Public Transport in Qatar: how to get around
Whether you’re taking a bus in Doha or the tram in Lusail, the public transport network in Qatar is bound to have plenty of options for your daily commute to work.
As an oil-producing nation in the middle of the Persian Gulf, Qatar isn’t the first country you’d imagine taking the train in. But despite Qatar’s reputation as a vehicular paradise, local authorities are in the midst of building a high-quality public transport network with buses, trams, and metro trains
Public transport in Qatar
Given Qatar’s hot climate and the local penchant for a leisurely drive, driving in Qatar is often the easiest and most comfortable way to get around. Although road conditions are generally quite high, high car ownership rates mean that traffic levels on Qatari streets can put full neighborhoods in a chokehold.
If you’re looking for a less stressful alternative to getting around, consider one of Qatar’s best-kept secrets: public transport. Qatar’s public transport network is fast, efficient, and generally quite affordable. A rapidly growing population coupled with the ongoing preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup mean that Qatar’s public transport offerings will only continue to improve.
Public transport apps in Qatar
- The Doha Metro has a standalone app for planning a trip and managing your public transport card. The Doha Metro app is available for Android as well as iOS.
- Need a lift as part of your ride on the Doha Metro? metroexpress is a feeder service in and around six separate Doha Metro stations. Passengers can reserve a spot using the metroexpress app, which is available for Android as well as iOS.
- Karwa Taxi is Qatar’s state-owned taxi company. Pick a taxi, pay for a ride, and track your driver from within the app. The Karwa Taxi app is available for Android as well as iOS.
- Mowasalat, the national public bus transport company of Qatar, provides departure times, ticket sales, and Karwa Smart Card tracking, all within their own app. Karwa Bus is available for Android as well as iOS.
Trains in Qatar
Almost all railway lines in Qatar are owned and operated by the state-owned Qatar Rail, including the Doha Metro as well as the Lusail Tram
Qatar Rail is participating in the Gulf Railway, a 2,177-kilometer project that will add passenger and freight rail services between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Although the Saudi Arabian blockade against Qatar once threatened the Gulf Railway’s future, the restoration of diplomatic ties between Qatar and Saudi Arabia in January 2021 bodes well for the future of regional rail. The Gulf Railway is slated for completion in 2023.
Doha Metro
One of Asia’s newest metro networks, the Doha Metro (مترو الدوحة) began service in 2019. The network has three lines in total:
- Gold Line (خط الذهب): runs from Al Azizyah (العزيزية) to Ras Bu Abboud (راس أبو عبود)
- Green Line (الخط الاخضر): runs from Al Mansoura (المنصورة) to Al Riffa (الرفاع)
- Red Line (الخط الأحمر): runs from Lusail (لوسيل) to Al Wakra (الوكرة) and Hamad International Airport Terminal 1 (مطار حمد الدولي مبنى 1)
A fourth line, the Blue Line, is scheduled to open in 2025.
The Doha Metro uses reusable travel cards that can be reloaded with credit. There are two types of cards: the Standard travel card (QR10) for travel in Standard or Family classes and the Goldclub travel card (QR100), which entitles travelers to first-class Goldclub seating. Cards are valid for five years and can be topped up at ticket machines, online, or through the Qatar Rail app.
Fares for the Doha Metro are the following:
- Single fare: QR2 (Standard), QR10 (Goldclub)
- Day fare: QR6 (Standard), QR30 (Goldclub)
Children under five can ride the Doha Metro for free.
Trams in Qatar
Qatar Rail is currently constructing a tram network in Lusail (لوسيل), a planned city north of Doha. It will connect with two metro stations on the Red Line: Lusail and Legtaifiya (لقطيفية).
The Lusail tram network is expected to begin operations with four lines in 2021.
Msheireb Tram
One tram line in Qatar is not managed by Qatar Rail: the Msheireb Tram. Built by local development company Msheireb Properties as part of a neighborhood regeneration project in Msheireb Downtown Doha, the Msheireb Tram operates on a nine-stop loop through the new city center.
The eponymous Msheireb Tram is a small nine-stop tram loop
The Msheireb Tram runs seven days a week until 21:00. This tram operates free of charge. It also connects with the Msheireb metro station on the Red, Gold, and Green lines of the Doha Metro.
