Dubai to Oman by Road – The Ultimate Guide to an Amazing Journey

Dubai to Oman by Road

Everything you need to know about driving from Dubai to Oman by road

If you happen to be living in, or visiting Dubai and you have thoughts of visiting Oman, you’re going to need to know how to drive there, which is where this blog will come in handy.

The great news is that as long you’re comfortable with driving in the Middle East, getting from Dubai to Oman is pretty simple. Even if you’re not that familiar with driving in this part of the world, don’t let it put you off, as long as you follow the advice in this article you shouldn’t have any problems.

Let’s get straight into it, read on to find out more information as to how to drive between Dubai and Oman.

What Routes Can You Take?

Before we get into the actual routes, some important background information for you to be aware of is that Dubai and Oman actually share several border crossings, however, only certain ones are open to tourist and non-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) citizens.

As is the situation if travelling between any place in the world, the route you need to take will depend on where you’re departing from and intending to travel to.

Before we delve into the routes, we’d just like to point out that these routes also work in reverse, so if you’re travelling from Oman to Dubai.

Route Option 1: Hatta – Al Wajajah Border Crossing

In terms of distance, this border crossing is the closest to Dubai at around 140km from central Dubai. This will take around 1hr 40mins to travel by car from your starting point to the crossing.

Via this route, you can also choose to travel between Sharjah and Oman by road and it’s one of the quickest options for getting between the two destinations.

To make the actual crossing you’ll want to take the E102 and navigate around the small part of Oman which stretches into the UAE. You can then join the E44 to make the crossing at the border at Hatta / Al Wajajah.

One important point to remember is that you don’t want to try to use the crossing at Al Madam on the E44 road as this is only open to citizens of GCC countries.

Once you’ve navigated your way across the crossing and been stamped out of the UAE, your next stop is a few km down the road where you’ll come across an Omani immigration post.

After this point, you are in Oman and the choice of destination is yours. If you are looking to drive to Muscat, the capital city of Oman you can expect it to take a further 3.5 hours or it’s about an hour to Sohar.

From Dubai to Muscat using this route you are looking at a total driving distance of 450km and you should expect it to take between 5 and 6 hours. In total, Dubai to Oman distance (Muscat) is around 453km.

Route option 2: Meyzed – Hafeet Border Crossing

This route will take you through a different part of the UAE, which may appeal to those of you wishing to see another part of the country. It’s also a better route for those wanting to head towards central/southern Oman and is perfect for those travelling to Nizwa or Jebel Shams.

If you head to Al Ain, which is the largest inland city in UAE, you’ll find the border crossing nearby. Al Ain is also well worth spending time looking around as it’s known as the ‘Garden City’ and is built on an oasis in the desert.

The journey to the Meyzed – Hafeet border crossing is 160km from Dubai and will take a couple of hours.

Route option 3: Khatm Al Shiklah Border Crossing

The good news is that if you’ve made the effort to travel to Al Ain, this crossing is near the Meyzed/Hafeet crossing so you’ll have a couple of close-by options.

The main problem with this route is that the UAE/Oman border crossing posts aren’t close by and by taking this crossing you’ll be forced to drive around 30km to reach the Omani border post.

This is a route that can confuse, so, it’s best to choose an alternative route, especially if you’re new to crossing between Dubai and Oman. One of the better things about this crossing is that it’s not as well used as the other crossings so can be quieter than other border crossings.

Border Crossing Requirements

Important things to remember when attempting border crossings

Generally, you shouldn’t encounter any problems when attempting border crossings between Dubai and Oman, but it’s always best to remember the following points to help make your crossing as smooth as possible.

• An Immigration Form needs to be completed when crossing from Dubai into Oman by car.
• Border crossing officials may want to check your car. This is normally a routine check but it is advisable not to blatantly show off anything which is likely to cause trouble, such as alcohol.
• The length of time to navigate border crossings depends on how busy it is. At a quiet time, you’ll generally fly through in as little as 15 minutes, however, if you’re travelling on weekends or public holidays, border crossings can become busy and a crossing may take up to two hours.
• You’ll be required to pay an exit fee of 35 AED upon leaving the UAE.
• Omani visas can either be arranged when you arrive or in advance. If you choose to arrange when you arrive it’ll set you back 20 OMR and will be valid for 30 days. You will need at least 6 months remaining on your passport. If you are of a certain nationality, you may be able to arrange a visa in advance. This can be done through different companies, but iVisa is an excellent choice for a fast, secure and easy process.
• If you do wish to make the return journey from Oman back to the UAE, as long as there are no issues with any previous visa you were using, you’ll get another tourist visa for free.

