Travel from UAE to Muscat

My friend and I (two women) are planning a trip to UAE/Muscat.

I would appreciate any advice on travel between the two.

Is it easy to hire a car and driveaccross?

Where would you cross the border?

Can you get a visa at the border (Australians) or do you need to arrange before hand?

Would it be easier on the bus?

we will be staying in Al Ain but can get to Dubai if easier



Ahmad Kabeer

Getting to Muscat from the UAE:

Land Routes:

1. From Abu Dhabi

• Take bus number 700 to Al Ain from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station next to Al Wahda Mall (buses run frequently throughout the day) Travel Time: less than 2 hours.

• Find an Omani Taxi (you’ll know by the yellow license plate) to take you across the border to Buraimi, Oman, which is adjacent to Al Ain.

• You will have to pay an exit fee of 35 AED and get a stamp in your passport and on a piece of paper

• Catch the Buraimi to Muscat bus operated by ONTC (Oman Nat. Transp. Co.) which leaves daily at 13:00 for the price of 5.400 OMR (54 AED). Travel time: 6 hours. Make sure you check with your taxi driver beforehand to make sure he knows where the bus stop is.

• The Oman border crossing is 50 km into Oman. There you will have to pay a 20 OMR (200 AED) tourist visa fee. In the event that you are a GCC resident, the fee will be reduced to 5 OMR (50 AED)

2. From Dubai

• At least two bus companies offer this route: ONTC and Comfortline. Comfortline is UAE-run and ONTC is Omani, obviously.

• The buses run daily at 7:00 am and 15:00, although you should double check departure times with either company beforehand.

i. Comfortline Dubai +971.4.295.6733

ii. ONTC Muscat +968.2.449.2948

• Both buses depart from behind the DNATA building, which is in Deira, Dubai (not far from Deira City Center)

• The trip should be more or less seven hours depending on time spent at the Hatta border post.

Note on land border crossings: The Hatta (Dubai) crossing is much quicker and more efficient than the Al Ain/Buraimi combo, which is very remote on the Omani side.

Air Routes:

1. Muscat is within a 45-minute flight from Abu Dhabi (Etihad, Oman Air), Dubai (Emirates, Oman Air), Al Ain (Oman Air) and Sharjah (Air Arabia)

2. Air Arabia offers the most competitive rates of the bunch, though getting to the Sharjah airport is somewhat annoying.

3. You can take a bus to Sharjah from either Dubai (Ghubaiba Station) or Abu Dhabi (Main Bus Station); however, to get to the airport, you will have to either take a second bus OR pay for a 35 AED taxi ride. It isn’t close. Additionally, when you take a taxi from the Sharjah airport, a 20 AED surcharge is added to your trip.

4. Do not use the Sharjah airport if you have overstayed your visa. I was charged 600 AED for a 5-day overstay on an extended tourist visa.

5. If you are a fan of luxury when you fly, Sharjah airport is not for you, either. Three things were striking about this airport:

a. It is a hub for budget airlines, many of which fly to

b. Obscure Central Asian destinations, and

c. The paint on the walls is peeling in many places

6. Costa Coffee = the pinnacle of luxury, when it comes to the Sharjah Intl Airport

Travel from UAE to Muscat


hafeez k

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