Buses in Qatar
Mowasalat (مواصــــــلات) is the national transportation provider of Qatar, offering buses, taxis, and even limousines to travelers. There are dozens of Mowasalat bus routes, covering most of Doha and neighboring municipalities such as Al Khor (الخور), Al Rayyan (الريان), Al Shamal (الشمال), Bu Samra (بو سمرة), Dukhan (دخان), and Umm Salal (أم صلال). Mowasalat’s bus network centers around Al Ghanim Bus Station in the neighborhood of Old Al Ghanim (الغانم العتيق).
Karwa Bus, the public air-conditioned bus, connects Doha and major places around the country. The buses are operated by the government-owned Mowasalat, the major transport services provider in Qatar.
Currently, there are more than 50 routes available, with the buses operating from 4 am and the last buses timed to depart around 11 pm. Most of the routes operate from Doha Bus Station near the Gold Souq, as per Mowasalat.
Space for wheelchairs is available on most types of buses. Mowasalat advises passengers to procure the “KARWA Smart Card” which is a cashless, ticketless card.
How much is the bus fare?
Fares can go from as little as QR 2.50 (short trips) to QR 9 (to Al Shamal and Abu Samra – the Saudi border) per single ride.
What do you need to know before riding the Karwa Bus?
You need to purchase the Karwa Smart Card because this is what you’ll be using to pay for your bus fare. The Karwa Smart Card has to be tapped during onboarding and while getting off the bus.
To check the bus routes and timings, it’s best that you download the Karwa Bus app – details below.
Karwa Smart Card
Three types of Karwa Smart Cards:
According to Mowasalat, you can choose from the Classic Card, Limited Card, or Unlimited Card.
- Classic Card: Long-term rechargeable card which costs QR 30.
- Limited Card: Good for two journeys within 24-hrs of purchase and costs QR 10.
- Unlimited Card: Good for unlimited journeys but only within 24-hrs of purchase and costs QR 20.
Where to buy and top-up Karwa Smart Card?
Karwa Smart Card can be purchased and recharged at Doha Bus Station, Karwa Bus Stations, through Ticket Vending Machines, select merchants, and Ooredoo Self Serving machines with the Karwa Smartcard logo.
Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) is available at Hamad International Airport, Doha Bus Station, Karwa Bus Station, and The Pearl-Qatar.
You can also recharge your Karwa Smart Card via Ooredoo Money. According to Ooredoo, you can use the Ooredoo Money app or the USSD menu (*140#) to add QR 5-QR 500 to the Karwa Smart Card. You have to enter the first 10 digits of your card number to recharge or top-up.
Taxis and ride-sharing services in Qatar
Perhaps unique in the world, a government-run public transport agency provides taxicabs in Qatar. Karwa is the taxicab arm of Mowasalat with about 7,000 aqua-colored taxis roaming streets throughout Qatar. The following fares apply for taxi rides in Qatar:
- Minimum fare: QR4 (within Doha), QR25 (at Hamad International Airport)
- Rate per kilometer: QR1.6 (within Doha and from Hamad International Airport), QR1.9 (outside Doha and during evening hours)
Passengers can book a Karwa Taxi by calling 800 8294 or using the Karwa Taxi app.
A taxi stand at Hamad International Airport. In Qatar, the different color roofs indicate which company operates the taxi.
Other taxi companies do operate in Qatar. As with Karwa Taxi, most of the car livery is aqua except for the roof; different color roofs indicate a different taxi company. These companies include Al Ijarah Taxi (blue roof), Al Million Taxi (maroon roof), Capital Taxi (black roof), and Profit Trading Taxi (yellow roof).
Some ride-sharing apps also work in Qatar, including Careem, Colo, Qatar Taxi, and Uber.
How disability-accessible is public transport in Qatar?
Despite the country’s metro network still having that new train smell, accessibility on public transport in Qatar is inconsistent. Stations on the Doha Metro are spacious and have fully-accessible platforms. Feeder services such as the metrolink buses are undergoing improvements in this regard; Qatar Rail expects that all metrolink buses will have fully-operational wheelchair ramps and low-floor access in early 2021. On the other hand, metroexpress uses vans instead of buses; as a result, passengers with mobility issues can only use metroexpress if their wheelchair is collapsible.
