S’pore embassy exploring possibility of evacuating S’poreans in Bahrain to Riyadh via buses
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Vehicles drive past a building that was damaged by an Iranian drone attack in Seef, Manama, Bahrain, on March 1, 2026.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SINGAPORE - The Republic’s embassy in Riyadh is gauging the demand from Singaporeans in Bahrain to be evacuated by land to the Saudi Arabian capital amid a widening Middle East war, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28
In a Facebook post on the night of March 2, the embassy said that it is “exploring the possibility of facilitating an evacuation for Singaporeans” from Bahrain to Riyadh via land, on buses, to take them to safety.
It added that Singaporeans can then journey to Singapore via international flights that are still available in Riyadh, noting that they may have to wait a few days for more seats to open up.
To gauge the demand for the repatriation, it encouraged Singaporeans in Bahrain to fill in a form
It added that this is not a confirmation that the embassy will be mounting an exercise.
The Singapore embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate-general in Dubai also said in a post on March 2 that it is aware of Singaporeans exploring flying to Singapore via Muscat International Airport in Oman.
“While our current advice remains to shelter in place, this is a possible option to explore returning to Singapore if you need to depart soon,” they said.
Singaporeans can travel by the Oman Air airline from Muscat to a third country, and connect to a flight to Singapore.
The embassy and consulate-general stressed that missile and drone strikes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are ongoing, which adds some risk to the road journey from the UAE to Oman.
There are various commercial options for road transport from the UAE to Muscat, including private-hire cars, they said.
The embassy and consulate-general also understand from online sources that the Oman National Transport Company, or MWASALAT, operates bus services from the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Sharjah) to Muscat.
They advised Singaporeans travelling via Oman to confirm their flight itineraries and book their tickets first before leaving the UAE.
Singaporeans in the UAE are also urged to monitor the news closely for updates, anticipate delays at the border, and set aside ample time to connect to their flight and anticipate flight delays.
Singaporeans should also ensure they have adequate travel insurance coverage and sufficient funds for potential extended stays in Oman.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary. We will alert you if there are other options to consider to return to Singapore,” the embassy and consulate-general added.
Reuters reported that Emirates, flydubai and Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of flights on March 2, mainly to help repatriate stranded passengers, as global carriers grapple with disruptions from the escalating Iranian conflict.
The UAE civil aviation authority will begin operating “special flights” across the country’s airports, Reuters reported, citing state news agency WAM. This move, it said, was aimed at helping some of the tens of thousands of passengers stranded in the region leave.
These came after Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the UAE announced at least partial closures of their skies, with notable airlines including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar cancelling services.
On Feb 28, the attack by the US and Israel on Iran targeted and killed some of its top leaders, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
US President Donald Trump said the objective of the strikes was to eliminate “imminent threats from the Iranian regime”, and that this was a chance for Iranians to be free from their government.
