Dubai: Want to travel to Oman for a quick escape but don’t want to spend money on a plane ticket and don’t have a driver's licence yet to go on a road trip? From the UAE, you can travel to Oman by bus, and the tickets for some of these routes start from just Dh50.
In the UAE, private tour companies and public transportation authorities offer bus services to popular destinations like Muscat, Musandam, and Salalah.
So, depending on where you want to go, and which emirate you reside in, here are all the bus travel options for Oman.
1. Buses to Muscat
From Sharjah
Cost: Dh95.40 for a single journey.
A brand new bus route from Sharjah to Muscat was introduced on February 27 by Mwasalat, Oman's transport company. Bus route 203 will have two buses a day leaving from Sharjah and two buses leaving from Muscat as well every day.
Bus timings
Buses on this route depart at 6.30am and 4pm every day, from the main stations – Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah and Mwasalat Bus Station in Al Athaiba.
For more details on the route details, and how to book the bus tickets online read our guide here.
From Abu Dhabi
Cost: Starting from Dh110 for a single trip.
There is a bus service from Oman to UAE, which is offered by Oman’s national public transport service, Mwasalat, in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).
The Route 202 bus travels from Muscat, Oman to Abu Dhabi via Al Ain with various stops in between. The bus also departs from Abu Dhabi, on the same route back to Muscat, Oman.
Bus stops from Abu Dhabi:
There are two stops that the bus makes in the UAE, in Abu Dhabi City and Al Ain:
• Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station – Located on Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street in Al Wahdah, Zone 1.
• Al Ain Central Bus Station – Located on Al Wifadah Street in the Central District.
How do I book tickets?
You can book your tickets through the official Mwasalat website - mwasalat.om. For a more detailed guide on the route details, schedule and baggage allowance and how to book tickets, click here.
From Dubai
Cost: From Dh100 for a single trip.
You can also take a bus from Dubai to Oman’s capital Muscat. There are private coach services that offer this bus service and the exact cost may vary depending on the transport company that you book with. The trip takes approximately seven hours and you would either need to take the bus from the agency’s office or designated location, or you can check if the bus service provider offers pick up services from your home.
2. To Musandam
Musandam is a governorate in Oman, and Khasab is its capital. One of the most famous attractions there is Khor Sham, which is a 16km long fjord.
You can travel to Musandam either with a private tour operator or use the public transportation bus service from Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA).
Through travel agencies
From the UAE, travel agencies provide full-day tours – in which you leave the UAE, reach Musandam, go on a dhow cruise, which includes dolphin watching, and return to the UAE on the same day. Passengers are usually picked up from their homes or from the travel agency’s office.
The overall price of the tour package can vary based on the tour operators you book with, but the cost can typically range from Dh300 to Dh500 per person.
From Ras Al Khaimah
Cost: Dh50 for a single trip.
Since Friday, October 6, RAKTA has been operating weekly bus trips to Musandam, Oman.
The bus service is only available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the trip takes around two and a half to three hours.
You can book your tickets online through the RAKBus app, which is available for Apple and Android devices or the RAKBus website - rakbus.ae. Alternatively, you can buy the tickets from the central bus station in Ras Al Khaimah or buy them on the bus as well.
For the timings, and details on the online booking process, read our guide here.
3. To Salalah
Salalah is one of Oman’s most popular destinations because of its subtropical climate, seasonal waterfalls and valleys. Due to its natural attractions and cooler weather, many UAE-based travel companies offer tour packages to Salalah.
The overall cost of travelling to Salalah depends on the tour company. A two-night and three-day trip may cost you around Dh1,000, inclusive of a guided tour, hotel reservation, visa application, food and drinks and the bus pick-up and drop-off.
The trip to Salalah by bus can take up to 18 hours. For a detailed guide on bus trips from the UAE to Salalah, click here.
Visa requirements for Oman from UAE
For UAE expatriates
Planning a road trip from the UAE to Oman? As a UAE resident, you can easily obtain a visa upon arrival at the Oman border. Here's what you need to know:
Visa on arrival - Enjoy a hassle-free entry with a visa issued directly at the border.
Documents required
Emirates ID with a valdity of at least six months.
Passport valid for at least six months.
Payment - Dh35 exit fee (UAE border) and 5 OMR (Dh47.71) visa fee (Oman border).
Validity: Stay in Oman for up to 14 days with this visa.
However, if you are booking a trip with a tour operator, chances are that the cost of the visa will be included in your package and the company will apply for an e-visa in advance to streamline the border process.
For tourists
If you are a visitor to the UAE and are planning to travel to Oman by road, it is important to check if there are any requirements you should know about before you book the bus tickets based on your nationality. You might be eligible for a visa on arrival or would need to apply for an entry visa in advance through a travel agency or Oman’s eVisa platform - evisa.rop.gov.om.
You can check the requirements through either the travel agency or by logging on to Oman’s eVisa platform - evisa.rop.gov.om.
