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City guide

Herāt, Afghanistan

Herat, also written as Harat or Hirat, and historically known as Haraiva, Horeiva and Hires, is a major city in western Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Herat Province and the Herat District. With an estimated population of 673,273 settled residents, it is the largest city in the province and the third-largest city of Afghanistan.

Type CityPopulation 673,273

Why go

  • City in Herat Province, Afghanistan.
  • Known for Herat Citadel, Ghengis Khan, restoration, rebuilding.
  • Served by Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport (HEA).

History

Herat, also written as Harat or Hirat, and historically known as Haraiva, Horeiva and Hires, is a major city in western Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Herat Province and the Herat District. With an estimated population of 673,273 settled residents, it is the largest city in the province and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. As the gateway to Iran and Turkmenistan, the city collects billions of dollars in customs revenue for Afghanistan. The roads from Herat to Iran and Turkmenistan are strategically important for Afghanistan and its neighbors.

Airports

Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport (HEA) 16 km to the centre
Guzara, HER, AF — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 4 airlines (Safi Airlines, Ariana Afghan Airlines, Hankook Airline, Iran Aseman Airlines) · direct flights to 4 destinations incl. Kabul, Delhi, Islamabad, Mashhad (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 4 airlines, 4 direct destinations
  • Safi Airlines 4Q (A319, A320) · 3 routes: Delhi, Islamabad, Kabul
  • Ariana Afghan Airlines FG (734) · 1 route: Kabul
  • Hankook Airline HN (CRJ-200) · 1 route: Kabul
  • Iran Aseman Airlines EP (Fokker 100) · 1 route: Mashhad

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

Herāt, Afghanistan
Herāt, Afghanistan
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport (HEA). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: HEA has direct flights to 4 destinations on 4 airlines (incl. Kabul, Delhi, Islamabad, Mashhad).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Herāt, Afghanistan. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Air Charter Service
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
ExecuJet
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Flexjet
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Global Jet
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Jet Aviation
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.