Car hire and driving in Najaf
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 NJF means 7 km (4 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 Najaf
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Najaf to Al Hillah | Iraq | 49 km (31 mi) | about 45 min |
| Najaf to Al Diwaniyah | Iraq | 55 km (34 mi) | about 50 min |
| Najaf to Abu Gharaq | Iraq | 56 km (35 mi) | about 51 min |
| Najaf to Al Hindīyah | Iraq | 59 km (36 mi) | about 54 min |
| Najaf to Karbala | Iraq | 72 km (45 mi) | about 1 h 6 min |
| Najaf to Al-Musayab | Iraq | 84 km (52 mi) | about 1 h 17 min |
| Najaf to Nāḩiyat al Iskandarīyah | Iraq | 96 km (60 mi) | about 1 h 28 min |
| Najaf to Al Maḩmūdīyah | Iraq | 115 km (72 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| Najaf to An Nu‘mānīyah | Iraq | 116 km (72 mi) | about 1 h 46 min |
| Najaf to As Samawah | Iraq | 118 km (74 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Najaf to Abū Ghurayb | Iraq | 143 km (89 mi) | about 2 h 11 min |
| Najaf to Baghdad | Iraq | 146 km (91 mi) | about 2 h 14 min |
| Najaf to Mosul | Iraq | 492 km (306 mi) | about 7 h 30 min |
| Najaf to Erbil | Iraq | 464 km (288 mi) | about 7 h 5 min |
| Najaf to Basrah | Iraq | 367 km (228 mi) | about 5 h 36 min |
| Najaf to Sadr City | Iraq | 152 km (94 mi) | about 2 h 19 min |
| Najaf to Kirkuk | Iraq | 383 km (238 mi) | about 5 h 50 min |
| Najaf to Sulaymaniyah | Iraq | 406 km (252 mi) | about 6 h 12 min |
| Najaf to Nasiriyah | Iraq | 211 km (131 mi) | about 3 h 13 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 Najaf?
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.