Public transport in Qatar

I’ll tell you what a tourist needs to know about public transport in Qatar. You’ll learn how to move around the city quickly and inexpensively, how to get from the airport, how much it costs, where to buy tickets, and how to hail a taxi. There will be a lot of useful information that will make your travels in Qatar much easier.

However, outside of Doha, the public transportation in Qatar is limited to a network of intercity buses that are completely useless for tourists because their routes do not go to any important sights outside of the capital. If you want to see Qatar beyond Doha, you’ll have three options: renting a car, taking a taxi, or booking a private tour.

• Regarding car rental in Qatar: it’s based on personal experience.

It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Qatar without these websites

Public transport in Doha: general information and types

In general, public transportation in Doha is well developed. You don’t need a car to be mobile here, but you will need one outside the capital. Within Doha, you can quickly and inexpensively get around by metro and taxi for tourists.

Types of public transport in Doha and a brief description:

• Metro. Three lines, 37 stations. Plans for the next 20 years include expanding the metro to 100 stations. It’s the most convenient, inexpensive, and popular mode of transportation. The metro even runs to and from Doha Airport. For 1.6$, in 30 minutes, you can get to the center of the capital straight from the airport.
  • A comprehensive guide to the Doha metro: tickets, prices, passes, which carriage to ride, and how it works.

• Metrolink free bus network. These are buses that run around remote metro stations. They are primarily of little interest to tourists since they’re mostly on the outskirts of Doha, but be aware that they exist.
  • You can see what the Metrolink buses look like in the top photo of this article.
• Trams. A relatively new mode of transportation for Doha. They are not available in the entire city. The tram line was built only in the far north of the city, where it was impossible to dig a metro. The primary objective is to link the new Lusail district to the metro. Tram routes only start at the end of the red metro line and then extend northward. There are no trams in the center of Doha.

Lusail is mainly of interest to package tourists, as it is one of the beach resort areas where you can purchase tour packages and where tourists specifically come for a beach vacation. Here is a list of the best beach hotels in Doha, which includes hotels in Lusail.

However, even if you are staying in Lusail, it is more convenient to use a taxi or metro to travel to the center of Doha and visit the city’s attractions. If there is a metro nearby, it is better to use it. If not, it is easier to take a taxi than to think about a bus or tram, as public ransport in Doha is very inexpensive.

Taxi in Doha

Here’s what you need to know about taxi in Doha:

• All taxi in Qatar are official.
• All taxi in Doha operate through an app on your phone.
• There are two large networks:
  • The international service UBER.
  • The largest taxi service in the Persian Gulf region, Karwa (cars of turquoise color).
  • Both have apps for IOS and Android.

Taxi in Doha is very cheap. On average, a ride of 3-5 km will cost $4-5. You can get to the airport for $10-20, if it’s not rush hour. While the metro is fast and cheap, taking a taxi is a great option if you have 10 bags. Overview of the modern airport in Doha for tourists.

Taxi in Doha are completely legal and safe for tourists at any time of day or night. You can choose which service to use, as their prices are approximately the same. However, keep in mind that to sign up for Karwa taxi, you need a local SIM card number.

Travel tips

Here are the main apps that you can install on your phone before your trip to Qatar. With these apps, you can view routes, stops for all public transportation, and even order a taxi:

• Qatar Rail – a universal app that contains the routes for all city buses, Metrolink, trams, and metro.
• Karwa Journey – the routes for all public transport in Doha, and you can also set your starting and ending points and the app will show you how to get there by public transport.
• Karwa taxi – an app for ordering taxis.
• Uber – download the international Uber app. This is the one that works in Doha.

• For information about the Doha Bus, route, prices, and how to buy tickets, check out the article on tours and excursions in Qatar.

Finally, here are a few tips to help you better understand public transport in Doha:

• Tourists usually only need to use the metro, taxis, and the Doha Bus.
• All Metrolink buses and trams run on the outskirts of Doha. These transportation networks are more for local residents. The main attractions are in the city center, and there is a metro station near each one.
• If you plan to use taxis, you will need internet access. Without it, the app won’t work, and you won’t even be able to order a taxi. Check out everything you need to know about mobile communication and the internet in Qatar for tourists.

In conclusion, public transport in Doha is well-developed, and you won’t have any problems getting from point A to point B, in 95% of cases, the metro will be sufficient. However, outside of Doha, the situation is completely different, and renting a car solves that problem, but that’s a whole other story 🙂

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Qatar

• Flights at the best prices with discounts
• Car rental: DiscoverCars
• Hotels and apartments in Doha:
  • Hotellook – compare prices when booking around the world.
  • Agoda – the best selection of hotels in Qatar.
  • Booking – the main competitor of Agoda.
• Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
  • GYG – more than 400 tours
  • Viator – excursions and activities throughout the country
• Travel insurance: EKTA
• Airport transfer: Intui
• Internet and Calls:
  • Airalo – eSIM in Qatar.
  • Drimsim – universal sim card for frequent traveler.