Insurance etc. Oman,UAE, Saudi Arabia

[Sjakkelian]

We are hoping to collect our car in Salalah, Oman sometime between 15 and 22 feb 2008.
Dar es Salaam port is very congested and no one can tell us exactly when the vessel will dock to collect the container.
Our intended route will be; Oman, UAE, Saudi and then Jordan, Syria back to Europe
WE may go west and swap UAE for Yemen
Can anyone share (recent) information on the following,

As we are entering Oman to collect our car we will have a one way ticket. Can we expect any problems geting into the country?
Is car insurance compulsary?
Is there 1 insurance that will cover us for the Om, UAE and SA?
Any info on border crossings from UAE to SA (Gheweirat/ Sila?)

We have a visa for SA and will have visas for Jordan and Syria before entering SA.Will this be sufficiant proof of onward travel (transit)?
Looking forward to your comments


Greetings
Ian

[trui_gaea]

Hi Ian,

Insurance is compulsary in Oman, and even if no-one offers it to you, get one, because it is checked at the outgoing borders. it seems to be compulsary in the UAE, but we didn't manage to find some-one to sell it to us. might be easier with a car, apparently even local motorbikers can't get their bikes insured. a one-for-all-insurance, i don't think so. no idea about sa. if you plan to go via yemen, no insurance asked, visa at the border - for schengen nationals-.

and your ongoing visa should be ok for oman. they're not difficult.

good luck and enjoy

g&t

[DesertSoul]

Oman entry no problem, they're easy, Schengen nationals visa on the border. Insurance in Oman compulsory, 10-day, 3-month, 1-year options, I paid 31 OMR x 1,75 = EUR for the truck for 3 months. Nobody sold me insurance in the UAE, though I was asked about it while leaving the UAE. No shared insurance, even Omani drivers have to get a separate for the UAE.
Take the 3-month insurance for Oman as it is just a great country. 1 month was not enough for me. The 1 month visa can be extended in 5 minutes for another 6 OMR at the Immigration opposite the Muscat Airport. No photos required, just write in CAPITAL LETTERS an application letter on any kind of sheet you find around.
Petrol 0,120 OMR, diesel 0,146 OMR (x 1,75 = EUR). Far more expensive in the UAE.

[Stephano]

[quote=Sjakkelian;172302]Any info on border crossings from UAE to SA (Gheweirat/ Sila?)/quote]
Late reply but maybe useful for others. There is a rest house (N24 00.908 E51 45.913) in Silah which is useful if you plan to make an early start crossing into SA.

SA insurance is sold at a booth after you have cleared immigration & customs.

This border seems pretty well run, efficient and friendly.

If you're heading for Riyadh, watch out for the left turn, soon after the border crossing, which goes directly there in a very straight line. It's not on any of the maps I've seen; including Mapsource Middle East 4. If you miss it, you'll go the long way round!
Stephan

[vicky250gt]

[quote=Stephano;203084]

Originally Posted by Sjakkelian

Any info on border crossings from UAE to SA (Gheweirat/ Sila?)/quote]
Late reply but maybe useful for others. There is a rest house (N24 00.908 E51 45.913) in Silah which is useful if you plan to make an early start crossing into SA.

SA insurance is sold at a booth after you have cleared immigration & customs.

This border seems pretty well run, efficient and friendly.

If you're heading for Riyadh, watch out for the left turn, soon after the border crossing, which goes directly there in a very straight line. It's not on any of the maps I've seen; including Mapsource Middle East 4. If you miss it, you'll go the long way round!
Stephan

yes, the batha border is pretty well run (even on the saudi side) but the issue is that the petrol pump at the border is the only one available for the next 400 odd kms towards riyadh on the Haradh-Kharj-Riyadh road (the left turn stephano mentioned). If you go straight, there are more gas stations, but then you have to drive longer via hofuf-khurais-riyadh (the long way around).

[vicky250gt]

and oh, you will find this road (batha-haradh-kharj-riyadh) on the regular paper maps, if you still use them like me.

[Dessertstrom]

I just bought a Collins Middle East 2006 map and the road is not on that.
I have a 22 litre tank on my VStrom but have nearly been caught out a couple of times.

Vicky250gt,
Do you know that there are a few bikers that meet at Starbucks on the Khobar corniche on a Friday morning around 0800-0900 ? Might see you there.
Planning a few rides including Qatar in February for the Super Bikes.

Cheers
Ian

[Stephano]

[quote=vicky250gt;203421]

Originally Posted by Stephano

the issue is that the petrol pump at the border is the only one available for the next 400 odd kms towards riyadh on the Haradh-Kharj-Riyadh road (the left turn stephano mentioned).

Vicky, that can't be right. My bike doesn't have a range of 400km. The warning light comes on around 220-240 depending on my speed and I'd in trouble at 300km unless I'd been light on the throttle.

We did that road at around 130-140km an hour and filled up at each petrol station we saw once the tanks were at less than half full. I was carrying a small can in reserve but I didn't use it I reached the UK.

Having enough fuel on that road is definitely an issue, that's why I carried the extra, but I wouldn't want to give bike riders the wrong impression.

Anyway, are you coming over to the UAE in December? You can make a note of the petrol stations (which I didn't).
Stephan

[Bin Ridin]

Fill at Batha, then at next station towards Harad which Ithink it about 160kms.
No problem but fill up where you see gas. After Harad, plenty of gas.

[vicky250gt]

Originally Posted by Dessertstrom

I just bought a Collins Middle East 2006 map and the road is not on that.
I have a 22 litre tank on my VStrom but have nearly been caught out a couple of times.

Vicky250gt,
Do you know that there are a few bikers that meet at Starbucks on the Khobar corniche on a Friday morning around 0800-0900 ? Might see you there.
Planning a few rides including Qatar in February for the Super Bikes.

Cheers
Ian

you should buy the local "farsi map" at jarir. They are more accurate (for saudi roads).

hey Ian, its me on the KTM 990Adventure (blue/orange). we've already met a coupla times. I'm riding to Jordan with SWMBO on 23rd Sep.

cheers

[vicky250gt]

[quote=Stephano;203453]

Originally Posted by vicky250gt

Vicky, that can't be right. My bike doesn't have a range of 400km. The warning light comes on around 220-240 depending on my speed and I'd in trouble at 300km unless I'd been light on the throttle.

We did that road at around 130-140km an hour and filled up at each petrol station we saw once the tanks were at less than half full. I was carrying a small can in reserve but I didn't use it I reached the UK.

Having enough fuel on that road is definitely an issue, that's why I carried the extra, but I wouldn't want to give bike riders the wrong impression.

Anyway, are you coming over to the UAE in December? You can make a note of the petrol stations (which I didn't).
Stephan

Hi stephan,

I have travelled twice this route, so that makes it 4 times through the same road. The first time i drove my car from Riyadh, i enquired abt gas stations with my colleagues who gave me this information. On the way, i kept enquiring at each gas station about the distance to the next pump and true to advise, at one last pump, the attendant told me approx 400kms. I filled up 50ltrs and the next gas station was the one i found at the border (which btw doesnt stock 95 octane, only Diesel and 91 Octane petrol !!!) maybe i slept at the wheel on the boring straight roads ??

I'm sorry if i gave any wrong advise/impressions.

Am riding to UAE in dec'08 for sure, but i wont be taking the earlier road as i will be starting from Al-Khobar this time. This route has gas stations aplenty.

cheers