Muscat to Saint Petersburg Flights

  About Muscat

Located on the shores of the gorgeous Gulf of Oman is the capital of the country, Muscat. It is a very popular city which is highly renowned for its luxe lifestyle and upscale living. The city was once colonized by the Portuguese and hence, has many Portuguese=-influenced monuments and tourist attractions.

Best time to visit Muscat

Muscat's location is directly above the Tropic of Cancer. Due to this, the weather is hotter and the landscape, arid. Even though it does have the Gulf of Oman on one side, the climate remains hot and dry throughout the year. In fact, summers here are rather unbearable as the temperatures average at 40 degree Celsius. Summers in Muscat start from April and last till October. Out of all the months, June is considered to be the hottest month in Muscat. Hence, travelling to the capital of Oman during these months would be unfavourable for your travel plans. You should know that tourism is at its low due to the excess heat. The summer heat actually makes people stay indoors. With such striking temperatures, it would certainly not be ideal for planning a trip to Muscat. The hotel prices drop drastically in Muscat during the summers. Unsurprisingly, with lack of tourism, the hotel prices are cheap in Muscat during the summers. But since the weather is not ideal for touristy activities, the city witnesses fewer crowds.

With October through February though, the temperatures are extremely low and favourable. The winters months bring forth lovely cold winter breezes. Much like a majority of the desert countries of the Middle East, Oman too, witnesses the same kind of winter where the temperatures drop to a pleasant low and the days are bearably hot. This is considered the ideal time to visit Muscat. November and December are especially the most favourable months to visit Muscat. You can indulge in a plethora of tourist activities, visit some of the finest attractions and engage in some beach fun too. Everything about Muscat turns beautiful and alluring during these months. The hotel and flight prices also see a spike as tourists turn their attention towards Muscat. The price range for hotel and flight bookings see a dramatic spike. The best way to deal with this conundrum would be to make advance bookings of flights and hotels in Muscat. That way, you will be able to make good savings. Not to mention how you can make good use of the money saved for other activities. Muscat also witnesses rainfall with February considered as the wettest month in the city.

Places to visit in Muscat

Muscat's The Royal Opera House is a famous venue that celebrates the music, art and culture of Oman. The white structure with golden and brown interiors is gorgeous and was built on orders by the royal Sultan Qaboos of Oman. The architecture reflects the ubiquitous Omani-style and is perfect to enjoy a luxe evening in the city. The Mutrah Corniche is another lovely place which is located by the Gulf of Oman. While the waterfront offers a stunning view, the structure is heavily inspired by the Arabic architecture. The Al Mirani Fort is also a tourist attraction which is located by the harbour of the Old Muscat. The brown structure built by the Portuguese is quite an attraction in the city. Perched up the harbour of the Old Muscat is the Al Jalali Fort. It was originally built under the role of Philip I of Portugal. The structure was made to protect the harbour after the Ottoman forces attacked the city of Muscat. The historical structure has seen quite a lot of bloodbath and hence, plays an important role in the city's history. You should also visit the Al Alam Palace, which is a ceremonial palace that has been built by Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

Things to do in Muscat

The best way to understand more about the history and cultural significance of Oman is to head to the Bait Al Zubair Museum. The place sees many interesting costumes and weapons used in the ancient times. Right outside the museum is the famous Omani village along with souk. Souk is basically a spice village where you will find some of the most exquisite Arabic spices. It is certainly a place to check out and even purchase if you wish to. The Mutrah Souq is one place that would excite the shopaholic in you. The Souq market has room for all kinds of spices, goods and even ethnic Omani jewellery. While there are many tourist attractions that can be checked out in the city, the nightlife and shopping districts are quite the indulgence. From sheshaa parlours to luxe dining restaurants, you will have a great time in the city. The beaches in Muscat are also quite blue and pristine. You can visit the beaches and even take some lovely pictures with the blue waters in the background.

Food and Restaurants in Muscat

Oman's population is predominantly of international descendants. Hence, the restaurants and food establishments are usually constructed in a design to please the international crowd. It is majorly seafood as the city's proximity with the Gulf of Oman enables this. You will find some of the most elegant restaurants and fine dining establishments in the city. Much of them are high-priced and offer an upscale food culture. However, with the exquisite experience, indulging in this scene is certainly recommended. You can visit the Slider Station to relish some tasty hamburgers with an array of slider options provided to the customers. Their gooey chocolate desserts are also a big hit among tourists. To get a more authentic food experience in Oman's Muscat, you should visit Ubhar. The place offers the city's finest Omani cuisine with an exemplary ambience. Their halva and camel biryani are a must-have so do not miss them. The Beach has a luxury overview and faces the breath-taking Gulf of Oman. Not just delicious food but also a stunning view helps this establishment to attract a crowd.

