Cheap car rentals in Muscat
| Compact | $40/day |
Top tips for hiring a car in Muscat
- The capital city of Oman, Muscat is a sprawling metropolis between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The city has excellent public transport links, but these are limited to scheduling and location. With car hire in Muscat, you can overcome such disadvantages and enjoy the freedom and unlimited convenience every eager visitor craves. Discover adventures along the road to Sur, 204 miles south via Route 17, or to Sohar, 206 miles north via Route 1.
- Muscat International Airport (MCT), formerly Seeb Airport, is about 12 miles from the city centre. You can pick up your car hire in Muscat there as soon as you arrive, instead of waiting until you reach downtown. It is likely you will need transportation to connect you from the terminal to the airport’s car hire centre, and many companies such as Sixt, Budget and Hertz provide shuttles to do just that. In International Arrivals, find the nearest information desk to request directions to the shuttle collection point in order to pick up your vehicle.
- The Muscat Highway and Sultan Qaboos Street are the two major roadways connecting the city from east to west and accordingly are the major inbound and outbound traffic routes to Muscat. Pedestrian and cycle activity is moderate on most city centre streets but increases near retail hubs, educational institutions and Old Muscat, which is a hive of administrative buildings and cultural landmarks. The peak tourist season from November to April will also see increases in vehicular, pedestrian and cycle traffic around the city centre and beaches along the coastline.
- There are three rush hour periods in Muscat. The morning rush lasts from about 07:00 to 08:30; the afternoon busy period is from 12:30 to 15:30, and the evening rush is from 17:30 to 19:00 from Sunday to Thursday. During these times the Muscat motorway and Sultan Qaboos St are likely to experience congestion. The Bab Al Mathaib Street/Al Mina Street interchange near Majan University College, the Al Bahri Road/Harat A’shamal Street leading to the port complex and the Qurum roundabout near Qurum National Park are other key areas to avoid during these periods.
- Book your rental car in Muscat at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Full-size rental cars in Muscat are around -51% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Muscat
What type of car is recommended for driving in Muscat?
Unless passenger numbers are a major concern, a small economy car or compact is likely the best vehicle for touring the city’s roads due to its affordability and ease of handling. SUVs and luxury vehicles offer a more comfortable ride over extended distances and have a much greater storage capacity than smaller vehicles.
What’s the speed limit in Muscat?
Speed limits in the city of Muscat are determined by the type of road along which you’re driving. On single carriageways through urban districts the limit is set at about 25mph, while along dual carriageways through urban districts speeds between 35mph and 50mph are allowed. Roads travelling through rural areas carry a limit of 55mph, while motorways have a maximum limit of about 75mph. There are active static and traffic cameras used near major junctions, along highways and in residential districts, so heed posted signs at all times.
Where are the best places to park in Muscat?
On-street parking in residential districts is forbidden, so you can only park your Muscat car hire on streets and garages where there are meters. These are in operation from 08:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 21:00 from Monday to Friday, at a rate of about 0.10 OMR (£0.20) for 30min. Between 13:00 and 16:00, and from 21:00 to 08:00, parking is free in all metered zones except where otherwise restricted. Cash, online or SMS mobile payments are accepted.
How much is the price of fuel in Muscat?
The average price of fuel in Muscat is $3.91 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $47 and $62, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Muscat?
Full-size (Toyota Fortuner or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Muscat.
How can I find car hires near me in Muscat?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does a Full Size car hire cost in Muscat?
A Full Size car hire in Muscat costs $148 per day, on average.
How much does a Compact car hire cost in Muscat?
A Compact car hire in Muscat costs $54 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Muscat?
An Economy car hire in Muscat costs $52 per day, on average.
What is the most popular rental car location in Muscat?
In Muscat, cars are most frequently hired at Dollar Adjacent Globe R/a Sohar Main (2 km from city centre ).
