Route 1 is Muscat’s east–west spine, not an airport shuttle
Mwasalat Route 1 runs along Sultan Qaboos Street between Mabela and Ruwi, but it does not pull into Muscat International Airport’s T1 forecourt. The play here: take the short airport taxi or the dedicated airport bus to the highway, then switch to Route 1 for cheaper travel along the city’s main corridor.
The Route 1 line typically runs from early morning to late evening, roughly 06:00 to 22:00, with buses every 15–30 minutes depending on time of day. Fares on Mwasalat city buses sit in the low single OMR range, often around 0.300–0.500 OMR for many city trips, so after a 3–6 OMR hop from T1 by taxi, you cut your total spend fast if you’re heading far down the line.
Stops on Route 1 include major areas like Seeb, Al Khuwair, Qurum, and Ruwi, all strung along Sultan Qaboos Street. That trunk covers a good slice of Muscat’s hotels, malls, and offices, so one transfer from the airport access road onto Route 1 often replaces what would be a 10–20 OMR door‑to‑door taxi ride from T1.
Route 1 is a standard city bus with front-door boarding, and drivers accept cash fares in Omani rials; keep small notes and coins under 5 OMR on hand. Buses are air‑conditioned and have clearly marked route number “1” in the front window, which matters when several red-and-white Mwasalat buses line up at a highway stop near the airport access.
There’s no Mwasalat ticket counter inside T1, just info boards and general airport help desks, so get the latest Route 1 times from the Mwasalat app or Google Maps before you leave baggage claim. Data works well around MCT, and a 1–2 minute check while you still have Wi‑Fi in T1 can save you waiting 25 minutes by the roadside for the next eastbound bus.
Final tip: screenshot the Arabic and English route name plus “Route 1 – Mabela–Ruwi” before you land, then show that to your airport taxi driver so they drop you right at a live Route 1 stop on Sultan Qaboos Street instead of an empty lay-by.