The restaurant offers a slew of interesting seafood including mussels with kaffir lime, lobster tail carpaccio and grilled fish. The platter is certainly to blow your mind. Bin Ateeq in the city has a nice Arabic vibe with the decor reflecting the Omani culture. The dishes are also quite interesting as they range from mutton magbous to harees. The place would give you quite the taste adventure that you have been seeking in Muscat. For a more European and British ambience, you should check out Duke's Bar Muscat. The place is known to be one of the best pubs that you will find in all of Muscat. Not just a fancy pub vibe but the place also has impeccable food with lamb chops, tangines, kebabs and curries taking top honours. Tché Tché is a Jordanian vegetarian cafe. For those who do not wish to revel in a seafood platter or mutton meat, this cafe is perfect for you as you will find the best vegetarian food, including sandwiches, fukhara, salads accompanied by flavoured hookah pots and pipes. It is fairly new and has managed to spread its wings.

How to reach Muscat (Transportation)

Muscat is one of the most accessible cities from India with excellent flight connectivity. There are connecting flights as well as nonstop direct flights to Muscat from many Indian cities such as Mumbai, Kochi, Mangalore, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, to name a few. The demand for Oman and Muscat from India is quite high as many flock over to the Middle Eastern country for employment prospects. Due to this, the flight connectivity to Muscat has also improved drastically. Airlines such as Oman Air, flydubai, GoAir, Srilankan Airlines, IndiGo, Saudia, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, have dedicated flights to Muscat. A majority of airlines of the Middle East have plane services flying to Muscat. Although several direct flights are available to the city, the most popular route to Muscat chosen by airlines is to fly from the West coast of India. In fact, some of the flights have layovers in Dubai and Bahrain. Besides direct flights, other international routes to Muscat fly from Dubai and Bahrain as they have the best connectivity.

The flight duration to Muscat from India ranges from three hours and forty minutes to seven hours and forty minutes. The prices for cheap flight tickets to Muscat depend on the duration and airlines chosen. The flight tickets to Muscat are quite cheap and affordable. Aside from tourism, a majority of the crowd from India travel to Muscat for professional purposes and hence, the demand is always prevalent. Booking flights to Muscat will come with great online deals. As long as you choose a good airline with great miles benefits, you will be able to snag some cheap flight tickets to Muscat. In fact, if you book in advance and do not opt for peak tourism season, you will be able to avail some online flight deals to Muscat. Booking flights, as well as hotels in Muscat, would further lead you to some massive discounts online. It is essential that you make prior flight bookings to Muscat if you want to be eligible for some of their online deals. The hotel prices vary depending on the tourism season. The dry and hot season witness fewer tourists with a drop in the hotel prices.

  About Saint Petersburg

Russia's famous port city, Saint Petersburg, is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The city raves some of the best tourist attractions for being one of the big cities in all of Russia. The city was part of the imperial capital for two centuries before the baton was passed to Moscow. While it is not the capital anymore, the city continues to remain the cultural hub of Russia.

Best time to visit St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg enjoys cold weather throughout the year. The temperatures even tend to go in the negative as the geographical features are such. During winters, you will actually get to experience negative temperatures that range from -5 degree Celsius to -2 degree Celsius. With such extreme temperatures, winters shut down the city. While some domestic businesses do function, the city mostly shut as traversing within St. Petersburg is quite risky. With frostbites and breathing problems that could crop up due to the extreme cold, many avoid winters to visit St. Petersburg. The days are short during winters, and the temperatures certainly don't spell 'vacation'. Hence, the best thing to do would be to avoid the months of October through mid-April. Some festivals do take place in the city. However, the cold temperatures make it tough to enjoy the fun, vibrant events. The hotel prices do take a dip as the tourism industry sees less action. This is probably the only time when you will get to enjoy the inexpensive hotels in St. Petersburg.

