In an important strategic move, Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail), has commenced apreview service for the first part of the Doha Metro’s Red Line, from Al Qassar in the north, to Al Wakrah in the south. The preview service includes 13 out of 18 stations in the Red Line, which are: Al Qassar, DECC, QIC West Bay, Corniche, Al Bidaa, Msherireb, Al Doha Al Jadeed, Umm Ghawalina, Al Matar Al Qadeem, Oqba Ibn Nafie, Free Zone, Ras Abu Fintas, Al Wakra.
The launch, which was originally planned for 2020, comes almost one year ahead of schedule. Itis an important stage for testing the Doha Metro system with passengers, providing an opportunity to evaluate and review the performance in preparation for the full operation of the network. During this stage,Qatar Rail aims to receive feedback from passengers that will help improve itsservices to provide the bestpossible customer experience, and will devote its efforts to making the necessary evaluations to meet the expectations of the public.
Qatar Rail has announced the operating hours from 8am to 11pm on weekdays. As for the frequency of the trains, there will be a train every six minutes, and the travel time between stations is three minutes. The service will stop during weekends to progress the work required to open more stations and lines.
Eng. Abdulla Saif Al Sulaiti, Chief of Service Delivery at Qatar Rail, said: “The preview service, which is launched ahead of schedule, is a testament ofthe tremendous efforts carried out by Qatar Rail’s executive teams and board of directors, as well as the continuous support of His Excellency the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. Thanks to his continuous support and guidance, many achievements have been made ahead of schedule, and today we stand at a turning point as the project shifts from the development stage to the operational stage. The preview service is a major opportunity to measure the efficiency of the network and the services we provide. The outputs of the preview service are essential for us, and we will build on them as we prepare for the full opening of the network by 2020.”
For his part, Ajlan Eid Al Enazi, Chief of Strategies and Business Development at Qatar Rail, said: “Doha Metro is considered one of the most important pillars of Qatar’s newintegrated transport system. We invite everyone to experience the metro during this phase and to share with us their experience so that we can review the key factors that may affect our services in the future. We will develop solutions to address those factors to enhance the experience of passengers. It is also an opportunity for the public to get a closer look at the new transportation system, become familiar with it, and use it to help us build a customer base before the network is fully operational.”
In terms of service and ticket pricing, Qatar Rail has conducted comprehensive and integrated pricing studies, and has introduced severalcategories to make tickets accessible to everybody, and available through multiple sales channels. Ticket holders will enjoy a modern, low-cost transport system, making the Doha Metro accessible to all. These factors will enhance the customer experience as well as Qatar Rail’s revenue performance. There are severaloptions available for travel tickets, including Limited Use, Gold Class card and a Standard card.
A single journey will cost QAR 2 for Standard card holders (including Family Class), while a day pass will cost QAR 6. A single journey will cost QAR 10 for Gold Club members, while a day pass will cost QAR 30. Customers can top up their reusable cards with Travel Credit, which can be purchased at ticket vending machines in all Doha Metro stations.
The Gold Class card can be purchased from Gold Club offices, available in all Doha Metro stations. The Limited Use cards are temporary tickets that can be purchased from the tickets vending machines in stations. Their prices vary depending on trips and classes for either a single journey or a day pass. Standard cards can be purchased from licensed retailers including Al Meera, Lulu Hypermarket, Carrefour Hypermarket, and Jumbo Electronics. Qatar Rail has already started selling tickets through Al Meera branches, and will soon begin sellingthem in the other licensed retailers.
In line with its continuous efforts to provide a comprehensive travel experience, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Qatar Rail has made preparations to integrate Doha Metro with other modes of transport, including feeder buses services that will take passengers to and from stations. It has also signed several partnerships with other service providers to transport passengers at a low cost.
For example, Metro Link – a complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the metro stationsand their surrounding areas – has been launched to support Doha Metro’s preview service. Information about the service and bus stops can be accessed through the Qatar Rail mobile application. In addition, Karwataxi service is providing fixed tariffs for Doha Metro passengers. Other transportation solutions will be added, and reduced prices for metro passengers will be offered with other transport service providers, in the near future.
As part of Qatar Rail’s aim to reduce the public’s dependence on private cars, car parking areas in stations are limited. Drop off and pick up parking areas are provided in all stations, although there are some stations that have limited parking spaces such as Al Wakra and Qasr.
In a proactive step, Qatar Rail launched a special mobile application for metro services ahead of the preview service to encourage individuals to register, create an account, and link theirTravel Cards. They can also use the application’s journey planner to manage their trips and view the network map and current operational stations. Passengers can also receive instant updates on the status of the service, via the website, digital screens at stations, and on trains.
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