Transportation is one of the major topics we consider when traveling to a new place. Most people look for public transport as it is cheaper and a more hassle-free process. With that in mind, part of Qatar’s capital city - Doha, is designed with an underground metro system that was primarily focused on the vision of the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup. The full metro system was initially planned to be entirely underground, but after extending some of its routes, a few lines and stations are now located above the main roads.
If you understand the Doha metro system, traveling anywhere in Doha will be much easier. You can save time and money, which you can then invest in other areas. I can categorize the Doha metro system into three sub-sections to make it easier to understand: the process of reaching your nearest station, the ticketing process, and the route system.
Let’s start with the first point. If you are staying in a hotel or are at a shopping mall, you can search the map for the nearest metro station. If it is within a 1 or 2 minutes walking distance, you can follow the map directions. If it is more than a 5 minutes walk away, you have another free service: a public bus called Metrolink. On Doha roads, there are many of these buses that carry passengers to the nearest metro station. To travel on these buses, you don’t need to buy an additional ticket or pay any fee. If you have a bicycle, you can also use that because every metro station has a parking system for bikes. Another important point: if you are using a wheelchair or a stroller for your babies, every metro station has a lift. This means every station in Doha includes wheelchair and stroller accessible facilities.
Next, let’s talk about the ticketing system. There are two classes of tickets which are very affordable. Standard class is more economical and used by the majority of people. A single journey (from one station to your exit) costs QAR 2, and the maximum cost for a day is QAR 6. This last point initially confused me too. Let me break it down: if you enter and exit the metro six times in a single day, and every journey costs QAR 2, the total should be QAR 12. However, you will only be charged a maximum of QAR 6 for that day. The other class is the Gold Club, which is higher priced and created for a more luxurious experience. It costs QAR 10 for a single journey, while a day pass is priced at QAR 30. You might ask: how or where can I buy these tickets? You can buy them at any metro station using cash or an international credit or debit card. You can buy tickets for a single day, or you can buy a reusable card for QAR 10 and then recharge it (the minimum recharge amount is QAR 10).
Now, let’s discuss the final topic - the metro route map. Doha metro lines are divided into three lines - the Red Line, Green Line, and Gold Line. The Red Line runs near the beach area and is also known as the Coastal Line; you can take this train directly from the airport. The Green Line is known as the Education Line because multiple universities and libraries are located near its stations. Finally, the Gold Line is known as the Historic Line because you can travel to most historical places using this route. Apart from these, Lusail has additional tram lines that are separate, but the starting station is linked to the Red Line.
Finally, I want to mention why the Doha metro is unique globally. First, it is a driverless metro, which is surprising for many first-time riders. You can find coffee or food shops inside many stations, though not every single one. However, soft drink and snack vending machines are available in every station. Some stations have bins inside, while others have them just outside. Prayer rooms and washrooms for both men and women are present in every station. There are also free charging stations for your electronic devices and chairs for passengers to wait for the train. While I am not entirely sure, I observed that no pets are allowed on the train. Every day, 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi is available at the station.
Have you traveled to Doha? If yes, did you use the metro? What was your experience? Do you have any tips to add?
