Traveling between Abu Dhabi & Muscat

Hi,
Can anybody guide me; is there any safety/security issue while traveling from Abu Dhabi to Muscat  by Car along with family? Any recommend time to start travel? My baby is 1.5 year old.
Thanks In advance.

Dear Hamdan,
There is no safety issue while traveling from AD to Oman...... Its quite a joy ride. You have 2 options to enter Oman..... The shorter one is from Al-Ain border (route from the abudhabi-dubai highway) and the longer one is from Hatta (For which you've to enter dubai first).

The road between Dubai-Muscat is good and one that I have personally traveled in many times, with my family. There is nothing for you to worry. Just for your added safety though (in case of a flat tyre, mechanical issues, et al), it would be better if you can travel along at least with one other car for company – more so since you'll be traveling with an infant. Of course make sure you car is in good condition, the petrol tank full and the tyres roadworthy. Don't do more than 120 kmph.

It would be better for you to start at dawn, so you reach the border early and be in Oman even before lunch time. Mind you, during declared holidays and even on long weekends the Hatta border will get very busy and sometimes could take up to a few good hours just to cross. The drive time between Dubai to Muscat is less than 5 hours.

Good luck.

Just make sure that when you cross the frontier,coming and going, that all passengers and not just the driver leave the vehicle when it comes to getting all of your passports, resident cards etc checked by immigration.

Unfortunately, that means your child will have to queue up  as well to be checked.

I made this mistake and left my family in the car only to have to go and get them and spend another hour in the queue.

The reason is,they have to match the passport,etc to the live person in front of them so preventing,illegal immigration,child trafficking,etc.