Muscat - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
I think they were okay. We didn't have to use them. - Jan 2022
I only have experience with taxis, and they are generally safe although you need to bargain on the price. There are some good ride-hailing apps like Marhaba and Mwasalat. - Dec 2018
There is some sort of local bus but probably difficult to figure out and with limited routing. There are some shared micro buses - again who knows how they work. Taxis are plentiful but expensive! They launched a new app called Marhaba which you can use to order a taxi - I've heard mixed reviews. They are in a state of transition here with taxis going to a formal metered system. It's unevenly applied at this point. You can still negotiate but know you'll always pay the "foreigner" rate. A few people have private drivers they use who charge a discounted rate. - Feb 2018
There is close to no public transport in Muscat. They recently launched their very first bus line and you definitely do not want to use it. Drivers here are incredibly bad and dangerous. Even school bus drivers are extremely reckless on the road. You wouldn't want to ride in a bus or a taxi unless you really need to. Taxis are generally affordable. From one end of the city to the other they would charge you around $50 bucks. Haggling is a big thing here, so you always want to agree on the price before getting into the taxi. - Aug 2017
The only viable means of transportation other than a personal vehicle would be a taxi. They are safe, but currently not metered. All trips must be negotiated and the cab drivers tend to charge too much. - Oct 2014
No trains, few buses. Taxis abound and are safe. It's better to negotiate your rate for the trip before getting in the cab, but getting truly gouged is rare. - Jun 2012
No trains or buses. There are taxis but I don't know why anyone would use one. Everyone has a car here. - May 2012
No buses, no trains....local cabs are of plenty and safe. - Aug 2011
We have used many taxis here and have not had a problem. - Feb 2011
No trains, stay off the local buses, small vans that compete for NASCAR and James Bond awards. Taxis hit or miss. If you find one get his card and work hours and stick with him. - Feb 2010
No local trains. No local buses. Taxis are plentiful, though I never used them. They're safe, though when I was there you still had to haggle over the fare, vs. metered fares. - Jan 2010
No local trains or trams. There are taxis, but I have found them uneasy and sporadic. There are no meters and the language barrier and the gender barrier can be frustrating. - Mar 2009
There are no trains and only, within Muscat, a limited minibus system used mostly by laborers - cheap, but neither comfortable nor efficient. Taxis are available and generally reliable, although it's necessary to haggle for a rate, which will still higher than you might expect (rarely less than US$3-5 for even short trip). - Feb 2008
