Job Discussion Forums

[Van Gogh]

There are buses leaving Muscat to Dubai and returning Dubai to Muscat every day, and to my knowledge there are two main bus companies serving this route:

(1) The Omani National Transport Company (ONTC) which have a �leaping ibex� logo which embellishes both on the white coloured buses and the official bus stops along the route.

(2) Al- Khanjry Transport � White buses which sport the gold coloured Omani �Kanjr� ceremonial knife as its ticket logo but not on the buses themselves. This company uses the bus stop kindly provided by ONTC.

I called ONTC a couple of days before I wanted to travel and spoke to Mr Nasser, he has good English and can give you any updates and time changes. Also, if you are catching the bus at a stop on route after Muscat or Ruwi he will give you the name and telephone number of the driver of the bus you want to catch.

The Omani National Transport Company (ONTC)

Saturday � Friday

Leave Muscat - 06:00 � 07:00 � 17:15 � 23:00
On Wednesdays & Thursdays there is an extra bus leaving from Ruwi at 13:00

A return ticket bought on the day or on the bus costs 5.5OR each way but 9OR if bought from the ONTC office some time before travelling.

Contact Numbers

Main Office Auto Response. 24490046 �On connection wait a few seconds and punch in 130 to be put through to Mr. Nasser.

Al- Khanjry Transport � Muscat Dubai Express

Saturday � Friday

No info available on line � call the office

Oman � (968) 24700600
Dubai (971) 0 507956004 � Office 04 - 2959390

http://www.omanet.om/english/useful/transport.asp


My Eid Trip: I caught the bus from Tharmed which is about an hour outside of Muscat. I had already called up Mr. Nasser and been give an approximate time that the bus would arrive at the Tharmed roundabout which was about an hour � an hour and a half later after leaving Ruwi. I arrived in good time, about 1.15 PM and then waited over two hours for the bus to arrive. It never did, nor was Mr. Qaboo, the driver answering his mobile. I was later told her had had it stolen that very morning. My Eid motto was �Dubai or Bust� and so I waited. While waiting for the ONTC bus an Al-Khanjry bus turned up and I jumped on that. Note: neither the driver or the steward will assist you to load your luggage aboard the side lockers unless prompted to do so or if not doing so would delay the buses departure.

I bought a return ticket for 10-OR. When said that I wanted to return the next Friday meaning ten days later, the steward put the following Friday, three days later on my return ticket. On pointing this out he assured me the ticket was valid for a year. What he failed to tell me was that I needed to call their Dubai office a day before travelling back to confirm and receive a confirmation number. (more on that later) My return ticket noted the bus left at 3.00 PM from Dubai.

The bus was comfortable but old and tatty. The air condition holes lacked adjusters and many passengers used the window curtains to block them up, as the air blowing through was icy cold. (a travel blanket and pillow would have been useful). Ladies with children sit up front and the rest of the seat are a free for all. On this bus most all the double seats had been taken by Indian male passengers and none seemed willing to move over to let me sit down. I spotted an educated looking, bespectacled young man and asked him to move over while at the same time threatening to sit on his knee had he declined. He mumbled something and moved over. Later, when we got chatting it turn out that the poor lad had been bursting for a piss for the last 50km and had repeatedly asked the driver to pull over at a gas station. His original mumble had been �I am not in a happy condition to be receiving your gratitude�. Thank goodness for the good old missionary schools in India.

Customs: Muscat � Dubai: You stop at the Omani visa office, all dismount and have their passports checked, those of you used to flying around the Gulf will be familiar with some folks eagerness to jump up when the bus stopped and all try and get off at once. Seeing as we all had to have our passports checked and the bus was going nowhere without all the passengers, I failed to see the reason for jostling to get off the bus. Once all back on board, there�s a short trip to the Emirati visa office were the procedure is repeated, after that there�s just the customs check. Here going to Dubai the Emirati officials came on-board and picked a couple of passengers to debus, collect their luggage and go into an office for checking. Coming back, it�s the Omanis who check your luggage on tables under an open canopy. PM me for tips on how to make this a little easier.

The morning I was due to leave I called the Dubai office, and a good job I did. The bus leaving time had changed, it was now 1 PM, not 3 PM and I needed to call to confirm my place and receive a confirmation number. As the steward loaded the passengers, it was passengers with conformation numbers first, passengers with tickets next and then those wanting to pay there and then We left about ten people waiting for the next bus.

Both services can be used to transport small amounts of freight.
Hope this has been useful, please add any info you have on buses, taxis etc.

[Sydney2002]

Just wanted to elaborate a bit on this topic.

I'm in Muscat now (arrived for my new job 2 months ago) and I have been warned that the buses servicing that route between here and Dubai can often get stopped and held up at the border for anywhere from 2 - 10 hours depending on the number of passengers without proper documentation. I'm sorry to say this, but it is apparently the Indian and Pakistani migrant workers who are causing these delays.

