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National Ferries Company

NFC Ferry

National Ferries Company ( NFC – الشـركة الوطـنية للعبارات) provides transportation services between various destinations along the Omani cost, most importantly between Muscat and Khasab in the Musandam peninsula. The ferries also connects Khasab to Shinas in the North Al Batinha region , and Khasab to Liwa which is also on the Musandam peninsula and is not accessible by road. Apparently NFC also plans to offer ferry services to Masirah island, which will be a welcome addition due to the unpredictability of the current ferry services there.

Our experience on the NFC ferry ride was on our way back from Khasab to Muscat. We drove to Khasab via UAE and had decided earlier to take the ferry back along with the car.

Booking:

We booked our tickets from Muscat in advance, and would like to share the following points to keep in mind if  you are looking to booking tickets with NFC:

  • The NFC website does not offer online booking and you need to go to the Muscat office to make a booking.
  • You have to book and purchase your tickets 24 hours before the trip. You cannot buy tickets on the spot at the time of departure.
  • All passengers must provide a copy of an ID showing dates of birth and the full name when purchasing a ticket. If you plan on buying tickets for other people, make sure you have their ID numbers, dates of birth and full names (best to have a photo copy of their ID).
  • The travel timings shown on the website are estimate and subject to change. We only found out the exact time once we purchased the tickets and we were not informed that the timings are changed from what is on the website.
  • If you plan to take your car that is not registered under your name, make sure you have a letter from the owner stating that is OK and a copy of the owner’s ID card, otherwise you can’t get the car on the ferry.
  • Know the opening times of the office you are visiting, the Khasab office closes at 12:30 on Thursday for example.

The list has more negatives than we would like it to, but the booking process for the ferry seems to be much more complicated than it has to. The website should just provide online booking and you get the exact timing of your trip one your ticket and that is it!

Schedule and Fares:

You can find the ferry schedule here (outdated link), and the fares here (outdated link). But please be aware that there are subject to change.

The Muscat-Khasab ferries operate 4 days a week, leaving Muscat Sundays & Wednesdays 12:00 pm and leaving Khasab Tuesdays & Fridays 12:00 pm. If you wanted to take the ferry to Khasab for the weekend it will be almost impossible to fit it with your working schedule unless you took Wednesday off, especially if you consider having to be at the port 2 hours in advance. Having the ferry trip at a later hour in Wednesday will inevitable make it a more attractive option for Muscat residents wanting to visit Musandam, and we presume also to Musandam residents working in Muscat!

NFC Ferry

The Khasab-Muscat route costs about 23 R.O per person (one way), which is reasonable for a 5 hours ferry ride that saves you from having to drive ~500 kms. There is also an extra charge if you are taking your vehicle on-board, and it depends on the the type of vehicle (saloon, 4X4, etc..).

The Ferry Ride:

The good news is that once you get your tickets its smooth sailing from there! You have to be in the pot 2 hours prior to departure, we noticed passengers boarding up to an hour before departure so may be this is not strictly enforced. We found the ferry ride to be very comfortable and smooth and the staff on-board professional and courteous. The chairs are comfortable and there are TVs inside, with meals and snacks provided in the trip which took about 5 hours.

NFC Ferry

Overall, we really enjoyed taking the ferry from Khasab to Muscat, and would definitely consider taking the ferry again if we were to visit Khasab and the beautiful Musandam peninsula.


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22 replies on “National Ferries Company”

Thank you for answering my questions conveniently – where do I book, what does it cost? One would think a website would have such information or at least a hint at where to go or how to book…and I’m with you on the idea that they should just go ahead with on-line booking like most ferry systems worldwide…

plz can some body help me for accommodation i can there apartments in low prices compere to hotels

Recently, NFC has opened the international route between Khasab and Qeshm in Iran. I am a Turkish citizen who’s intending to do a long time backpacking World tour starting eastbound next year. To avoid the dangers in Pakistan when going to India, and include one Arab World country in my itinerary, I’m thinking about the option of travelling to Oman by ferry from Iran and then continueing to India by flying from Muscat. I can enter Oman with a visa on arrival, but I am not sure if it can be processed from Khasab Ferry Terminal.Is there any information on the visa facilities in Khasab Terminal?

Is there any ferry service to Muscat to Khasab during the Eid holidays?. Please advise to and from date
and time. What is the fare for 3 adults with one saloon car.

Thanks

I want to travel from shinaas to khasab
Wheather passport is reqired are not i have a oman resident card. Pls let me know the timings and the ticket price .

What is the frequency of your ferry going in between Muscat and Bandar Abbas, Iran, please?
I am planning a quick trip from Iran to Muscat this beginning of October 2017.
Will appreciate the information, and also if you can tell me where to buy my tickets in Bandar Abbas, Iran for the ferry.
Thank you

what is the schedule of ferry from Muscat to Kashab during the National Days holidays (i.e. from 1st to 5th December) to and fro journey. Can the tickets booked online?

Hi team
Can I get your complete email address phone number contact person etc to propose a business plan to promote your ferry service other than Muscat Khasab.
Regards

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I want travel Duqm to Khasab with My family, its possible What is the fare for 2 adults with one saloon car.

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