Thousands Trapped in Gulf Region Seek Desperate Routes Home Amid Iran War

Tens of thousands of travelers remain stuck in Gulf nations as airspace closures and ongoing conflict between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces limit escape options. Many are taking grueling overland journeys through Oman and Saudi Arabia, with some trips lasting over 30 hours and costing thousands of dollars.

Massive numbers of travelers find themselves trapped throughout Gulf nations with limited escape routes as escalating Middle Eastern warfare creates a transportation crisis affecting tens of thousands.

Qatar’s airspace shutdown has left approximately 8,000 transit passengers stranded after U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran commenced. The United Arab Emirates has permitted only restricted flight departures beginning Monday, forcing vacationers and foreign residents to search desperately for alternative exit strategies while Iranian forces conduct regional strikes.

The aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha serve as critical connection points for international travel between European and Asian destinations, processing thousands of daily passengers under normal circumstances.

MARATHON TRIP TO GERMANY

A Dubai resident named Sara, who declined to provide her surname, has arranged an exhausting 33-hour trek to Germany scheduled for Wednesday to guarantee her attendance as best-woman at her brother’s upcoming wedding ceremony.

“I was supposed to have a flight next week, but I just really cannot risk it being delayed whatsoever,” she said.

Sara explained that an online driver she researched thoroughly will collect her at 5 a.m. Wednesday for transportation across the border into Muscat, Oman. Her itinerary includes flying to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for an overnight stay, followed by connections through Amsterdam before reaching Dusseldorf.

“So it’s a very long journey, but for me, it was just important,” she said.

President Donald Trump originally estimated the military engagement would span four to five weeks but has subsequently defended an expanded, indefinite campaign. The warfare has involved Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting not only Israeli and American military assets but also multiple U.S.-aligned regional nations.

Iranian forces struck American diplomatic facilities in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, prompting the State Department to urge immediate American evacuation from more than twelve regional countries.

Multiple nations have initiated citizen evacuations, including Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany, which arranged two charter flights from Riyadh and Muscat to extract particularly at-risk individuals from roughly 30,000 people currently stranded regionwide.

Slovenia coordinated four police-escorted buses transporting its nationals from Dubai to Muscat airport, though evacuation methods for other nationalities remain uncertain.

Throughout the UAE, typically a thriving tourist and commercial center, many desperate travelers like Sara have turned to shuttle transportation and private vehicle services for border crossings into Oman.

EIGHT-HOUR OMAN JOURNEY

Oman has experienced fewer attacks than neighboring countries and maintained open airspace, with flights to non-Gulf destinations continuing largely uninterrupted despite recent cancellations to other regional airports.

National carrier Oman Air and budget operator SalamAir have organized shuttle services from Sharjah station, located north of Dubai, providing Tuesday through Thursday transportation to Oman’s capital Muscat during approximately eight-hour trips.

Social media platforms including Facebook groups and Reddit discussions reveal numerous inquiries from UAE expatriates seeking Muscat airport access routes.

A travel industry representative reported receiving roughly 30 calls since Monday from individuals requesting private transportation to the Hatta border crossing, a UAE mountain community situated one hour from Dubai.

Previously, the 150-kilometer (93-mile) route primarily served Omani visitors enjoying Dubai’s luxury attractions or outdoor enthusiasts traveling opposite directions to experience Oman’s unspoiled mountain terrain.

The agent noted he now transports Ukrainian nationals attempting to depart the UAE, explaining that Omani taxi services and private drivers await travelers on the border’s opposite side, since UAE-registered vehicles cannot operate in Oman without full owner possession.

SAUDI ALTERNATIVE

Saudi Arabia provides another evacuation route for individuals stranded in neighboring territories seeking Middle Eastern departure flights.

A British resident of the kingdom informed Reuters he was visiting Dubai when strikes commenced and successfully returned to Riyadh following an 11-hour Monday evening journey he characterized as seamless.

“I got driven to the Saudi border (Al Ghuwaifat) from my hotel in Dubai…I had a driver lined up on the other side to take me back home in Riyadh,” the British expatriate said, adding WhatsApp groups to coordinate ride shares had been set up to arrange trips via Saudi Arabia or Oman.

The Dubai-Riyadh transportation exceeded $1,000 total cost, representing a dramatic increase from typical economy-class one-way flight tickets between the Gulf centers averaging approximately $200.