General Information » Getting Around » Car

Considering that in 1970 there was only 10km of tarmac road in the whole of Oman, the country’s present road network of over 10,000km is excellent and drivers should have few problems while out and about. A dual carriageway links Muscat to Salalah (12 hours), Nizwa (two hours), Sur (three hours) and Sohar (two and a half hours). Driving to Khasab involves exiting Oman, entering the UAE, then exiting the UAE at Tibat and crossing into Mussandam. The whole journey may take as long as a day. Secondary roads go to virtually every town in the interior, even crossing the Rub Al Khali and the Ramlat Al Wahaybah.



Driving Habits & Regulations

The golden rule for being a happy driver in Oman is to drive defensively. The legal driving age is 17, and the driving conditions can be described as ‘immature’, with lots of young, macho drivers fighting for their space on the tarmac. According to the Royal Oman Police (ROP), there are about 25 deaths per 100,000 people due to traffic-related incidents. While this figure may be low compared to other developing countries, the combination of high speeds, poor driving skills and inexperience on the roads remains lethal. Drivers often seem to be completely unaware of other cars on the road, and the usual follies of driving too fast, too close, swerving, pulling out suddenly, not using the indicator lights and lane hopping happen far too regularly. Try to keep a reasonable stopping distance between yourself and the car in front. Ultimately it also helps to have eyes in the back of your head.

The burgundy and white striped cars seen around are for learner drivers, so give them a wide berth. It is also a good idea to keep a lookout for pedestrians who frequently attempt to cheat death by crossing busy roads and major dual carriageways.

Driving is on the right hand side of the road, and it is mandatory to wear seatbelts in the front seats. Children should be in the back, and the use of handheld mobile phones while driving is banned. These rules apply countrywide, even though you’ll still see people driving with their child on their lap or happily chatting on their phones. The fine for these violations is RO 10. Drivers should pay the fine as directed by the police and not attempt to pay or negotiate a payment at the time of the violation.

The ROP are active in policing the roads and will even stop you to point out if your car is dirty! It is actually illegal to drive a dirty car in Oman, carrying a stiff penalty of RO 50, but if you’re lucky you’ll get away with a warning. This applies even to rented cars and off road vehicles, so there is invariably a queue at the ...