As long as you are open to brave the cold and freezing winters of the city, booking flights and hotels in St. Petersburg during winters will get you multitudes of discounts. Months from June through September see the best of St. Petersburg. Although the temperatures don't really escalate to a pleasant 25 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius, the average 20 degree Celsius does uplift the city's spirts. Many festivals take place during these months as the sun is present for 24 hours. The city is literally awake the whole time during the summer months, and it only adds to the beauty of St. Petersburg. Restaurants and bars also extend their working hours as the city is practically awake the whole time. This doesn't mean you will have a smooth trip. The summers experience a massive surge in the hospitality sector as many tourists from around the world flock over to visit St. Petersburg. Booking a hotel in St. Petersburg during their summers is quite challenging and comes with an exorbitant cost. However, as long as you make advance hotel bookings in St. Petersburg, you might be able to avail good discounts.

Places to visit in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has a plethora of art galleries and architecture that you will enjoy. You can start exploring by visiting the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Built in 1764, the structure was originally reserved for private art collections. However, it has come out to be one of the most famed attractions in St. Petersburg. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is another such attraction that will pique your interest with its story. Plus, the architecture of the place further makes it an alluring sight. St. Isaac's Cathedral is a beautiful neoclassical structure that has managed to survive a lot of ordeals, including the Nazi shelling and World War II. You should also visit Peter and Paul Fortress. It is actually the place where the city of St. Petersburg was founded, hence holds a lot of historical relevance. Do not miss the Catherine Palace and Park. The fanciful structure, with its Russian-inspired architecture, is something worth exploring. You can learn about the royal heiress too. UNESCO has recognised Peterhof Palace and Garden as a World Heritage Site.

Things to do in St. Petersburg

The city's museum is perfect for you to learn more about Russian history. Do visit the Russian Museum for the same. You can also go to the Fabergé Museum for more cultural enlightenment. Opera and ballet are recognised to be popular art. You can catch a show at the Mariinsky Theatre which has shows of Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. A walk around Alexander Park is also a good way to spend your time in St. Petersburg. The large expanse of the garden is perfectly designed to bring about a lovely and serene vibe. During the warm seasons, the bars and pubs are open till late in the night. Perhaps you can actually hang out there, maybe chat up with the locals and have a good time downing some vodka. There are boat rides too that are available in the city. You can take it up and soak in the beauty of the city.

Food and Restaurants in St. Petersburg

Much like Moscow, even St. Petersburg has a slew of lovely Russian cuisine along with international flavours. Although you might not be able to find those contemporary Mediterranean dishes, it would still be quite a fancy spread. The Russian cuisine is a testament to their geographical features and lifestyle. To combat the excessively cold winters, they need to keep their body warm. This means to consume as much stews and borschts that one can find. Don't be surprised to get hold of the classic Russian dishes as the city has them aplenty. Food spread including borscht, stroganoff, caviar and cabbage stew, are staple to the city. The good thing about food in St. Petersburg in comparison to the country's capital, Moscow, is that the prices are cheap and affordable. Moscow's restaurants put quite an exorbitant price on the menu for the dishes. However, in St. Petersburg, you wouldn't have to worry about that. The restaurants and food establishments make exquisite dishes and are pocket-friendly. When you're in the city, there are some must-haves that you should add to your list.

Aside from the traditional staple food that you'll find, do not miss the Russian version of crepe and pancakes that comes with caviar stuffing. These snacks are affordable and perfect to be relished under the Russian sun. There are many street vendors that are present in every corner, serving piping hot stews and such comfort food on the go. However, if you wish to upscale your dining experience just a notch, then head to Literary Cafe, located on Nevsky Prospekt. They serve the traditional Russian meal and once played host to celebrities such as Pushkin and Dostoyevsky. If you wish to see some variations in the Russian dishes, Hamlet + Jacks have some interesting meals, including Siberian venison and Baltic herring. Phali Hinkali is also a good place to chow down hearty delicacies which are inspired from Georgian cuisine. The city does have fusion food with an elegant setting. Places such as Palkin, Probka and Bekitzer, to name a few, have some interesting food that will go down well with your system. They are a little pricey, but the vibe is what they sell.

