If you want to go from the United Arab Emirates to Oman and you do not own a car or have a private driver, most people will fly. But today I want to show you another way and, as far as I know, the only other method of getting from one country to the other by public transport, a bus link between Dubai and Muscat.
Bus vs. Airplane
As there are many flights daily connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Muscat, you might wonder why one should take the bus. With prices for flights starting at around 40€ for the quick 1 hour flight to Muscat, it is not exactly expensive. But for anyone, who is just out there for the adventure, is afraid of heights or has any other reason not to fly, taking the bus is the only other option. If you are still unsure, here are the pros and cons:
Pros
- It is cheaper. The bus costs around 32-36€ for everything. This price is not subject to fluctuations like with plane tickets
- You get to see something else then just the big cities. Most people, when visiting the Emirates, only visit the shiny, manicured districts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. By taking the bus, you get to see the much less modern hinterland, impressive mountains and get to experience the way things change between Oman and the UAE.
- There is no maximum on luggage. If you have a big bag, that you normally would have to check at the airport, you do not have to worry here. However big it is, you can take it with you without any upcharge
- It is a more relaxing experience than flying. Although it was quite hard to find the bus as there were not really a lot of guides online yet, it is in the end a straightforward and quite relaxing experience.
Cons
- It takes a lot of time. While the flight only takes about 1 hour, the bus takes 6-7 hours to complete the journey, including the border crossing. Plan your day around it, as you either have to start early in the morning in Dubai or arrive really late in Muscat.
- It is hard to find. Although I will explain how to take the bus in this guide, there is no real bus station where the bus departs from. You just got to know where to be and when.
- It only leaves from Dubai. There are currently no bus routes from Sharjah or Abu Dhabi.
- Border procedures take longer then in the airport. In addition to getting your passport stamped, the bus will be searched by the border guards.
Who operates the bus?
The bus is operated by Al Khanjry transport, which the sole company offering bus routes between Oman and the UAE. It is not part of RTA, who preside over the majority of public transport services in the Emirates. It is a stand-alone company, but nonotheless completely safe to travel with. When we took it we felt safe with them, as they are used to taking people across the border to Oman and back. The bus itself was not the most modern, but ok for the ride. The only problem was the legroom for me, even though i am not even 1,80m.
Is there a timetable?
Yes, there is a timetable available on their website. This seems to be new though, because when we travelled, the only possibility to buy a ticket, was in their office. The bus leaves at 7:00am, 3:00pm and 8:00pm.
How much does a ticket cost?
Currently the ticket costs between 24 and 27 USD. You can buy it online beforehand or at the office before getting onto the bus. Though this is not quite the correct, as you will have to buy a special permit to leave the UAE at the border. Basically how it works is that when you arrive at the bus, you must head to their office across the street, where they will take a look at your passport and hand you the exit permit, which cost us 8 USD when we bought it. We were a bit surprised, because it was not mentioned anywhere online, but everybody had to buy it and thus, we believe it is mandatory.
Where does the bus start in Dubai?
The bus starts at the office of Al Khanjri Transport. It is situated in the Deira district of Dubai. There is no bus station, just the bus at the side of the road. To reach it from the city center, you have to take the Red line towards Centerpoint and exit at Deira city center. From there it is around 15 minutes of walking, due to all the intersections. The area is not that glamorous and mostly made for cars. Be sure to stock up on snacks and water, as the bus will not make long breaks along the way.
Where does the bus end in Muscat?
The bus ends in Muscat near the bus station in Ruwi. If you have never been to Muscat it seems a bit weird to drive through the entire town first.Muscat though has a weird layout, where the city center is quite far to the east. Make sure you either have accomodation close to the bus station when you arrive. Muscat is one of the most car-centric cities in the world and it was a nightmare walking through the city at 10pm. If your accomodation is further away, do not rely on local busses. Even during day time it can take forever to go anywhere with them in the city and they are mostly used by the foreign workers. If you can afford it, take a taxi to your hotel. They are not that expensive. (anywhere in the Ruwi-Muttrah area is around 2-4€) If you are planning to do a roadtrip upon arrival into Muscat, you can take the direct airport bus from the Ruwi bus station to the airport. It leaves often and only costs 1 OMR. If you want to find out more about this, read my article on Roadtripping through Oman.
Does the bus make stops along the way?
Yes, you can get off the bus along the way. It stops in Schinas, Suhar, Barka and Seeb. There is a bit of discussion online, whether some of the stops are actually stops. When we rode the bus, it seemed, as if you can just tell the driver a bit in advance and he will make a quick stop along the road. Several people got off the bus that way. There are no major breaks, apart from a small bathroom break at a gas station, so bring some food and water with you.
How is the process at the border?
The border crossing in Hatta is a pretty smooth process, although it is a bit annoying to go through land borders in this part of the world. In the UAE, you get stamped out of the country with the aforementioned exit permit. After that you drive inside the bus along a heavily guarded part of the road until you reach the gigantic entry point into Oman. At both check points, you have to take out all of you luggage and scan it. Something that I have never seen before was at the Omani border, where women were separated in the bag check area, so that they do not have to stand in the queue with their luggage for too long, as we were explained to by a fellow traveller. In Oman, you have to enter the building again and get stamped into the country. Getting both stamps was not a long process, as there were few people around, when we got to the border around 6pm. All in all it took about 1 hour to proceed into Oman.
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