Platforms on the Doha Metro are built wide for those with mobility issues and use tactile paving for passengers with visual impairments
As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Qatar has made fairly swift improvements to ensure public transport facilities are accessible to all. Accessible Qatar rates all Doha Metro stations as being fully accessible, lacking only in the information provided on the website for disabled travelers. Taxi companies in Qatar, such as the state-owned Karwa, do have wheelchair accessible vehicles, though these must be reserved by phone.
Making a public transport complaint in Qatar
Any complaints or queries should be directed to the public transport company in Qatar that your complaint involves.
For complaints regarding the Doha Metro, Lusail Tram, or metro-related bus services, call 105 (from a Qatari phone number) or +974 4429 3777 (from a non-Qatari phone number). You can also contact the Doha Metro via the form on their website.
Complaints regarding Mowasalat buses or Karwa Taxi should go directly to Mowasalat. Call them at 4458 8588 or use the contact form on the Mowasalat website.
Question and answers about public transport in Qatar
Is there public transport in Qatar?
well sure, and you have options to get around; either by metro or bus or taxi or limo.
Metro. Doha Metro is one of the newest forms of public transport available in Qatar. The Metro’s plan comprises 4 lines (Red, Green, Gold and Blue) covering around 300 km and 100 stations. All passengers need to buy a travel card to use the Doha Metro.
How do people get around in Qatar?
Traveling by car is the main way to get around but Qatar’s public transportation has seen a vast improvement in recent years, largely due to the expansion of its bus and metro services. Most roads throughout Qatar lead to and from the capital city of Doha, where travelers will land at Hamad International Airport.
How is public transport in Doha?
Doha and the rest of the country are dominated by cars. Everybody drives, and while public transport exists in the form of buses and a brand new Doha Metro system, taxis tend to be the easiest way of getting around, and ensuring that you get exactly where you want, when it is too hot outside to walk far.
How do I commute in Qatar?
Those who prefer independence and flexibility can easily move around the country using the accessible and affordable public transport system.
- Bus Services. The bus network connects Hamad International Airport to various destinations across the city, offering a convenient transport option. …
- Taxis. …
- Car rental / Driving.
Is Qatar Metro bus free?
The Doha Metro also has two of its’ own bus networks: metrolink and metroexpress. There are 19 metrolink routes running seven days per week. The buses are free of charge.
Does Qatar have blue roads?
This vibrant side road in Doha was painted light blue to reduce heat. There’s a blue road running by Souq Waqif known as Abdullah Bin Jassim Street. The unconventional idea to paint the road blue was approved by Ashghal, the Public Works Authority, as a pilot project designed to reduce heat radiating from the asphalt.
Is it easy to drive in Qatar?
Driving in Qatar presents few challenges. Cars are left-hand drive, and the vast majority are automatic. Roads are generally in very good condition, even outside the city.
How long does it take to go around Qatar?
You could easily spend four days in Qatar, exploring Doha, the north, west, and south, and leave having seen practically all of the country.
How do you pay for Karwa bus?
Karwa Smartcard can be purchased and recharged at Doha Bus Station, Karwa Bus Stations, through Ticket Vending Machines, select merchants, and Ooredoo Self Serving machines with the Karwa Smartcard logo.
Can you drive from Dubai to Qatar?
Yes, the driving distance between Dubai to Qatar is 694 km. It takes approximately 6h 51m to drive from Dubai to Qatar.
Can a foreigner buy a car in Qatar?
Regardless of the car an expat buys, they will need to register the car at the traffic department and have a valid driver’s licence and car insurance to legally be able to drive in Qatar. With new cars, dealerships often assist with insurance and vehicle registration.
Does Qatar have visa on arrival?
Some visitors to Qatar require a visa, more than 80 countries nationals can enter Qatar visa-free and certain passengers are eligible for visas on arrival. When travelling from Qatar, all expatriate residents, as well as some visitors, must have exit permits.
What happens if I overstay my visa in Qatar?
Overstay fine: If your visa is expired you have to pay QR 20 fine for per day until you receive your resident permit. Good to know: If your employer cancels the resident permit, you will have only 7 days to leave the country.