Search Flights from Muscat to Taif

Muscat, the capital city of Oman with a population of about 1.5 million, is a large port city in the Gulf of Oman stretching along the Arabian Sea. The road connections between Muscat International Airport, a busy airport, and the city center are quite extensive. These routes, which are linked to both the other cities of Oman and the neighboring cities outside the country, are close to Muscat Airport.

It is recommended for you to have a guide map with you at the taxis or rental cars that you can use to get to the airport from the city center of Muscat.

Because the city has many districts, you must find the roads or the means of public transport leading to Muscat Airport on the internet.

Bus

There are 60 bus stops serving permanently in Muscat. The rapidly growing population of the city and its reputation for tourism has created the need to expand public transport in the city. Sixteen of the forty new buses built under the leadership of the Oman National Transportation Company (ONTC) have replaced old buses on the route of Ruwi-Wadi Kabir.

With the new modernized buses, the new Ruwi-Wadi Adai line was opened. As a result of increasing the number of stops, there has also been an increase in urban public transport usage. New buses connecting to Ruwi and Muscat Airport started service at the end of 2015.

Busses serving between 6 am and 10 pm pass through the Sultan Qaboos motorway to reach the airport, just like any other means of transport.

Taxi

There are few taxis in some places in Muscat, while there are more in some other place. Where there are plenty of taxis, the prices are lower because of the competition.

Muscat city is both the capital and the biggest city of Oman, so you can come across taxis very often. At least if you are familiar with the following information, it will be easier for you to bargain with the taxi drivers: if the distance to your destination is below 2 kilometers the average you would pay is 0.5 riyals, and it is 2.5 riyals if the distance is about 5 kilometers. From Ruwi, one of Muscat's most important settlement centers, it costs around 8 riyals to go to the Muscat Airport by taxi.

There are two varieties of taxis in the city; one is white, and the other is orange. The vast majority of taxi drivers are Omani. Orange taxis are local, while white ones are a bit more upscale, airport taxis. You often find orange taxis in the city. If you are going to the airport from the city center, we suggest you prefer the orange car in terms of being cheaper.

Car Rental

As a foreign visitor, you can use your driver's license for 1 month within the boundaries of Oman. You can rent a car from the offices of car rental companies in the airport or at Muscat city center. Although the daily car rental fee is about 40 riyals, this price may vary depending on the characteristics of the car and whether or not you negotiate a bit.

To reach the airport from any point of the city, you have to enter the Sultan Qaboos motorway. If you are coming from the city center, you can follow the signs of the airport by entering this highway on the west side of the city and continuing from the right lane. Do not forget to rent also a navigation device while renting your car. The car rental option, which offers much cheaper opportunities than the taxi, is also the type of transportation preferred by tourists because oil is cheap in the country.

Airport Information

The name of Muscat International Airport, opened in 1973, was originally Seeb Airport until 2008because it was located in Seeb region. Located 30 kilometers west of Muscat city center, the airport's annual passenger capacity is approximately 6 million. Muscat Airport, Oman's largest airport, is also the primary airport of Oman Airlines.

The airport has airport shuttle buses with a capacity of seven people operated by the airport which are more expensive than public transport. You can visit the official website of Oman Airlines travel agency and contact the company. Oman is a country with high levels of cars in the traffic. Therefore, Muscat Airport has a parking area with a capacity of 396 vehicles.

On the first floor of the airport is the Tourist Information Office. There is a mosque in an area very close to the airport terminal. There is a free Wi-Fi service, a currency exchange office serving 24/7, ATMs, a clinic providing health services that you can find open all the time in the airport. Showering areas, smoking areas, travel agencies, car rental companies, retail stores, playground for children are other platforms can also be found in Muscat Airport.

You can shop at duty-free where the perfume, jewelry and other things are cheaper at the departure terminal of the airport. The airport is home to world famous eating and drinking areas such as Coffe & More, Costa Coffee, Subway, DQ Grill & Chill, The Irish House (Bar), Automatic Restaurant (Gulf region regional cuisine), Curry Kitchen (indian cuisine) and idli.com (South Indian food).

