Test drive of Msheireb Downtown tram begins

The Msheireb Downtown development is an ambitious project that is slowly taking shape. Once completed, it will fully transform the Doha heartland into a busy place.

With an eye on successfully managing the crowd in the area, the officials have started testing out a futuristic tram system in the vicinity. 

The tram and tramway network will operate inside the project site with the general aim of reducing car circulation and travel across the development, according to French company Certifer.Fr.

The tramway network is a single 2km track, closed-loop system, operating in a counterclockwise configuration. The tramway layout includes nine stops, with a 400M hop on-hop off zone. The Tram service will operate between the hours of 6am to 1pm on Sunday to Thursday, and 1pm to 1am on Friday and Saturday, every day of the year.

The Tram is a single-deck, rigid body, self-powered vehicle, with traction power provided by onboard batteries operating with a regenerative braking function. Additional power is available from a small onboard generator fuelled by liquid petroleum gas.