Mashhad has Iran's second-busiest airport (MHD) after Tehran, with direct flights from Tehran (75 minutes), Shiraz, Isfahan, Tabriz, and most other Iranian cities, plus international flights from Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, Baku, Kabul, and several Central Asian capitals. From Tehran the train is also a sensible option — overnight services take about 13 hours and arrive refreshed.
By road, Mashhad is about 900 km from Tehran via the Damghan corridor — a long day's drive that is best broken at Neyshabur or Sabzevar. Local buses from Tehran and other major cities run several times a day.