Do you know that you can be fined for driving a dirty rental car in Muscat? Yes, that’s how different driving in Oman can be from driving in your home country. To avoid getting into trouble, please pay attention to the following information.

Car rental prices

Rented vehicles can cost you between 11 OMR and 50 OMR. Naturally, expect to get what you pay for. If you are on a tight budget, you may choose to get an economy car that comes with a manual transmission and no air conditioning. However, this can be a big problem because Muscat is quite hot, especially in the summers. For a comfortable ride around town, get a decent vehicle, preferably a 4×4. It will most likely set you back 30 OMR or more.

If your destiny demands it, opt for a 4×4. Otherwise, it is best to get a sedan, which is much cheaper.

speed cameras

Expect to find a speed camera every 2 kilometers in Muscat. Don’t make the mistake of thinking these radars aren’t active just because they don’t seem to work; they do. Locals say that the tolerance of these speed cameras is up to 19 kilometers per hour.

Subways and walkways

In the old days, speeding backwards is a big problem in Muscat. This prompted the government to build pedestrian and underground bridges. Currently, there are approximately 10 subways in Muscat, and you can find them in the following areas:

Juwair

quorum

Ghubra

Al Sahwah Tower

Al Athaibah

Al-Nahdah

Wadi Al-Kabir

Muscat also has many pedestrian bridges, and you should look for them in the following places:

quorum

Al Athaibah

Al Juwair

Carrefour City Center (Seeb)

Muscat International Airport

Al-Hail

mabelah

Parking lot

Parking is usually free on Fridays. However, you should always make sure you have about 50 baizas on hand for the meters. Half an hour of parking costs 50 baiza. Certain areas in Muscat, notably Qurum and Muttrah, require you to pay for parking space.