Getting Around Sohar
Sohar is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate, and an ancient port town on the Gulf of Oman that has grown into a major Omani industrial hub. For a visitor, that mix matters: the city spreads out, its landmarks and parks are scattered across several districts, and the practical way to move between them is overwhelmingly by road.
Rental Cars: The Practical Default
Self-driving is the most flexible way to see Sohar, and rental cars are available in the city. One option documented for visitors is Zubair Car Rental, at the Shell Gas Station on As Suwaihara Street, positioned between the Grand Mosque and the Hotel Mercure; it operates daily from 08:00 to 19:00. Having your own vehicle makes it straightforward to string together the sights, which include Sohar Fort, Sohar Gate, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Globe Roundabout, the coastal and fish markets, the handcrafts market, Sohar Beach and the city's several parks.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Sohar has no rail, metro or tram network. There is no train, underground or light-rail service to plan around, so none of these modes should feature in your itinerary. Getting around the city and reaching it from elsewhere is done by road and by air.
Buses and Public Transport
Public transport in Sohar is limited and intercity rather than urban. The Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) has an office at Gail Al Shabool, near Penguin Restaurant, and runs four daily buses from Muscat, a journey of about three hours, as well as services to Buraimi. These are useful for arriving in or leaving Sohar, but they are not a city bus network, so do not count on them for getting between the city's sights. For contact and enquiries, the office can be reached at +968 26 841772 or info@ontcoman.com.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material for Sohar does not document a taxi or ride-hailing scene in any detail. In practice this means you should treat taxis as something to arrange locally on arrival rather than something you can plan around in advance from published information. If you would rather not rely on them, a rental car is the safer bet.
Walking
Sohar is a sprawling, car-oriented city whose attractions — the fort, the mosque, the markets, the beach and the parks — are spread across different neighbourhoods. Walking is pleasant enough for exploring an individual area once you are there, such as the waterfront or a market district, but it is not a realistic way to cover the city as a whole.
Arriving by Air
Sohar Airport serves the city, and daily flights operate from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. If you are flying in, plan your onward transfer in advance, since the city's public transport is geared towards intercity bus routes rather than airport-to-hotel connections. A pre-arranged pickup or a rental car collected at the airport is the most dependable way into town.
Arriving by Road from the UAE
If you are coming from the Emirates, the border crossing at Al Ain is roughly an hour and a half away by car, making Sohar a feasible stop on a cross-border road trip. Drivers entering this way will find their own vehicle the most convenient way to continue exploring the city.
Quick Practical Summary
- Best option: a rental car, for flexibility across Sohar's spread-out sights.
- No rail, metro or tram: none exists in the city.
- Buses: ONTC runs intercity services from Muscat and Buraimi — useful for arrival, not for city sightseeing.
- Taxis: arrange locally; published information is thin.
- Walking: fine within a district, impractical across the city.
- By air: Sohar Airport has daily flights from Sharjah; sort your transfer in advance.
- By car from the UAE: the Al Ain border crossing is about an hour and a half away.