Najaf: 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.
Najaf is a city of 482,576 people in Iraq, 41 m (135 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Al Najaf International Airport (NJF), 7 km (4 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Najaf runs from about 10 h 6 min a day in late December to 14 h 18 min in late June (computed for 32.03° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Najaf is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Al Najaf International Airport (NJF), 7 km (4 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,842 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Najaf: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Najaf · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Baghdad, 146 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Basrah, 367 km — buses · car rental
- Karbala, 72 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Sadr City, 152 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kirkuk, 383 km — buses · car rental
- Abū Ghurayb, 143 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kermanshah, 359 km (Iran)
- Nasiriyah, 211 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Al Hillah, 49 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Abū al-Kahṣīb, 379 km — buses · car rental
Twin towns and sister cities: Qom, Najafabad, Minneapolis.
Common questions
Which airport serves Najaf?
Al Najaf International Airport (NJF), 7 km (4 mi) from the centre.
How big is Najaf?
About 482,576 people live in Najaf (GeoNames).
What time zone is Najaf in?
Asia/Baghdad, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Najaf?
The Dinar (IQD). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Najaf?
Baghdad (146 km), Basrah (367 km), Karbala (72 km), Sadr City (152 km), Kirkuk (383 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 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.