About Mazar i Sharif Intl. Airport
Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport is one of the largest airports in Afghanistan and was built in the city of Belh in the early 1950s with the financial and technical assistance of the Soviet Union. While the airport was used for the purpose of making domestic flights in the first years, after the year 1960 the airport started to welcome tourists who wanted to visit the historical places in the country. During the Soviet-Afghan War, which broke out in the 1980s, the airport was used by the Soviet forces. It was used for air military purposes for many years and also used to deploy troops from the neighnouring former Soviet Union. In 2006, NATO forces settled in Afghanistan and Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport started to serve as the main hub of personnel and air cargo transportation for the peace support forces and international military forces. Renovation works on a new international terminal began to be built in 2010 and was completed in 2013 and then regular flights to Tehran, Mashhad, Ankara and Istanbul started. Today, Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport continues to be used both by military forces for NATO flights and for international civilian flights.
Getting to the City Center from Mazar i Sharif Intl. Airport
Mazar I Sharif, a border town close to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is the most important and biggest city of Behl Region located in the north of Afghanistan. Due to its geographical location, it has a very strategic position both in terms of politics and transport. The city has taken its name from the belief that Ali's grave is here. The city center is made up of straight blocks that spread around Ali's tomb and cut each other perpendicularly. When you move towards the city center, all the roads would take you to this big square with the tomb, surrounded by greenery. Already the intersection of the other roads is also squares. The traffic rules are not generally applied in the city, and as a result, there is a feeling of chaos in the roads. Traffic is almost always cramped. Bikes and motorcycles are frequently used means of transportation in the city center. It is possible to see luxury cars and horse-drawn cars in traffic together. Mazar I Sharif railroad connects it with the neighbor Uzbekistan and the train reaches the city center. Priority in rail transport is not human transport but merchandise transport. This makes Mazar I Sharif an important trade transfer point for Afghanistan, beyond being a religious destination. Although there are buses for long distance journeys, transportation in the city center is provided by special vehicles. From here you can go to the capital city of Kabul by bus or plane. If you want to see Belh, the birthplace of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, you can reach this old settlement with a 30-minute car journey. The Mazar I Sharif International Airport is quite small and does not offer transportation to the city center by public transport. You can reach the city center by taxi, rental car or hotel shuttles from the airport which is 12 kilometers east of the city center. The airport does not have regular services. You have to ask when you get there. Although it is very easy to find in a hostel or motel Mazar I Sharif, there are not much bigger hotels. You should check with your hotel whether or not they provide a shuttle service and make reservation in advance so that they can pick you up from the airport. Taxi is means of transportation that is frequently used to get to the city center from the airport. If there is not much traffic, you can reach the city center in 16 minutes. It’s a good idea to have a deal about the fare with the taxi driver before you take the cab. Renting a car is the most preferred method of transportation in Mazar I Sharif since you need to negotiate price with taxis, there are problems about public transportation and it is very convenient for those who want to go to surrounding cities. Since the roads are not generally asphalt, the Jeep is the most preferred type of vehicle. You can reach the city center in about 16 minutes on a straight road for about 12 kilometers after connecting to the AH76 motorway from the airport connection road. If you rent a car during your travel, you should be aware that traffic rules are not strictly applied in the city.Hotel Shuttle
Taxi
Car Rental
Getting to Mazar i Sharif Intl. Airport from the City Center
In the city where the public transportation system is not common, the fastest and comfortable transportation to the airport is provided by special vehicles. There is a train station very close to the airport. This station stretches from the city center to Uzbekistan, but it serves mostly for the purpose of transporting commercial goods.
Hotel Shuttles
Although it is very easy to find in a hostel or motel Mazar I Sharif, there are not much bigger hotels. You should check with your hotel whether or not they provide a shuttle service to the airport and make reservation in advance.
Taxi
Taxis are a frequent means of transportation to get to the airport from the city center. If there is not much traffic, you can reach the airport in 16 minutes. It’s a good idea to have a deal about the fare with the taxi driver before you take the cab. If you ask at your hotel, they will help you to find a taxi which will pick you up at your hotel.
Car Rental
It is a transportation method used frequently in Mazar I Sharif. Since the roads are not generally asphalt, the Jeep is the most preferred type of vehicle. By renting a car, you can move freely both in the city center and easily reach the surrounding cities.
You should remember that traffic rules are not applied very often and traffic is generally intense. Continue straight on the AH76 motorway and turn off at the airport exit, and you will be able to reach the airport within 16 minutes under normal conditions after driving for 12 kilometers.
Airport Information
From the ridge to the tower, from the lighting to the automation system, many points of the Mazar I Sharif International Airport are signed by Turkish companies. Approximately 12 kilometers from the city center, the one-storey airport is quite small. Apart from basic services, there are no different services possible at the airport. There is a separate door for the entrance of women and men to the airport.