How to reach St. Petersburg (Transportation)

There is no direct way to reach St. Petersburg from India. One will have to face layovers and change flights to reach the Russian city. The flight connectivity to St. Petersburg from India is decent. It could be better, but due to the little demand the city has from India, there are fewer airlines and flights connected to reach St. Petersburg. The most popular route to reach St. Petersburg is through Warsaw in Poland. Warsaw has the best flight connectivity to St. Petersburg. Hence, you will have to go through the European route to reach St. Petersburg. Airlines such as Uzbekistan Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch, Aeroflot, Swiss, Lufthansa, Emirates, to name a few, offer dedicated flights to St. Petersburg. Much of the layovers take place in cities such as Warsaw, Frankfurt and Paris. In fact, Paris is another popular international route to St. Petersburg that is favoured as the connectivity from the French capital is immaculate. There are layovers and flight changes that you will have to deal with on your way to St. Petersburg. Not to mention how a transit visa will also be required.

Since a majority of the popular routes to St. Petersburg fall in European cities, a Schengen transit visa is required. However, acquiring a visa would be quite easy. You can get in touch with the embassy for the same. The flight duration is close to 14 hours if you opt for the Paris route to reach St. Petersburg. It is by far the best international route to choose to reach St. Petersburg. However, depending on the airlines and flight ticket costs, the duration also varies. The summers in St. Petersburg are peak season for tourism so there might be a surge in flight tickets to St. Petersburg. Hence, to avoid paying excessively for flight tickets to St. Petersburg, you can make prior flight bookings online. It would be convenient and might also come with some online discounts and deals. You can make your flight and hotel bookings in St. Petersburg together to avail some online deals and discounts. Plus, the peak season would lead to a lack of good hotels, so it is best to make hotel reservations in advance to avoid any problems later.

  About Muscat Airport

Muscat International Airport, which was formerly referred to as Seeb International Airport is located in Seeb, which is about 32 km away from the capital city of Oman, Muscat. The airport plays as a hub to domestic carriers Oman Air and Salam Air, both featuring flights that fly from Muscat International Airport to regional and international destinations.

About Airport Terminals

Muscat International Airport started with one passenger terminal but soon expanding to introduce a new terminal building to add to its infrastructure. Currently, there are two functioning terminal buildings out of which, the newer terminal has been built to cater to world-class stature for being extravagant.

Terminal 1 is the new state-of-the-art building that is located in the north of the original terminal. It opened in 2018 and has since managed to accommodate a capacity of 20 million passengers in a year. More expansion plans are under works as the airport body plans to increase the terminal's passenger capacity from 24 to 48 million in a year. The terminal is sprawled over 580,000 sqm with about 118 check-in counters, 82 immigration counters, ten baggage claim conveyor belts, 45 gates and an Air Traffic Control tower which stands at the height of 97 m. Terminal 1 nestled between the old and new runway and also has the capacity to handle massive aircraft, including the Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s.

Terminal 2 is a solo building that is two-storyed and was opened back in the 1970s. The airport with this terminal came into existence as a replacement to the Bait al-Falaj airport. Over the years, the terminal has witnessed several expansions and upgradations to accommodate the growing numbers of passengers flying in and out of Oman. There are 58 check-in counters, four baggage claim conveyor belts, 23 departure gates, service counters and duty-free shops. The terminal does not have jetbridges but transports passengers and crew using shuttle bus services within the airport premise. Ever since the new terminal opened in 2018, all the flight operations, both international and domestic, have been shifted to the new building. Plans to develop the old terminal are in the works. The airport authority is outlining a proposal to build the terminal into a low-cost carrier.

The airport originally had a single runway which is capable of accommodating aircrafts such as Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 777. The new runway though is far more accomplished as it can accommodate bigger aircrafts such as Antonov An-225, Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380. The older runway is currently shut down for expansion purposes, along with the old terminal.

About Airport Authority

Muscat International Airport is owned and operated by Oman Airports. Over the years since the operations of Muscat Airport fell under Oman Airports' wings, the airport authority has been working tremendously on expansion and development plans to upscale the airport's premise.

Top airlines flying from Muscat International Airport

Oman sees tremendous flight action from Indian cities and the Middle East ones, respectively. Muscat International Airport has reserved flight operations for Indian airlines. Some of the important Indian airlines operating from Muscat International Airport are Air India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo and SpiceJet. They have dedicated flights that fly to and from various Indian cities. Most of the cities that have direct flights to Muscat include Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Mangalore, Hyderabad and more. Specific cities in Kerala such as Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram have direct flights connecting to Muscat International Airport. Hence, there is space accommodated for activities of Indian airlines.

