Car hire and driving in Erbil
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Iraq traffic drives on the right. Picking up at EBL means 8 km (5 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648805 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648812 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648855.
Drives from Erbil
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erbil to Xebat | Iraq | 32 km (20 mi) | about 29 min |
| Erbil to 'Ākra | Iraq | 61 km (38 mi) | about 56 min |
| Erbil to Rānyah | Iraq | 79 km (49 mi) | about 1 h 12 min |
| Erbil to Mosul | Iraq | 81 km (51 mi) | about 1 h 15 min |
| Erbil to Kirkuk | Iraq | 87 km (54 mi) | about 1 h 20 min |
| Erbil to Qeładizê | Iraq | 101 km (63 mi) | about 1 h 32 min |
| Erbil to Ash Sharqāt | Iraq | 103 km (64 mi) | about 1 h 34 min |
| Erbil to Sīnah | Iraq | 111 km (69 mi) | about 1 h 41 min |
| Erbil to Dihok | Iraq | 118 km (73 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Erbil to Simele | Iraq | 127 km (79 mi) | about 1 h 57 min |
| Erbil to Sumayl | Iraq | 128 km (79 mi) | about 1 h 57 min |
| Erbil to Sulaymaniyah | Iraq | 146 km (91 mi) | about 2 h 14 min |
| Erbil to Baghdad | Iraq | 319 km (198 mi) | about 4 h 52 min |
| Erbil to Basrah | Iraq | 722 km (449 mi) | about 11 h 1 min |
| Erbil to Karbala | Iraq | 398 km (247 mi) | about 6 h 4 min |
| Erbil to Sadr City | Iraq | 314 km (195 mi) | about 4 h 48 min |
| Erbil to Abū Ghurayb | Iraq | 321 km (200 mi) | about 4 h 54 min |
| Erbil to Nasiriyah | Iraq | 607 km (377 mi) | about 9 h 16 min |
| Erbil to Najaf | Iraq | 464 km (288 mi) | about 7 h 5 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Erbil?
The right, as everywhere in Iraq.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.