Doha: The organizers of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 announced a set of measures to manage and organize the transportation process during the tournament, to ensure a smooth experience for the fans of the World Cup, in light of the expectations that hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world will attend the activities of the first edition of the FIFA World Cup in the Arab world and the Middle East from Nov.20 to Dec. 18.
This came during a press conference held today in Doha, attended by representatives of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Transport, Qatar Rail, Mowasalat, and the Public Works Authority.
The press conference touched upon the transportation options available to serve the fans coming to Qatar through Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport. including buses, Doha metro, and taxis, in addition to ordering taxis through smart applications, express buses will operate from both airports to help the public reach their places of residence and tourist attractions in central Doha.
Organizers said that during the FIFA World Cup, local residents should use private transportation to get to tournament venues and are encouraged to drive where possible. Visitors are encouraged to use the Doha Metro and public bus services. Direct bus services will be operational to stadiums from five locations around Doha and key accommodation sites.
They added that from Nov.1, Corniche Street will be pedestrianised as it prepares to host a variety of activities for fans during the tournament. Fans are encouraged to use public transport to visit either the Corniche Activation or FIFA Fan Festival, located in Al Bidda Park.
Organizers pointed out that free shuttle bus services are now operating between Souq Waqif metro station and Al Bidda Park, connecting fans to various locations across the B-Ring and C-Ring Roads, and connecting accommodation sites to activations.
During the conference, they added that a vehicle plate management system will be implemented in central Doha from Nov.1. The area covered spans from Al Khafji Street in the north to C-Ring Road from the west and south, and Corniche Street from the east. Under the plan, which is being tested every Friday from 3 PM to 10 PM until 28 October, vehicles with general transport plates and black private transport plates are diverted away from central Doha. During the tournament, this will be operational daily. People who own only one vehicle, as well as public transport vehicles and emergency services, are exempted from the plan. Local authorities will issue fines for vehicles that access central Doha without meeting the exemption criteria.
The Executive Director of Transport Operations at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy Abdulaziz Al-Mawlawi, said: "We worked on developing all solutions to be ready to facilitate transportation throughout the hosting period of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022."
The metro, buses and taxis are fully prepared, he said. The working hours of the Doha Metro will start daily from 6 am to 3 am during the hosting period.
Also, private parking will be provided next to metro stations, and free transportation with the Hayya card will be allowed from Nov. 10 until Dec. 23.
He explained that the transportation operations revolve around transportation by metro through (37) stations to all stadiums and event areas and that buses will be present continuously during the tournament period to cover stadiums and other facilities.
He added that the number of taxis is about (3000) taxis, (11500) cars (Uber) and (3500) cars (Careem), indicating that the sites covered by the transportation system are many, the most important of which are stadiums, media centres, ticket centres, and Haya card support centres, the airport, bus centres, fans presence centres, FIFA media centres, parks and transport areas across five different areas in Doha, 37 stations, six fan villages, three training sites and national teams headquarters, and two ports.
He indicated that the mobility guide will be printed soon and includes all options and details related to transportation and that transportation services for people with disabilities will be available in all means of transportation, including taxis, buses, designated parking lots near stadiums and event venues, as well as the metro network.
Al-Mawlawi pointed out that access to the stadiums will be by different means, namely, private cars, bus services, the Doha Metro with its three lines, taxis (Karwa), (Uber), (Careem), from five locations, namely Qatar University, Al Qassar and Umm Ghuwailina, Al Wakra and Al Wasila.
For his part, First Lieutenant Engineer Khaled Al-Mulla from the Ministry of Interior said that Corniche Street will be designated for pedestrians from Nov. 1 to Dec.19, and a plan has been prepared to facilitate transportation during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Al-Mulla confirmed that there is a dedicated lane for authorized vehicles on the First Ring to separate the movement of buses on public streets to provide a smooth environment for the movement of light vehicles as well as other vehicles on the road.
Concerning parking, he said that the unavailable parking spaces are Souq Waqif parking lots, Al Shouyoukh Mosque and Al-Bidaa parking opposite Al-Rayyan Street, which is opposite Al-Istiklal Street, and all parking spaces are inside the transfer area.
Speaking at a press conference, the Head of Operations Affairs Sector, Qatar Rail, Abdullah Saif Al Sulaiti said the company is fully prepared to receive FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 fans, adding that Doha Metro lines are directly connected with five World Cup stadiums, while buses will transport fans to the other three stadiums.
He added that the metro stations are directly connected to Hamad International Airport, Doha International Airport, and central Doha districts like Msheireb, Corniche, the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) and other event areas.
He said the working hours will be extended to 21 hours daily, from 6 am till 3 am, while on Fridays from 9 am to 3 am, stressing that 110 trains will be available to serve fans, and waiting time to be reduced from five minutes to 165 seconds.
He added that parking services will be provided near metro stations and that Hayya Card holders will use the metro and tram freely.
The Chief Operating Officer of Mowasalat (Karwa) Ahmed Hassan Al Obaidly said that hundreds of buses will be operated, 25 per cent of which will be environmentally friendly and fully electric, and will have a role in transforming the transportation system into an eco-friendly one.
He added that the transport network was developed to operate nearly 800 public buses from 4 am to 11 pm, in addition to Metro Link services, and Metro Express services from 6 am to 12 pm and more than 2,300 buses will operate throughout the day.
Al Obaidly added that more than 3,000 taxis and limousines will be ready to serve the fans and will be stationed at Hamad International Airport, Doha Airport and other vital places in the country.
Doha City Designs Lead, Mohamed Ali Al Marri said that Ashghal implemented a sophisticated network of highways and main streets that facilitate access to all World Cup stadiums, training and accommodation venues for the tournament and the most vital places in the country, fans gathering areas, parks and metro stations.
The company also implemented 1180 directional panels to facilitate access to the stadiums and many facilities related to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and the roads are monitored first through Ashghal's Road Network Control Center in coordination with the tournament's control room.
Al Marri added that more than 6 million square meters of parking spaces were implemented to serve the championship buses and utility vehicles.
The Head of the Land Transport Systems and Policies Department at the Ministry of Transport, Najla Malallah Al Jaber affirmed that the ministry, in partnership with the competent authorities, prepared ways to achieve a flexible experience for users and residents, by working to expand mobility options, create sustainability options.
Al Jaber said that bus stations cover all districts of the country, adding that they are working on developing policies to encourage the use of public transportation and to create the infrastructure supporting that, such as operating eight bus stations.
Focus on promoting sustainability within the framework of the policies implemented by the Ministry of Transport, including the project to apply solar cell canopies in the Lusail bus depot, which is in the process of the inauguration and generates 4 megawatts of clean energy per day, in addition to preparing the infrastructure by providing public electric charging equipment in different parts of the country. (QNA)
