Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAR
Car hire can be arranged with several agencies in Ruwi, including
Alwan Tour Rent-a-Car
782727;
www.marktoursoman.com/rentacar
)
, as well as at the usual desks in hotels and at the airport
in Muscat and Salalah.
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Taxis running between the airport and Qurm, Al-Khuwair, Ruwi, Mutrah, Muscat and
Seeb cost a fixed rate of OR10; it's OR18 to Barr al-Jissah. Taxis are blue-striped and
have 'airport taxi' on the side. These will soon have meters. Alternatively, you can walk
500m to the highway outside the airport and wait for a microbus. Microbuses pass the air-
port fairly frequently between 7am and 10pm, and cost 800 baisa to Ruwi, Mutrah or
Muscat. Buses heading in this direction leave from the other side of the footbridge. There
is no direct bus service to/from the airport.
MICROBUS & TAXI
In Mutrah, local microbuses cruise the corniche and congregate around Mutrah bus sta-
tion. In Ruwi they park en masse along Al-Jaame St, opposite the main bus station. Trips
from one suburb to the next cost 200 to 300 baisa. No microbus journey within greater
Muscat should cost more than one rial.
Muscat's non-airport taxis are orange and white and do not have meters. Even if you
bargain you will inevitably pay two or three times the going rate for locals - be sure to fix
the rate before you get in. A taxi between suburbs in Muscat should cost no more than
OR10 engaged or OR3 shared (getting to/from the airport excepted). Expect to be charged
double the going rate to/from hotels.
A shared taxi from Ruwi to Rusayl roundabout costs OR3 (OR12 engaged). Microbuses
charge OR1.200 for the same trip. From Mutrah Corniche to Rusayl roundabout, the mi-
crobus/taxi fare should be OR4/1.800 (OR15 engaged).
If you're in town for a while, collect the card of a taxi driver who proved satisfactory
and call them as required.
It's best to navigate by reference to landmarks (for example the HSBC in Qurm, the
Clock Tower roundabout in Rusayl) rather than street addresses when travelling by public
transport or taxi.
