Car rental in Oman

Car Rental in Oman: Desert Calm and Exciting City Life

Oman is an excellent destination for seekers of desert calm and the bustle of ancient fishing villages. While the metropolitan centers of Muscat, Salalah , and Sohar offer visitors exciting tastes of city life, a visit to Oman is not complete without a visit to its rugged desert interior and fascinating coastline. Make the most of your visit by booking your rental car today!

Oman can be visited virtually any time of the year, though the weather is at its most comfortable October through April. You may want to avoid the hottest months of the year, June and August.

Arabic is the national language of Oman and is spoken by the vast majority of residents, although ethnic minorities throughout the country also speak Jibbali, Swahili, and Baluchi. English is also widely spoken, particularly in cities and major tourist destinations.

Oman is in the Gulf Time Zone, UTC+4.

The currency is the Omani rial, which is fixed to the dollar at 1 rial to 2.60 US dollars. It is prudent to have cash on hand for most of your financial transactions. ATMs at the airport are guaranteed to accept foreign cards, and there are ATMs throughout Muscat and in most cities; money exchanges are also available throughout the country.

Don’t underestimate the size of Oman! Salalah in the south is over 1000 km away from the capital of Muscat in the north. Bahla is well worth the visit for travellers spending time in and around Muscat, located just under two hours inland from the capital.

Automobile hire is available in five Omani cities, Duqm in the east, Sohar, Sur and Muscat in the north, and Salalah in the south.

Visa Regulations

Over 35 nationalities can receive a single-entry visa upon entry into Oman, which authorizes stays of up to 30 days for the cost of 20 rial. Ensure that your passport is valid for a full six months after your date of arrival to avoid any problems upon entry or exit. While stamps from Israel should not cause problems, Israeli passport-holders will be denied entry. If you are entering via air to Salalah, you may run into difficulties receiving change for your visa, as customs officials are not accustomed to carrying large amounts of cash.

Driving in Oman

With some excellent four-lane highways connecting Oman’s major cities and limited public transportation to the most beautiful and rugged locations in the country, Oman almost requires that you rent a car to make the most of your visit. Simply drive defensively in the cities and be alert for quickly changing road conditions, and you will have the self-drive tour of a lifetime!

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road throughout Oman.

Speed Limits

• In cities and towns: 40 to 80 km/h
• On rural roads: 90 km/h or according to road conditions
• On motorways: 120 km/h
• Speed cameras regulate traffic throughout Muscat, other cities, and along the expressways.

Other Regulations

1. Parking in Oman is heavily regulated, so only park your car in metered spots and parking lots, and by no means outstay your ticket time; fees can be exorbitant.
2. An international driver’s permit is necessary in addition to your domestic driver’s license and passport in order to rent and drive a car in Oman.
3. The minimum driving age in Oman is 18, though you will have to be at least 21 years old to rent a car; most agencies issue a young-driver surcharge for all drivers under the age of 25.
4. It is prohibited to carry alcohol across the border into Oman via automobile.

Other Tips

• There are significant regulations to crossing the border via rental car from Oman to the United Arab Emirates. Double-check these regulations with your rental company before you confirm any travel arrangements. Travel to Yemen via rental car is not recommended, if at all permitted.
• Consider renting a 4-wheel-drive car to enable travel over and through the spectacular wadis – though be aware of the weather, as rare rainstorms can quickly make the wadis impassable.

Cheap Car Rental in Oman

Automobile hire in Oman typically starts at around $28 a day. Here are some of the best deals:

• Suzuki Celerio or similar (mini class) – $28/day
• Toyota Yaris or similar (economy class) – $29/day
• Mazda 2 or similar (compact class) – $30/day
• Honda Civic or similar (compact class) – $34/day
• Chevrolet Cruze or similar (intermediate class) – $40/day

Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in Oman

There is some seasonal variation in price for rentals in Oman, with the average price going up to a solid $35 per day during the popular tourist season.

You can save up to $11 per day by extending your rental period to over a week!

The most inexpensive places to pick up rental cars are at the major tourist stops of Salalah and Muscat, particularly at these cities’ airports, where the cheapest rental company, InterRent, has locations.