The Sultanate of Oman possesses no functioning passenger rail network as of 2025. The Oman Rail project, announced in 2014 with a planned 2,135-kilometer network connecting Sohar, Muscat, Duqm, and Salalah, has experienced repeated delays and remains incomplete. The first phase between Sohar and Buraimi, originally scheduled for 2018, has not entered commercial operation. Travelers cannot book train tickets within Oman. All intercity movement depends on road vehicles or domestic flights.
Muscat International Airport opened in March 2018, replacing the former Seeb International Airport at the same location. The terminal handles 20 million passengers annually and serves as the hub for Oman Air, the national carrier founded in 1993. Salalah Airport in Dhofar Region operates year-round with increased capacity during the khareef monsoon season from June through September. Oman Air connects Muscat to Salalah with three to five daily flights taking approximately 90 minutes. Khasab Airport in Musandam Peninsula receives flights from Muscat, as Musandam is separated from mainland Oman by the United Arab Emirates territory. Duqm Airport, which opened in 2014 near the coastal development zone, operates limited commercial service primarily for industrial support. Sohar Airport serves private and charter operations with minimal scheduled passenger service.
The road network totals approximately 60,800 kilometers, with around 29,685 kilometers paved as of the most recent Ministry of Transport data. Route 1, the primary highway, runs 1,051 kilometers from the UAE border at Wajajah through Muscat and terminates at Sur on the eastern coast. Route 15 extends from Muscat southwest through Nizwa and continues 1,031 kilometers to Salalah, requiring approximately 12 hours nonstop driving. This highway crosses the northern edge of the Rub' al Khali desert. Route 23 connects Muscat northward to Sohar and the Batinah Coast industrial zones. Roads penetrate Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar in the Al Hajar Mountains, though some mountain routes require four-wheel-drive vehicles. The government paved the road to Jebel Akhdar in 2005, replacing the previous restricted military track. Wadi Shab and Wadi Bani Khalid remain accessible via paved roads that terminate at parking areas before requiring foot access.
Car rental operates from all international airports and major hotels in Muscat. International operators including Budget, Hertz, Avis, and Europcar maintain offices alongside local companies such as Thrifty Oman and Mark Tours. Renters must possess a valid driving license from their country of residence. Most Western licenses, including those from the United States, United Kingdom, European Union nations, Australia, and Canada, permit visitors to drive without an International Driving Permit for stays up to three months. Gulf Cooperation Council residents with GCC licenses can drive using their existing document. The minimum rental age varies from 21 to 25 years depending on vehicle class. Rental rates begin around 12 Omani Rials daily for economy sedans and reach 40-60 Omani Rials for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Insurance options include basic collision damage waiver, typically mandatory, and supplemental coverage. Renters should photograph the vehicle before departure, as some agencies assess damage charges aggressively.
Oman drives on the right side of the road. The speed limit within Muscat and other urban areas is 40-60 kilometers per hour, marked by signage. Highway limits reach 120 kilometers per hour on Routes 1 and 15, with enforcement through fixed speed cameras and mobile police units. Police establish periodic checkpoints on intercity routes, checking identification and vehicle registration. Seat belts are mandatory for all occupants. The blood alcohol limit is zero—any detectable alcohol constitutes an offense resulting in fines, imprisonment, or deportation for expatriates. Police enforce this strictly, and many accidents involving alcohol result in criminal prosecution regardless of fault. Road signs appear in Arabic and English. Fuel stations operate in all towns, though distances between stations on Route 15 south of Nizwa can exceed 100 kilometers. Petrol costs approximately 0.195 Omani Rials per liter for M91 grade and 0.205 Omani Rials for M95 grade as of 2024 following subsidy reforms. Diesel costs 0.303 Omani Rials per liter.
Navigation in Muscat follows major landmarks rather than systematic street addressing. The government introduced postal codes in 2015, assigning unique codes to properties, but most residents and businesses still direct visitors using landmarks. Google Maps covers Oman with reasonable accuracy for major routes, though some interior wadi tracks and mountain roads appear incompletely or incorrectly. Maps.me provides offline maps derived from OpenStreetMap data that function without cellular signal in remote areas. Cellular coverage extends along all paved highways and into populated wadis, though signal disappears in deep desert areas of the Rub' al Khali and portions of the Wahiba Sands. Ooredoo and Omantel operate the two mobile networks. Tourist SIM cards with data packages are available at airport kiosks and retail stores for approximately 5-10 Omani Rials depending on data allocation.
Taxi service in Muscat operates without meters in most vehicles. Drivers negotiate fares before departure, and prices depend on bargaining ability. A trip from Muscat International Airport to Mutrah Souq typically costs 8-12 Omani Rials. From the airport to hotels in Qurum or Al Khuwair, fares run 10-15 Omani Rials. Airport taxi stands post suggested rates, though drivers often request higher amounts. Some newer taxi companies including OTAXI, launched in 2018, use meter systems and can be booked via mobile application. Ride-hailing applications OTaxi and Marhaba operate in Muscat, offering fare estimates before booking. Uber and Careem do not operate in Oman as of 2025. Taxis rarely travel between cities—their business model focuses on urban and airport transfers.
Intercity bus service exists through the Oman National Transport Company, which operates scheduled routes connecting major cities. Buses run daily from Muscat's Ruwi bus station to Salalah, departing morning and evening with a journey time of approximately 11-12 hours and tickets costing around 11 Omani Rials. The route includes rest stops in Nizwa and other intermediate towns. Buses connect Muscat to Sohar, Nizwa, Sur, and Ibri with varying frequencies. The bus to Nizwa departs multiple times daily, takes approximately two hours, and costs 3 Omani Rials. Buses to Khasab do not exist due to the discontinuous territory—travelers must transit through the UAE. The bus network serves Omani workers and lower-income residents rather than tourists, who predominantly rent vehicles. Buses lack advance online booking systems; tickets are purchased at stations before departure.
Microbuses, locally called baiza buses, operate informal routes within and between towns at lower fares than standard buses or taxis. These white Toyota Hiace vans depart when full rather than on fixed schedules. A microbus from Ruwi to Mutrah costs 0.200-0.300 Omani Rials. Routes to closer destinations like Bawshar or Seeb cost similar amounts. Drivers shout destinations and passengers signal to board. Microbuses do not operate on long intercity routes beyond approximately 150 kilometers. They serve primarily South Asian expatriate workers, and few tourists use them due to language barriers and unclear route systems. Women traveling alone occasionally face uncomfortable attention on microbuses, though no systematic safety problems exist beyond standard urban transport considerations.