Similarly, there are many international airlines too that operate from Muscat International Airport. Air Arabia, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, KLM, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, SalamAir, Saudia, Srilankan Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines, are some of the airlines that operate from Muscat International Airport. These airlines connect to major international cities such as London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Cairo, Paris, Istanbul and Bangkok. The airport can only accommodate one cargo carrier namely, Cargolux, which travels to Luxembourg.

Facilities at Muscat International Airport

Lounge - Muscat International Airport has the famous Primeclass Lounge which offers a slew of facilities that are open 24/7. The lounge is on the fifth floor of the terminal. They offer game zone, private suites, prayer areas, family rooms, spas, smoking areas, cinema and more such facilities. They also have buffet services and international cuisines.

Hotels - You can make hotel bookings at the airport as there are dedicated booths and counters. It would be easy to get an idea of the numerous airports located in Oman.

Baggage - The airport has excellent baggage services such as trolleys, porter facilities and luggage wrapping. You can find access to trolleys at all convenient places at the Muscat International Airport. Along with this, you can also avail porter services. You will need to book porter services from the airlines, though. Or you can also go to the airport's information desk and book a porter service. There are plastic wrapping services for luggage. It is recommended as sealing bags would help evade damage, mishandling, drug smuggling, theft and more.

Smoking zones - Smoking in public is prohibited. Hence, the airport has reserved specific smoking zones where passengers can smoke. They are present in the Departures transit area as well as Arrivals public concourse.

Medical services - The airport caters to medical services along with emergency paramedic. There are first aid rooms that are present at various locations of the airport. Pharmacies are also available at regular intervals of the terminal.

Prayer rooms - There are separate dedicated prayer rooms for men and women at the airport terminal. The prayer rooms are located in pairs and are present at the departure and arrivals zones of the terminal. Details of the same can be found on Muscat International Airport's website as well as the information desk of the airport.

Nursing stations - To cater to new mothers with infants, the airport has installed various nursing stations and baby care rooms. The maps located at the airport will guide you to these rooms. They are well-maintained and regularly sanitized. Not to mention how they also have baby essentials, in case the parents exhaust their products.

WiFi - Free WiFi can be availed at the airport. You can log in to the system by learning about the same at the airport's information desk. You can further receive more details on Muscat International Airport's website.

Special assistance - You can opt for special assistance at the airport. It would be more convenient to get in touch with the airlines as that would give them time to arrange for all the necessary requests. Special assistance is mostly granted to senior citizens, expectant mothers, mobility disabled and more.

Spa - Muscat International Airport has a dedicated Be Relax Spa which would transport you from all the hustle-bustle of the airport. The spa's decor is of high quality, and the services are also world-class. One can easily relax at the airport's spa while waiting to board flights. There is premium also offers available for travellers. The spa offers a plethora of services ranging from aromatherapies to nail care.

Restaurants and cafe - Food establishments and joints are spread across the terminal of the airport. You can find all kinds of food at the airport from vegetarian to non-vegetarian to vegans. Muscat International Airport also has exquisite dining experiences at the lounge facilities.

How to reach Muscat International Airport

Muscat International Airport is perfectly located between Muscat and Al-Seeb cities. If you are travelling from Muscat, you should take Sultan Qaboos Highway which connects from the west of Muscat City. The same route needs to be followed if you are coming from Seeb. Reaching the Muscat International Airport from other parts of Oman is very easy.

Public buses and shuttle services

If you have booked your accommodations within the city, then you can avail shuttle bus services. It would be imperative that you complete your immigration and other essential formalities before you can get to the bus. Besides the hotel shuttle buses, there are public transportations also available at the airport. Operated by Mwasalat Transport Company, the bus station is situated on the ground floor, close to Muscat International Airport building. Business and first-class passengers get the luxury of services provided by the airport where they will be transported to their destinations from the airport. You can do the same to reach the Muscat International Airport.

Car rentals and taxicabs

Right outside the Muscat International Airport, you can find taxi services. There are booths at the arrivals where you can book car rentals and taxicabs as well. If you check out the Muscat International Airport's official website, you will be able to directly call up some of the car rental services and book them online or on the phone. The offices are open 24/7, making it perfect for travellers. Besides this, there are taxicab services and airport shuttle cars also available from hotels and accommodations.