Muscat car rental reviews and directory
Avis
9.2
Wonderful
3 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
10.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
10.0
Value for money
10.0
3 locations in Muscat
Filters
Reviews
4.8 Mediocre
Jan 2018
Cons:
1 person on the desk to serve everybody: +30min waiting to pickup the car. Supposed to be upgraded... i think I have been rather downgraded. No check at dropoff and when i insisted, 1 person (speaking neither english nor arabic) came with me just to take the car and park it in the good place... hard to have a paper with "ok accepted"... hope not to have any surprise in the future (ghost bills!)Europcar
9.0
Wonderful
4 reviewsCleanliness
9.2
Comfort
8.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.8
Value for money
8.4
13 locations in Muscat
Locations in Muscat
Filters
Reviews
7.2 Good
Apr 2019
Cons:
The car quality was not that much, it was for 24 hours and there was noises from the car since I pick it10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2023
Budget
6.0
Okay
8 reviewsCleanliness
4.0
Comfort
6.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.0
Value for money
6.0
3 locations in Muscat
Filters
Reviews
8.4 Very Good
Apr 2018
Pros:
Pick up was easy if a little slow. Return was easy but a little confusing since there was no notification to say what to do. Good value for money, specially Car received was in good condition, clean and fueles up.Cons:
Limiting mileage to 200km a day is annoying. I didn’t need more but it made me feel like I was renting from easy-rent-a-car.5.6 Fair
Apr 2017
Cons:
That i had to call them few times in order to unlock my deposit after checkout.5.2 Fair
Apr 2017
Pros:
Exact car that was listed.Cons:
Pick up and drop off was slow, I wanted to opt out of insurance (credit card covers it) and they didn't seem to know how to do that, no one around to receive the car at drop-off.2.0 Poor
Mar 2017
Cons:
They add 5 oman riyal for the parking befor I received the car The time to dropping the car its take very long time coz he wrote manual Car was very small and not what i rent online7.6 Good
Feb 2017
Pros:
The rental return process was much faster than a year ago, probably because there is an operational garage now to return the car, rather than returning the car at the curb where it is chaotic.Cons:
The rental car pickup process was still slow. A lot of writing on the contract by the clerk at the counter which negates the online reservation work that I did. Seemed very redundant and time-consuming. You expect a quick pickup process and to be on your way.5.6 Fair
Feb 2017
Pros:
The car was in reasonable shape and priced competitively. I was able to pick it up at the airport and avoid a shuttle.Cons:
The attendant failed to give me a ticket to exit the parking area, and when the exit gate wouldn't open without one, I had to back the car up a ramp and around several corners, park the car and walk back to the rental counter to get one. Then she failed to tell me I would need it on the other end to enter the garage when I returned the car. They charged me an additional 1/2 OMR (a small amount) which was no big deal , but they insisted it was my problem, not theirs. The check in procedure took about 30 minutes and put me close to missing my flight. Back home it would have taken 30 seconds. The car upholstery was dirty. There is an additional charge of 5 OMR = $12.50 for parking that was not included in the quoteDollar
6.0
Okay
13 reviewsCleanliness
7.4
Comfort
7.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.8
Value for money
6.5
2 locations in Muscat
Filters
Reviews
2.8 Poor
Mar 2019
Cons:
Scam. Car advertised by Dollar as SUV however no whatsoever off-road functionality. Just looks. Totally unsuitable for Oman roads for which an SUV is required. Dangerous. Stay away.6.0 Okay
Mar 2019
Cons:
The reservation mentioned unlimited mileage and when picking up the car, the company tried to impose a limit. Then, they were extremely slow bringing the car - we had to wait more than half an hour after finishing all the paperwork. Drop off was smooth.3.2 Poor
Mar 2019
Cons:
There was no car available on the pickup date. After 2 hours waiting I was provided with a small car, and I had to come back to airport the next day to change the car. This time I was given a proper sized car however lower class (I booked a premium car I was given a standard). no apologies by dollar8.8 Very Good
Mar 2019
Pros:
Great car, good staff at drop off and pick up.Cons:
Poor signage at airport led to mistakes and extra time to find drop off. Unnecessarily difficult, but this is for all rental cars at MCT, not just Dollar.8.0 Very Good
Nov 2022
8.0 Very Good
Nov 2022
National
8.1
Very Good
No reviews available
One location in Muscat
keddy by Europcar
5.9
Fair
No reviews available
4 locations in Muscat
Priceless
5.7
Fair
No reviews available
One location in Muscat
Sixt
No score available yet
3 locations in Muscat
INTERRENT
No score available yet
One location in Muscat
Filters
Reviews
2.0 Poor
Dec 2017
Pros:
We didnt manage to get the car due to unable to give a credit card as deposit and i have been emailing the car rental for refund but it has been 3 days and still no respond. Please help me to do something.Cons:
I want a refund!5.6 Fair
Sep 2016
Pros:
It's convenient to pick up and drop off the car in the airportCons:
Firstly I booked the Mazda car. But they gave me Nissan Sunny and telling me that this is an upgrade. In fact I'm not so familiar with the car range whether or not it is really an upgrade. But overall the car condition is good. I just thought that this kind of contradiction can be avoided. Nobody informed me in advance we should clean the car before returning. In fact we didn't make the car too dirty but just some sand on the car carpet and dirt at the external car body. This is very usual for the customers who hired the car for 4 days. Eventually they just charged OMR5 just for the cleaning. Last but not least, during the pickup the staff asked me to park at P2 when I return the car. I follow exactly their instruction but during the care return, they wanted me to pay for the parking fee OMR 0.500 and I'm not happy. I explain that this is what they asked to park here. Eventually they refund me the OMR0.500Discovery Oman
No score available yet
5 locations in Muscat
AST Car Rentals and Tours
No score available yet
4 locations in Muscat
Sunnycars
No score available yet
2 locations in Muscat
One location in Muscat
Locations in Muscat
Seeb International Airport
+968 9747 9007
Filters
No reviews available
One location in Muscat
Locations in Muscat
Seeb Intl Ap
+968 24 521189
Filters
No reviews available
Car hire locations in or near Muscat
Good to know
Most popular car type | Full-size |
|---|