bandar Abbas towards Sarakhs and Incheh Borun for Central Asia.
| Loading length | about 18.4 m (60 ft) |
| Carries | 3 TEU |
| Payload | about 60–70 t |
| Best for | Containers on long inland routes |
Covered hopper wagon
A closed wagon that is loaded through hatches on the roof and emptied through chutes underneath. It carries grain, cement, fertiliser and other dry bulk.
| Volume | about 90–110 m³ |
| Payload | about 65–70 t |
| Best for | Grain, cement, fertiliser, soda ash |
Rail tank wagon
For fuel, liquefied gas, chemicals and vegetable oil. Rail is usually cheaper than road for large volumes over long distances.
| Volume | about 60–75 m³ |
| Payload | about 55–65 t |
| Best for | Liquids in bulk |
Container feeder ship
Smaller container ships link the large hub ports of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean with Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, and short-sea ships cross the Caspian between Iran, Russia and Kazakhstan.
| Capacity | about 700–3,000 TEU |
| Length | about 120–200 m |
| Draught | about 7–11 m |
| Best for | Containers between hub ports and Iranian ports |
Simplified models with typical dimensions. Exact figures vary by owner, build and country.
Road: choosing the trailer
Most transit trucks on Iranian roads are semi-trailers pulled by a two-axle tractor. The trailer follows the cargo:
- Tilt (curtain) trailer for pallets, cartons and general cargo. With a TIR approval plate it can run under a TIR carnet and be sealed with one customs seal.
- Container chassis when the cargo is already in a container from the ship. The container keeps its seal from the port to the border.
- Reefer trailer for chilled and frozen goods, with a temperature log for the whole trip.
- Tanker for fuel, bitumen, chemicals and edible oil. Dangerous goods follow the ADR rules.
- Flatbed for steel, pipes and machinery lashed down in the open.
- Low-bed or modular trailer for heavy and out-of-gauge pieces, with permits and escorts.
Weight and size limits differ from one country to the next along the route. A load that is legal in Iran may be overweight in the next country, so we plan to the strictest limit on the way.
Documents that travel with the vehicle
A road shipment usually carries a CMR consignment note, the commercial invoice and packing list, the transit declaration or TIR carnet, and the vehicle and driver papers. A rail shipment to the broad-gauge countries usually travels on an SMGS consignment note. Iran is a member of the OSJD, the organisation behind SMGS.
Rail: wagons and the change of gauge
Iran's railways use standard gauge (1,435 mm), like Türkiye and Europe. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Russia use broad gauge (1,520 mm). At the border, wagons either change bogies or the cargo is moved to broad-gauge wagons. Sarakhs, on the Turkmen border, has a bogie-exchange facility. Container flat wagons, covered hoppers for grain and cement, and tank wagons for liquids are the main types on transit trains.
Sea: feeder ships and the Caspian
The largest container ships call at hub ports in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Feeder ships then bring containers to Bandar Abbas and Chabahar. In the north, short-sea ships cross the Caspian between Anzali, Amirabad and Nowshahr and the ports of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Which mode fits your cargo
| Mode | Strong points | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Road | Door to door, flexible, fast to start | Border queues, different weight limits by country |
| Rail | Low cost for heavy and bulk cargo over long distances | Change of gauge, wagon availability, terminal handling at both ends |
| Sea (Caspian) | Large volumes and heavy pieces to Russia and Kazakhstan | Weather, sailing schedules, port handling |
General guidance, last reviewed November 2026. Rules change often; ask us to confirm the requirements for your shipment.