How to get from Kirkuk to Basra

Fastest: 9h 21m; by car, door to door
Cheapest: $65; by car
Distance: 638 km; as the crow flies
Departures: –; none timetabled

3 ways to travel

638 km apart. Times are the timetables for Wed 4 Nov, planned from 08:00; every price says whether it is live, the operator's fare or our estimate. We add nothing to any fare.

best4h quicker than flying and $340 cheaper. No bus, train or ferry timetable came up for this trip.

Drivebestfastestcheapest
9h 21m$65–85Estimated
Avoid · Iraq
794 km · fuel only
Fly
13h 23m$400–650Estimated
Avoid · Iran
ISU → KWI · one stop via IKA · typical times
Taxi
9h 21m$1,270–1,750Estimated
Avoid · Iraq
one-way cab

Data: Roads © OpenStreetMap contributors, routed by OSRM · Typical flight routes from OpenFlights (ODbL), a 2014 snapshot · Places from GeoNames, CC BY 4.0 · Places © OpenStreetMap contributors, search by Photon · All credits and licences

Before you go

Borders, permits, official travel advice and disaster alerts for the places on this route, as their sources publish them. Entry rules are shown for a passport from Iraq; the planner lets you pick yours.

Changing planes in Iran · Iraq passport (assumed)Check rules
Visa likely needed for Kuwait · Iraq passport (assumed)Check rules

Avoid travel to IranUK US
Do not travel to IraqUS UK
Reconsider travel to KuwaitUS

Travel advice: UK FCDO (Open Government Licence v3.0), US State Department. Visa rules: Passport Index data (MIT, 17 Feb 2026); always check the official entry rules.

Questions people ask

How long does it take to get from Kirkuk to Basra?

The fastest way is by car: about 9h 21m door to door. The straight-line distance is 638 km.

What is the cheapest way from Kirkuk to Basra?

Driving is the cheapest, from $65. That figure is a fuel estimate, not counting tolls or parking.

How long is the flight from Kirkuk to Basra?

About 3h in the air (ISU → IKA → KWI), one stop plus the change of planes; about 13h 23m door to door once you add the ride to the airport, check-in and the cab at the other end. Typical fares run $400–650; live prices are on Flights70.

How far is Basra from Kirkuk by road?

About 794 km, roughly 9h 21m of driving in normal traffic. Fuel alone costs around $65–85; tolls and parking are extra.

In Basra

Port city in southern Iraq

Basra or Basrah is a port city in southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq border, the city is situated along the banks of the Shatt al-Arab that empties into the Persian Gulf. It is consistently one of the hottest cities on the planet, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 50 °C (122 °F).

The Basra guide

Worth your time

Basra Museum
Opened in September 2016 in the former Lakeside Palace of Saddam Hussein.
Badr Shakir al-Sayyab statue
Basra was the home of one of the Arab world's most celebrated poets, Badr Shakir al-Sayyab (1926-1964).
Sinbad Island
A tourist landmark, named after Sinbad the Sailor, who embarked on his legendary journeys from Basra.
Corniche al-Basra
A street which runs on the shore of the Shatt al-Arab, from the Lion of Babylon square to the four palaces.

From Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)

Hotels in BasraCompare prices on Hotels70

3 ways to travel

Before you go

Questions people ask

More routes