Batinah Expressway: Muscat to the UAE border
The 270 km motorway from Halban to Khatmat Malaha: route, design, travel times to Sohar and the UAE.
2026-10-19
The Batinah Expressway, fully opened in May 2018, runs for 270 kilometres from the end of the Muscat Expressway at Halban to Khatmat Malaha in the wilayat of Shinas, on the UAE border.
Design
- Four lanes in each direction.
- 23 interchanges, 17 flyovers and 12 underpasses.
- Many wadi bridges to cope with flash floods.
Travel times
- Muscat to Barka: about 45 minutes
- Muscat to Sohar: about 2 hours
- Muscat to the UAE border: about 3 hours
Why it matters
The expressway runs inland, away from the older coastal road, and has made the Batinah coast, with Sohar Port and Freezone, an easy drive from the capital.
Living near the main roads
Good road links shape property values in Muscat. R2LUX sells homes in communities where foreigners can own, close to the city's main routes; three current listings are below.
Roads and highways in Oman: a driver's guide
Sultan Qaboos Street: Muscat's main road
Muscat Expressway: the city's inland bypass