I have yet to take one of these buses myself. As soon as I heard some of the stories of my colleagues, I decided I would either drive with someone or fly. But I've also talked to people who have caught the bus here in Muscat just close to the new City Centre, and had a very pleasant 6- hour ride to Dubai with no hiccups. Apparently it all comes down to who is on the bus with you.

[Van Gogh]

I seriously doubt the bus would be, or ever has been held up for such a long period of time, 10 hours! There were Omanis businessmen on the bus I used, families with children etc. Plus, passports are check when you board. However, I checked this out with an senior Omani police officer who uses our bar and, while not working with customs himself, he was pretty certain anyone trying to travel without the correct paperwork, especially Pakis and such, would simply be held at the Omani visa office and the bus sent on its merry way. Thanks for your comments.

[lizziebennet]

When people from countries like Pakistan or India, Philippines, and even Canada or South Africa arrive at the UAE border they have to get a visa (this visa is available to GCC residents on arrival). It costs around OMR16 (you pay some of it on you way out and a fee on your way back in). You should be able to get these when you fly too but I have heard some people have had problems with it. This means that you potentially have to wait for 50 people to get a visa. This involves getting an eye scan too.

I understand why third world workers catch the bus, as they sometimes earn OMR100 a month but if you are a teacher and earn OMR900 or more I don't see why you wouldn't fly to Dubai. Low cost carriers like flydubai sometimes have flights that are free except for taxes. Air Arabia is another cheap airline that runs flights from Muscat to Dubai. There normal prices are about OMR50 when they don't have specials running.

[Van Gogh]

Unfortunately, third world residents are no longer welcome in the UAE because of the large number of illegal immigrant who have previously entered the country via Oman. Canadians have only themselves to blame for allowing their government to have screwed up foreign policies, little sympathy there, ay!
As an Brit earning a meagre, 1200 OR a month, I chose to take the bus because it would have taken me at least four hours to get the Muscat airport and await for my flight. Followed by another two hours to fly and get through customs and immigration the other side. Cost 40 OR (400 dh) compare to a tenner each way on a comfy bus enjoying the scenery. I like to keep my travel footprint green LizzyB, shame on you for suggesting decadent air-travel when less polluting means are available.  So, I was able to get a ticket on the bus, same travel time, less hassle, unlimited baggage and I was able to smuggle out as many dates as I wished. Whereas, even with all my �wasdah� (I know the CO�s steward�s brother�s uncle!!) air tickets to Dubai from Muscat on the eve of Eidmas were a rare as rocking horse shit, as every Omani and his goat not wishing to spend a boring Eid in Oman were heading on mass to Dubai, Jordon and Lebanon. And, as many Expats can confirm, had the bus not arrived I could have and would have simply stuck out my first world thumb and got (gotten) a lift with one of many obliging Omani heading that way. True it would have cost me a free English lesson, but I�ve prostituted myself for less before. By the way, I paid nothing in the way of visas having an Omani residence visa as most people reading this will also have.

[madrileno]

I've always heard absolute horror stories when it came to traveling by bus in the gulf and would never even consider it. I've never waited at Al Jizi Border checkpoint for more than 10 mins. The idea of sitting there longer than an hour while everyone gets their visas is not appealing at all!

Driving myself or flying are, and will always be my only choices for travel between Oman and the Emirates. Plus the low cost carriers Lizzie mentioned are always offering sweet deals!

No busses for me! Ever!

[scot47]

Madrilene clearly has the Texan viewpoint that public transport is just another form of Communism. God clearly intended us all to have motor cars with LARGE engines and use them every day.

[lizziebennet]

Thanks for making me laugh guys. Scott, I know Madrileno and he's a Jacuzzi MARXIST... He has money but sits around and whines about the plight of the working class in a jacuzzi

I however, am married to someone like you described as you well know.

Van Gogh, yes shame on me for my travel footprint

P.S My husband and I have to pay about OMR16 each time we go to the UAE (if we don't have a border pass) because of our nationalities even though we have residence visas. Also our American and British friends have to pay money when they leave the U.A.E and come back in Oman. I think it is something like OMR3.5. Perhaps if you travel on the bus you don't have to pay that fee when you return. Or maybe it is include in the bus ticket.

[madrileno]

[lizziebennet]

[Sydney2002]

What the...??

This discussion has certainly taken an odd turn. Marxists? Jacuzzi's? Hmph...

Just to follow up on the original post, I have spoken with quite a number of other teachers here in Muscat since my last contribution to this thread and it still sounds as if this bus situation is hit and miss. I'd like to try it one day, just out of sheer curiosity. But I'm not sure that I'm that curious... yet.

Half of the people I worked with went to Dubai for this 4-day wknd in observance of Omani Nat'l Day, but it seems like most of them flew... for 50 OMR roundtrip. I must confess that 8 OMR sounds much more appealing to me for a bus, but I'm still not sure I want to deal with the possibility of being held up at the border because of the migrant workers.

Will report back here when and if I ever have the guts to take that bus!