Tested Rental Car Trip from the UAE to Oman: Smooth Return through Different Border Points
I rented a nearly new car (under 8000 km) from Dollar at Abu Dhabi Airport for less than 250 AED per day, cheaper than the official website. A key tip: make sure to ask the rental company for the NOL paper, Oman insurance (which they provide on-site for about 250 AED for six days), and the vehicle exit permit (or a copy).
Onward Journey to Muscat: Before the trip, I emailed the rental company and was advised that the only border crossing for the round trip is Khatm Al Shikla, which is less crowded. There’s almost no waiting—just three or four cars ahead. Upon leaving the UAE, staff will ask for your passport and credit card, with a 30 AED exit fee. After passport stamping, you'll be given a small slip indicating the number of people in the car. The second checkpoint only verifies the number of passengers—no passport checks, just a quick count and then you're free to go.
Arriving in Oman: At the Omani border, everyone needs to exit the car and head into a small building (like in picture 5). There are two counters where you handle the car info, insurance (if you haven't already purchased Omani insurance, you can do so at the counter), and the vehicle exit permit. The rental agency will leave a copy of the vehicle permit in the passenger seat. If you can't find it right away, they won’t let you go until you do—so make sure to check. Once found, Omani customs enters it into the system, stamps your paperwork, and you’re free to go. This process is simpler than in the UAE, where a paper slip with the passenger count is given at the second border checkpoint. A quick count of passengers and you’re cleared to enter Oman.
Driving in Muscat: The drive to Muscat is smooth, with cameras every two to three kilometers. The road is in great condition, mostly four lanes, with a speed limit of 120 km/h. I didn’t see any police along the way. Using Waze to avoid cameras worked great. Along the way, I saw S-bends, dolphins 🐬, castles, and of course, the must-try giant lobster, which was very cheap.
On the Return Trip: I visited the town of Nizwa and caught the Friday morning cattle market, which was fascinating. People were walking cows and goats in circles. Make sure to get there early; after 9:00 AM, most people start to leave. I also visited Nizwa Fort, which, aside from the main fort, is quite similar to others I’ve seen.
On the way back to the UAE, I took the Hafeet-Mezyad border, as it was closer after visiting Nizwa. The rental company had previously indicated that the same border should be used for entry and exit, so I was a bit skeptical but tried it anyway. Two kilometers before the border, I filled up at the last Omani gas station, which was cheaper than in the UAE.
Return Process: The return process was almost the same. In Oman, you need to go to a small room to stamp your papers and get a slip. At the UAE side, you don’t need to get out of the car; you can stay seated and get your papers stamped. However, at the second checkpoint, there is a large X-ray machine that scans the entire car. They’ll ask the driver to get out and open the trunk for a quick check. Maybe because we were Chinese, they had us step out for a quick scan, but within a second, we were cleared.
Final Takeaway: It’s clear that border officials are used to dealing with foreigners. The key is to make sure you have the rental agency's exit permit, Omani insurance, and a copy of the vehicle exit permit. With those, crossing any border is a smooth process.