visas and permits
Following countries have Consulate in Mashad:
to turkmenistan
Since no public transportation goes across the Turkmen border, to get to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, the following option is the most convenient:
Take a bus to Quchan: every 2 hours from 6.30am. Cost: 8000 rial. Duration: 2h30.
From Quchan, take a private taxi to Bajgiran village at the border. Cost: 60,000 rial for 2, or less if you can. Duration: about 1h.
At Bajgiran, go to the border opening time: 7.30 - 15.30 Iran time. Crossing the border can take up to 2 hours. Turkmen police will ask for an entry tax of $10 per person + $2 of bank fees per group, to be paid in US dollars only.
In the Turkmenistan side, take a taxi to Ashgabat, which can cost up to $15 per person. Duration: about 1h.
to afghanistan
Herat in Afghanistan is only a few hundred kilometers from here.