Al Ain Border Crossing

I need to do a visa run soon and was thinking of taking in a trip to Al Ain zoo at the same time. I have found the below info on here but it is dated 2011. Anyone done the Al Ain crossing recently and can advise if it is the same? and also how close is the border crossing to the zoo? Thanks!

In fact what was the Buraimi border post in Al Ain is for GCC nationals only now (as of some years). You would need to either go via the Hili, Khatam Ash Shaklah (past the Danat/Intercon) or Mezeyad (past Bawadi Mall) border posts.

The latter option is the fastest (done in 30mins) and involves the least driving. At the other posts you still have a bit of a hack down the road (some 50Km) once you're over the UAE border side before you get to the Oman side to complete your paperwork!

Directions: Drive past Bawadi Mall on LHS and Jebel Hafeet on RHS and keep on going straight and you will hit the border http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=al+ain&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Al+Ain+-+...

Go to UAE side border. You will be asked for your car registration card so make sure you've got it. Go to the car park, enter the office and cough up 35Dhs and you'll get stamped out.

Get back in car and go to Oman side. Hand over your passports and say you want to go round (i.e. visa run). Park car as directed and go in and do your thing (first desk on the LHS). This will cost you 200Dhs. Apparently on Oman side they are asking for credit cards these days (sounds like not all the cash was making it to the till if you know what I mean). Note: if you are a UAE residence visa holder who is accompanying the visa runee and they try to charge you the 200Dhs then say you didn't get charged last time and you shouldn't have to pay (apparently this has worked so worth a shot!).

Go out to car and return to UAE and get stamped back in.

Note: there are a few extra twiddly bits like having bits of paper to present at the next step which are handed to you in the process and a car scan but it's all pretty self evident as you go along.