GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Oman’s national airline is Oman Air (WY) (Internet: www.oman-air.com), with which there are direct flights from Frankfurt (daily), Munich (daily) and Zurich to Muscat. Swiss International Airlines (LX) connects Zurich with Muscat via Dubai.
According to areacodesexplorer, Oman also owns shares in Gulf Air (GF) (Internet: www.gulfairco.com), together with the governments of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar. Gulf Air flies daily from London Heathrow to Muscat and from Frankfurt via Bahrain to Muscat. Lufthansa (LH), Swiss International Airlines (LX), Emirates (EK), British Airways (BA) and KLM (KL) also offer flights to Oman.
Air passes
With the Middle East Airpass the Star Alliance can explore travelers up to ten flights, the countries Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. More information is available on the Star Alliance website, www.staralliance.com.
With the Visit Middle East Pass from Allianz Oneworld, travelers can book any number of flights (at least 3 flights) with the participating airlines British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian and travel to the following 12 countries: Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
Departure fee
5 OR are usually included in the ticket price. Children under 2 years are exempt from this.
Arrival by car
Car: The best road is the north-south road that connects Muscat to Salalah (10-12 hours drive). Road connections to the United Arab Emirates are relatively good. Border crossings into Yemen and Saudi Arabia are problematic, not least for bureaucratic reasons.
Bus: The Oman National Transport Company has regular bus connections between Oman and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
Arrival by ship
The main ports of Sultan Qaboos and Salalah (Internet: www.salalahport.com) are mostly called by cargo ships.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
Oman Air (WY) operates domestic flights from Muscat to Salalah (flight time approx. 1 hour 30) and Khasub.
On the way by car / bus
The main roads run from east to west from Muscat to Sohar and from north to south. The main lines are in good condition. All-wheel drive is recommended for secondary routes and in bad weather.
Bus: The larger cities such as Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Sur and Nizwa are connected to one another by the Oman National Transport Company.
Taxi: The prices are high and should be agreed prior to departure. Shared taxis are also available, and trucks converted for passenger traffic also operate.
Rental cars are available at the airport as well as in numerous hotels across the country.
Traffic regulations: High fines are imposed for drink-driving.
Documents:On presentation of a national or international driver’s license, you can obtain a local driving license for rental cars from the police. The embassy can provide more information (see addresses).
On the go by train
There are currently no passenger trains in Oman.
TRAVEL WARNING
Country-specific safety information
Travelers to Oman should generally appear cautious in public, take into account the religious, political, cultural and social traditions of the country in their behavior and stay away from possible demonstrations. Hiking trails both in the mountains and in the wadis are largely unsecured. Even technically simple hikes can sometimes lead through terrain that is so steep that an uncontrolled stumble in the wrong place can be fatal.
There is still a very high risk of pirate attacks and capture off the coasts of Somalia and its neighboring countries, as well as in the adjacent waters. Ships deep in the Indian Ocean (around the Seychelles and Madagascar) and off Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Yemen and Oman are also at risk of being attacked and hijacked. Skippers in the aforementioned areas are strongly advised to exercise the utmost caution. Despite international efforts to curb piracy, the number of pirate attacks remains high; effective protection cannot be guaranteed.
COMMUNICATION
Phone
The country code is 00968. The national telephone company is called Omantel (Internet: www.omantel.net.om). Public telephones can usually be used with calling cards. These are available for 1.5, 3 and 5 rials at gas stations, kiosks and supermarkets. Cheap international calls can be made between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Cellphone
GSM 900. The network operator is Omantel (Internet: www.omantel.net.om). Roaming contracts exist with Germany, Austria and Switzerland, among others. Buying a local prepaid card can be worthwhile, network coverage is good even in rural areas.
Internet
Internet cafes can be found in the largest cities. Main providers: OMANTEL and Nawras. Upper-class hotels have business centers with wireless Internet access via Wi-Fi. Anyone who buys a SIM card from a national provider can surf the Internet using a USB stick.
Post Office
Airmail to Europe takes 8 to 10 days.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