Car Hire from Dubai to Oman

Successfully hiring a car in Dubai which is allowed to drive in Oman.

This is probably one of the most important steps in the whole process of planning your driving trip into Oman; you need to make sure the car you hire is allowed into Oman as not all Dubai hire car companies permit the use of their cars in Oman.

You might like to read this:

Car Hire Oman – The Ultimate Guide for Adventurous Tourists

We’ve already mentioned in our other articles that whilst Oman is pretty easy to drive around between main towns and cities, a large proportion of it is off-road, especially if you intend to go exploring the remote parts of the country. So, if you’re shopping around for a hire car in Dubai, make sure you are honest about how you intend to use the vehicle so you don’t fall foul of any hire car rental rules.

Just make sure you talk to each of the hire car rental companies when you’re sourcing quotes and have all the information about your Oman driving trip.

Requirements for Car to Enter Oman from UAE

What else will you need to enter Oman from the UAE?

Here are a few other things that you’ll need to gather when undertaking your driving trip from Dubai to Oman.

1. NOC (No Objection Certificate): this is provided by your hire car company and gives you written permission to drive into Oman. There may be a fee for this. Border officials will check for this!
2. Mulkiya (Car’s registration card) This is super important as border officials will ask to see the original version of this card, and it also must be in date.
3. Proof of ownership: Only needed if you’re driving someone else’s vehicle and they are not present on the trip with you. Not always needed but recommended to carry just in case asked for at a border crossing.

Dubai to Oman Bus

Dubai to oman bus services was introduced back in 2019 and operated successfully until February 2023. However, for some reasons, it is no longer operating and have been suspended by the Sultanate of Oman Government. The bus ticket price was 55 AED from Dubai to Oman and 90 AED for round trip from Dubai to Oman and then Oman to Dubai. The exit Fee was 35 AED per person at the Dubai border.

We do not have exact date of resumption of Dubai to Oman bus operations, but it was very economical services especially for those who prefer to travel by road.

Update: There is another private bus operator, “Al-Khanjry Transport,” providing transport services between Oman and the UAE via the Hatta border. You can check seat availability online; however, online booking is not available.

Day	Muscat-Dubai	Dubai-Muscat
Daily	7AM 3PM 9PM	6AM 3PM 9PM

Check the seat availability

Al-Khanjry Transport Schedule & Seat Availability Check

Dubai RTA Rule

This is a new rule as of 2023 which has been introduced by the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority. Essentially, this rule means you need to obtain a Tourism Certificate to drive vehicles registered in Dubai outside the UAE.

To get yourself one of these, you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Gather the required paperwork: Emirates ID/passport, the vehicle’s mulkiya/registration card, NOC / proof of ownership / written permission from the owner, and company documents (if needed).
2. Take these in person to a ‘RTA Customer Happiness Centre’ or Vehicle Registration and Inspection Centre in Dubai.
3. Present your documents and pay the required service fee, which is normally 170 AED
4. Obtain your tourism certificate.

There’s a good chance you’ll be turned away at a border crossing if you don’t have this certificate.

Getting the Correct Car Insurance

This should go without saying, but you need to actually check that you’ll be covered for driving in Oman if you are going to be driving in Oman!

You can check with your car hire company if they’re able to provide this, and make sure you have proof that you are covered, otherwise, it’s possible to buy Omani insurance at a border crossing.

It’s also important to have the correct type of cover. As we’ve previously explained, you can most certainly get around Oman on good roads, especially between the towns and cities. But if you wish to explore (as many people do) then you’ll need to make sure your insurance covers off-road driving.

Please just make sure you’re absolutely certain you’ve got the correct cover before embarking on your driving expedition from Dubai to Oman.

Top Tips For Driving From Dubai to Oman

Here are a few reassuring top tips which we hope will help you plan your driving journey from Dubai to Oman.

• Don’t be scared – driving from Dubai to Oman is generally straightforward and shouldn’t present confident drivers with too many problems.
• Ask for help – generally, the people of the UAE and Oman are very friendly and will help you out if you need assistance.
• You’ll only need a 4×4 if you plan to go on an off-road adventure.
• Signal is temperamental outside main cities and towns so make sure you have offline maps available to help if needed.
• Road signs are written in Arabic and English.
• Don’t bring anything across the border that could get you into trouble.
• We shouldn’t have to say this but please don’t drink and drive – there is a zero-tolerance policy towards drink drivers.
• Make sure you have adequate health coverage and take all precautions to keep yourself safe.
• Follow the speed limits.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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