# Driving to Muscat



## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

I know the rules have changed for driving along certain roads towards Hatta, but can anyone tell me the exact route, as an expat, I have to take to cross at Hatta. I am driving to Muscat next weekend.

Thanks


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Ogri750 said:


> I know the rules have changed for driving along certain roads towards Hatta, but can anyone tell me the exact route, as an expat, I have to take to cross at Hatta. I am driving to Muscat next weekend.
> 
> Thanks


Simple - if you are driving to Muscat, you go via Al Ain, not Hatta. Hatta is well out of your way.

E22 to Al Ain and then the 21 inland route to Muscat. Plenty to stop at en route - forts at Jibreen (the best one), Bahla, Nizwa etc.

That road is fast and mostly dual carriageway now.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

As Twowheels said.

Don't go via Hatta. The coastal route via Sohar is slow due to the traffic.

The border crossing at Al Ain is a bit tricky to find so make sure you have it mapped out clearly. There's only one crossing for non-GCC at Hili, I believe. The crossing itself can be quick or take a bit of time. But once through it's easy sailing all the way to Muscat.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Al Ain instructions from or last trip to Jebel Shams;

_At the border. Slowly approach the UAE border post and follow the line of cars through the customs and then immigration, where you will most probably be asked to park up and enter the office on the right – take passport and vehicle registration card. 

On approaching the Oman border post, park up on the left hand side and enter the main building with passport and vehicle insurance certificate. After clearing immigration you will then stop for a routine customs check. After passing through the border controls and entering Oman, proceed straight on ....................._


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

twowheelsgood said:


> Al Ain instructions from or last trip to Jebel Shams;
> 
> _At the border. Slowly approach the UAE border post and follow the line of cars through the customs and then immigration, where you will most probably be asked to park up and enter the office on the right – take passport and vehicle registration card.
> 
> On approaching the Oman border post, park up on the left hand side and enter the main building with passport and vehicle insurance certificate. After clearing immigration you will then stop for a routine customs check. After passing through the border controls and entering Oman, proceed straight on ....................._


I haven't been in a while through Hili but isn't there also a 35 AED charge for existing?


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks for the replies.

If the car is under finance with the bank, do I need anything from them to take it across the border?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

If you have the registration card in your name and the insurance in your name, it shouldnt be an issue.

I have taken hire and lease cars over and all they wanted to see was the gold card and the insurance, plus a NOC letter for the hire car.


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks for the updates.

Just had a look and it seems there are conflicting reports on which crossing to use in Al Ain. Some say Buraimi and others Hilli


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

Ogri750 said:


> Thanks for the updates.
> 
> Just had a look and it seems there are conflicting reports on which crossing to use in Al Ain. Some say Buraimi and others Hilli


I always went through Hili.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

I always use the one up the road from the Al Ain Hilton whichever that one is.


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Cheers guys


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## OMGItIsPhil (Dec 19, 2013)

Ogri750 said:


> Cheers guys


Care to share how it went? Plan to drive there over Eid.

Which border crossing did you end up using? Which documents did they want to see? How long was your drive overall (and from where in Dubai)?


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

OMGItIsPhil said:


> Care to share how it went? Plan to drive there over Eid.
> 
> Which border crossing did you end up using? Which documents did they want to see? How long was your drive overall (and from where in Dubai)?


No problem

Left from JVC and went down the E66 (Dubai - Al Ain road).
Left the 66 towards Hilli
Follow the signs for tourist destinations and then you will pick up signs for the border crossing.
They will give you a piece of green paper which needs stamping by customs (in the big open shed)
Park the car, take your vehicle registration card and green paper and walk to the customs guy, get the stamp and then go to the visa office.
They will do the exit stamp and you have to pay by card
Back in the car and drive through customs
Stay to the left and you will see a sign for Oman/Bureimi 
Follow the road road and go across the barrier to the next window where they check the passports again, then onto the Oman police who will ask about car insurance. if you don't have any Oman cover, you can tell them you will buy it at the Oman border post.
Follow the signs for Bureimi
After about 35km you reach the Oman border post.
Park in the car park and go into the building
To buy the car insurance, take the reg card and passport of the owner. Costs 80 dhs for a week
Fill in the arrival form and go to the visa counter. Pay again by card 50 dhs each
Once all that is done, in the car, through the passport bit, through customs (giving another piece of paper you get at the border post to the customs) and you are off. 
Approx 32km after the border post, there is a police check point, so be prepared to slow down and stop.
Head towards Sohar and you will reach the main road with a sign for Muscat off to the right. From there, just follow the road.

Coming back is simply the reverse process, but without having to buy insurance, though you need to park up and go into both the Oman border past and UAE visa office.

Dependant on how busy it is will massively effect the time, but allow 5 1/2 hours for the journey and the procedures.

I drove back from Muscat Wednesday evening (10th August) and was through the Oman side in less than 2 mins (I know have Oman residence) but the UAE side had me waiting for 45 mins for an eye scan for my new UAE residence visa.

Hope that helps


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## OMGItIsPhil (Dec 19, 2013)

Thanks so much, buddy!

I'm a little confused though. What happens between...



Ogri750 said:


> Follow the signs for tourist destinations and then you will pick up signs for the border crossing.
> They will give you a piece of green paper which needs stamping by customs (in the big open shed)
> Park the car, take your vehicle registration card and green paper and walk to the customs guy, get the stamp and then go to the visa office.
> They will do the exit stamp and you have to pay by card
> ...


... and the below? Why are there 35km between customs and the actual border post? Should all be in the same place, no? Do the UAE and Oman have a de-militarized zone, or what? 



Ogri750 said:


> After about 35km you reach the Oman border post.
> Park in the car park and go into the building
> To buy the car insurance, take the reg card and passport of the owner. Costs 80 dhs for a week
> Fill in the arrival form and go to the visa counter. Pay again by card 50 dhs each
> Once all that is done, in the car, through the passport bit, through customs (giving another piece of paper you get at the border post to the customs) and you are off.


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Nothing of any note. You are actually in Oman but have not crossed their "official" border is all it is. That you do at the border post at Wadi Jizi


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## OMGItIsPhil (Dec 19, 2013)

Came back last night from Muscat, wanted to share my feedback.

Everything was pretty much as you described it - thanks again for your input, Ogri750.

I had purchased car insurance through my insurance company beforehand so this didn't apply (and nobody actually ever wanted to see it), and we weren't stopped at the police post ca. 60km after the border in either direction, the cops just seemed to sit/sleep in their cars under the bridge.

The Hili border crossing is not sign-posted at all when coming back into Bureimi from Oman side, so make sure you remember where it is. There ARE sings for 'Al Ain' but these apparently lead to the border crossing for GCC nationals.

Overall, the drive took 5.5h on the way there (Marina-The Chedi) and 6.5h on the way back (long line at Hili).


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## lostglen (Feb 20, 2017)

I've always used the one at Mezyad. Can be some delays at times though.


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