Basrah: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Basrah is a city of 1.3 million people in Iraq (Basra), 4 m (13 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Basra International Airport (BSR), 12 km (7 mi) from the centre. It has 1 railway station on record, including Al Maqal Railway Station.
Key facts
Daylight in Basrah runs from about 10 h 13 min a day in late December to 14 h 10 min in late June (computed for 30.51° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Basrah is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Basra International Airport (BSR), 12 km (7 mi) from the centre, whose 13,124-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport (ABD, 46 km).
Flights to Basrah: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Al Maqal Railway Station. Trains to Basrah
Buses to Basrah · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Ahvaz, 125 km (Iran)
- Al Aḩmadī, 162 km (Kuwait) — flights
- Nasiriyah, 158 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Najaf, 367 km — buses · car rental
- Al Hillah, 386 km — buses · car rental
- Abū al-Kahṣīb, 12 km
- Khorramshahr, 39 km (Iran)
- Khorramabad, 336 km (Iran) — flights
- Al ‘Amārah, 159 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Al Diwaniyah, 318 km — buses · car rental
Twin towns and sister cities: Baku, Detroit, Dubai, Venice.
Common questions
Which airport serves Basrah?
Basra International Airport (BSR), 12 km (7 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Basrah?
About 1.3 million people live in Basrah, across 181 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Basrah in?
Asia/Baghdad, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Basrah?
The Dinar (IQD). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Basrah?
Ahvaz (125 km), Al Aḩmadī (162 km), Nasiriyah (158 km), Najaf (367 km), Al Hillah (386 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.