Muscat – The Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter) crossing has emerged as a key artery for trade and travel between Oman and Saudi Arabia, with commerce passing through the direct land link reaching about RO1.322bn in 2025.

Opened on December 11, 2021, the 564km route is the first direct land crossing between the two countries, eliminating the need for traffic to transit through a third country and creating a new corridor for goods, businesses and travellers.

Ibrahim bin Saad bin Bishan, Saudi Ambassador to Oman, said trade through the crossing has expanded sharply from about RO1.051mn in 2021 and now accounts for approximately 58% of bilateral trade.

Passenger movement has also grown. Between 2021 and the end of December 2025, the crossing handled around 135,902 Saudi citizens and 640,260 Omanis, alongside 744,262 GCC and Arab nationals, residents and other visitors.

The land connection has become an increasingly important part of wider economic ties between the two neighbours as they seek greater integration under Oman Vision 2040 and Saudi Vision 2030.

Total bilateral trade reached RO2.475bn in 2025, with Omani exports to Saudi Arabia at RO1.257bn and imports from the kingdom at RO1.218bn, according to official statistics.

The momentum continued in the first half of 2026, when trade reached RO1.086bn. Omani exports to Saudi Arabia stood at RO547.6mn, while imports totalled RO538.6mn.

Investment flows are also expanding. Direct Saudi investment in Oman amounted to around RO72.8mn in 2025, while Omani direct investment in Saudi Arabia was about RO115.9mn, according to figures cited by the ambassador.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has opened an office in Oman to identify investment opportunities and help its portfolio companies and private sector partners expand in the Omani market.

The envoy said cooperation is moving into new areas including clean energy, green hydrogen, electricity interconnection, the proposed Gulf railway and joint tourism initiatives.

The economic relationship is backed by the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council, established following His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s visit to Saudi Arabia in 2021. The body provides an institutional framework for following up joint projects and initiatives.

Tourism is another growing link. Oman received 116,880 Saudi visitors in 2025, while 80,917 had arrived by the end of August this year.

The expanding trade, investment and transport links reflected a broader shift towards deeper economic integration, with the Empty Quarter crossing providing the most visible physical connection between the two markets.