Driving in Oman: car hire, 4WD, mountain roads and the rules

Oman is a good country for a road trip. The road network is in good condition and the main sights of the north (Muscat, Nizwa, the Hajar mountains, the Wahiba Sands and the coast around Sur) lie two or three hours' drive apart. You will need a 4WD for the mountains and the desert, you should avoid driving at night outside the cities, and the traffic rules are enforced firmly.

Your driving licence

The rules depend on the country that issued your licence. For a short stay a national licence may be enough, sometimes with an Arabic or English translation. An International Driving Permit, valid only together with the national licence, carries a useful Arabic translation for police checks and avoids problems at the rental desk. Before you go, check France Diplomatiediplomatie.belgium.beDFAE (eda.admin.ch)mae.gouvernement.luGOV.UK (FCDO)ireland.ie (DFA)Auswärtiges AmtRegeringen (UD)Udenrigsministeriet (um.dk)RegjeringenOdyseusz (MSZ)MZV ČRBMEIANederland WereldwijdViaggiare Sicuriexteriores.gob.esPortal das ComunidadesUlkoministeriö (um.fi).

Rental companies often set stricter conditions of their own, such as a year's driving experience, a higher minimum age or an International Driving Permit. Check when you book.

Which car to hire

An ordinary saloon is fine for Muscat, the Batinah coast, Nizwa, Bahla, Sur and the coastal wadis. A 4WD becomes necessary in three cases.

• Jebel Akhdar. A police checkpoint at the foot of the mountain road, near Birkat al Mouz, only lets four-wheel-drive vehicles through, and drivers must show their licence and registration papers. The rule was reported by the Oman Observer, the English-language daily published by the Ministry of Information, which in 2022 also mentioned plans for a future road open to all vehicles, with no opening date.
• Jebel Shams. The road towards the summit is only surfaced for about the first half; the last stretch is a steep, rocky track where 4WD is essential.
• The desert and some villages. The sand tracks of the Wahiba are 4WD only, and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism says a 4WD and experience of mountain driving are needed to reach the village of Balad Sayt.

Distances and drive times from Muscat airport

Times below are non-stop calculations and on the optimistic side, so allow a margin, particularly in the mountains.

Further south, Germany points out that the Muscat to Salalah road is around 1,000 km, much of it through monotonous desert, and that the drive is often underestimated. Several governments also issue advice on Salalah: our guide to Oman and the regional situation gives your country's.

Rules of the road

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) lists the basic rules, all strictly enforced:

• all passengers must wear seatbelts;
• children aged 3 and under must use a child car seat;
• using a mobile phone while driving is illegal;
• no alcohol at all: any trace in your system can lead to a fine and possible imprisonment.

Penalties go up to 3,000 Omani rials in fines or three years in prison. France Diplomatie, the travel advice service of the French foreign ministry, adds that running a red light, overtaking on the right via the hard shoulder, drink-driving or driving without a valid licence lead to 48 hours in police custody, a fine and possible prosecution, with heavier penalties if an accident results. Germany also mentions speeding and driving into a wadi bed when floods threaten, both of which can carry prison sentences.

Police and army road checks are common between towns, so keep your passport, licence and rental agreement within reach.

Traffic fines must be paid before you leave the country, or you may be stopped at the border. You can check and pay them online through the Royal Oman Police (ROP) website or app.

Drive in daylight

Livestock roams freely in the countryside: camels, cattle, sheep and goats wander onto the road without warning, and collisions are often fatal. France Diplomatie urges particular care at night, and Germany advises against driving after dark outside greater Muscat. The accident rate is high given the light traffic, and in remote areas emergency services can take several hours to arrive. France Diplomatie also notes that minors often drive without a licence outside the main towns. Plan each leg so that you arrive before nightfall.

Rain, flooded roads and fuel

Main roads sometimes run on raised embankments to stay clear of floods, but one heavy downpour can cut a minor road. Never drive across a flooded road or a running wadi: this is France Diplomatie's first rule, and our guide to wadis, swimming and flash floods covers the precautions.

According to France Diplomatie, petrol stations are spaced at regular intervals across the network and are normally well supplied, with a telephone and basic repair facilities. For the desert, the mountains and long crossings, Germany still recommends carrying plenty of spare fuel and water.

The desert: never alone

For driving in the dunes, France Diplomatie, Belgium and the UK give the same advice: travel in convoy, with at least two vehicles, with people who know the desert and the route, and carry water, food, fuel, tools, recovery gear, GPS and a means of communication. Most visitors leave their car at the edge of the sands, where the camps collect them by 4WD: see our guide to a night in the Wahiba Sands.

If you have an accident

• Serious accident (injuries, major damage, alcohol, an uninsured vehicle): stay at the scene and call the police on 9999, the single emergency number. Do not move the vehicles before the police arrive and draw up the report.
• Minor accident: you may not need the police, but you must fill in a minor road traffic accident form, which rental companies are required to keep in their cars.
• If anyone is injured, Germany warns that the driver will be arrested and their passport held until liability is established, which can take some time.

Insurance

France Diplomatie recommends fully comprehensive cover on a hire car, as repairs are expensive when the driver is found liable. A driver found to be drunk after an accident, whether at fault or not, is not covered by the insurer, which can lead to a ban on leaving the country. The FCDO also advises checking that your travel insurance covers desert and mountain driving.

Hire cars and borders

France Diplomatie says hire cars are not allowed into Musandam, the Omani peninsula separated from the rest of the country by the United Arab Emirates; several European governments also advise against travel there. Entering Oman by road from the UAE requires a new visa: see our guide to visas and entry requirements.

With a driver

Belgium's foreign ministry considers a car with driver the ideal option, and it is the most relaxing way to tour Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams and Nizwa.