Taif is located on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains in Mecca province of Saudi Arabia, which has rich ethnic roots and is home to the world's leading industrial and commercial centers. Taif is also referred to as Green Haven, thanks to its about 3,000 gardens. Taif is one of the most preferred cities in the Mecca region, one of the most visited places by tourists in terms of religious tourism, thanks to the developed transportation facilities and affordable accommodation options in the city. It is 150 kilometers away from the city of Mecca.

The most important feature distinguishing Taif from Mecca and Medina, which is the third largest city in Mecca province after Mecca and Jeddah, is that non-Muslim foreigners are allowed to enter the city. You will not have any difficulty in terms of transportation in Taif city, which is located in the western part of Saudi Arabia and in the south-east of Jeddah within the boundaries of the Mecca Administrative Region.

Taif's transportation networks have been extended to the Mecca province as a whole, and even to other parts of Saudi Arabia. There are intercity bus services between major cities in Saudi Arabia such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Taif, Dammam, Abha, Naseem, Tebuk and Hael.

If you prefer to stay in Taif city center, you can go to other cities of Saudi Arabia with these services on daily basis. There are also local buses within the city, like intercity buses. Transportation within the city is very easy. City roads, rail systems, and highway connections allow you to get to any other point in the city as quickly as possible. You can also rent a car for a fixed period of time from the car rental companies for your transportation in Taif.

In fact, the most profitable, time-saving and easiest way to tour other parts of Saudi Arabia apart from Taif is renting a car. Access to the city is very easy thanks to the buses. Local buses within Taif city center are extremely comfortable and reach almost every point of the city. If you travel as a lonely woman on these buses, you must show your passport to the officers. This is because women throughout Saudi Arabia are banned from driving, traveling and accommodating alone. But if you are a tourist and you prove it, you can travel all by yourself.

In Taif city transportation there are many options such as cable car, car, bus and taxi. Because Taif is a bit smaller than other cities in Saudi Arabia, thus local buses are preferred rather than car rental and taxi options. Domestic or foreign tourists willing to travel with intercity trains need to purchase special seats reserved for ladies and families.

Taif Airport, which has direct flights from many parts of the world, is one of the busiest airports in Saudi Arabia. Approximately 30 kilometers east of the city center, Taif Airport has domestic flights to almost every city in Saudi Arabia.

Bus

There are buses directly from the airport to Taif city center. You can easily get to the city center by buses which are cheaper than the taxi. You can purchase your bus tickets online or at the ticket sales points located inside the terminal. You can travel to any point in the city with a bus that you can take from any stop at the exit of the Taif Airport arrival terminal.

It takes approximately 1 hour to get to the city by bus. Local buses, which have stops in many places of Taif, are the most preferred means of transportation for visitors of the city. As is the case throughout Saudi Arabia, few bus seats can be reserved for ladies and families within Taif city.

Traveling as a lonely woman on a bus requires special permission, which can be very difficult for Saudi Arabian citizens. As a lonely woman and tourist, if you want to travel in these buses, you would be asked to prove that you are a tourist by showing your passport.

Taxi

Taking a taxi is the most expensive way of travelling from Taif Airport to the city center. You can take this distance of 29.5 kilometers in approximately 30-35 minutes by taxi. From the airport to the center of Taif, you pay a taxi fare of 160-190 Suudi Riyali (130-150 TL). Of course, the price we specify in TL may vary depending on the changes between the Saudi Riyal and the Turkish Lira. It is more profitable to rent a car or take a bus instead of taking a taxi just outside of the arrival terminal of Taif Airport.

Car Rental

In almost every region of Saudi Arabia, women are prohibited from driving. Therefore, only male tourists can benefit from car rental option. If you rent a navigation device with your car, you can easily go to Taif and other major cities around.

You can reach the city center by the car you will rent from Taif Airport in approximately 20-25 minutes. In Saudi Arabia, oil is quite cheap compared to Turkey. Hence, one of the best options for your transportation is renting a car. On average, the amount you would pay for the oil to go to the city center from Taif Airport is approximately 1-2 TL.