BAD PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DETECTED!!
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: BIG THUMBS DOWN, 2/10:
Taxis are horrible, frequently unwilling to ply to the desired destination, Virtually NO public transport has existed in this country for ages, and I cant believe the Government thinks everybody will be owning their cars and driving around for everything without needing to use public transport, may be the rich Qataris may be able to live like that, The country has a 90% expat population and most of them dont seem to have a say in the public initiatives. FIX THE TRANSPORT FIRST!
Dont believe what you read in explore-qatar.com and all the other glossy magazines portraying rosy life in Qatar, unless you have a big fat wallet to draw upon, life will be miserable as an expat (as in any other Gulf country). Cost of living is more than what it would cost in Kuwait..
ROADS ARE BAD!!!!!!!! Full of potholes, frequently dug up and closed..
I cant believe with the kind of money the government has at its disposal they choose to remain silent doing nothing about the bad condition of the roads and instead people are writing about restaurants and bars and fancy stuff...
I wouldn't get into any of these buses, but I can't see why nobody likes the orange old taxis.
They are not the cleanest but hey, at least they know where they are going, they know the city. The drivers aren't so rude. The blue ones are often "hidden" in the city centre or airport, you don't see them patroling the streets. never. The drivers haven't got a clue of Doha streets, I had to direct them to places such as the women's hospital or the corniche cos they didn't know how to get there.
I wouldn't get into any of these buses, but I can't see why nobody likes the orange old taxis.
They are not the cleanest but hey, at least they know where they are going, they know the city. The drivers aren't so rude. The blue ones are often "hidden" in the city centre or airport, you don't see them patroling the streets. never. The drivers haven't got a clue of Doha streets, I had to direct them to places such as the women's hospital or the corniche cos they didn't know how to get there.
Hello,
I telephoned Karwa today, this is the information that I was given after telling them that I was a journalist, working for Qatar Today.
Public bus services: New Mann and Mercedes buses, fully air-conditioned. Fares from QR2.00 to QR7.00 (one-way ticket).
Current Routes (more routes to be added monthly):
Route 33: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to Street 52 (industrial area) via Salwa Road.
Route 76: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to the City Center Mall via the Corniche.
Route 34: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to New Rayyan via Al Aziziya.
Route 43: As above but anti-clockwise.
Route 101: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to Madinat Shamal (the northern point of Qatar) via Shamal Road.
Route 102: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to Thakhira (just beyond Al Khor) via Shamal Road.
Route 102X: Al Ghanim bus station (next to the main Al Fardan Exchange) to Al Khor (Express service via new highway).
Ladies do use the buses, including western expatriates, especially on the service to the City Center.
taxis in doha are more expensive than in dubai. You will find it nearly impossible to hail a taxi anywhere except concentrated areas like malls. You usually have to call for a limo service which, at the best of times is erratic, plus you have to be able to direct the driver to where you are... so if youre new to an area... forget it. Taxis usually fall into 1 of three groups.
1. Orange private taxis - cheap but unclean, unsafe condition of vehicles.
2. Karwa- govt owned, seem to be everywhere till u need one.. plenty at the airport.. more expensive.. dont bother calling cos they wont pick up the phone.
3. Limo service. Usually call for pick up... cleanish cars... expensive (about 2 riyals a km)
there is a bus service... there are routes but i have no idea what the routes are or how reliable they are. One thing i do know is that i have yet to see a bus with a female passenger on board.
When i came here, i lasted about a week before i decided that renting a small car for about 1600 QAR/month was the best option for me.
Road conditions comapred to dubai is like comparing burj al arab with a bed and breakfast. Roads here are absolutely terrible and getting worse daily as they close off more and more major thoroughfares. Road surfaces will shake your tooth fillings out and traffic jams are the worst i have ever seen.
The public works department have done for town planning what Dr Crippen did for medicine.
hope that helps
GIASI
Dear Mohanarun,
Wow, after reading about the transportation problem in Qatar is it anything like Dubai, and why dont they have public transportation and tell me more about the taxis are they expensive or what.
Loulou