Tribune News Network
Doha
The public transport system in Doha is set to undergo a rapid transformation in the coming years, with water taxis and Doha Metro playing a major role in getting people from point A to point B.
Arabic Daily Al Watan on Saturday said water taxis would soon be a part of transportation options in Qatar, with the first phase offering eight stations linking Al Wakra with Al Khor, through the Hamad International Airport, Doha Port, West Bay, The Pearl-Qatar, and Lusail.
The Doha Metro, which at present has a 76km network with three lines and 37 stations, will be expanded to cover areas such as Mesaieed and Industrial Area.
With an estimated cost of $36bn, the metro rail project is being built in two phases and is expected to become one of the most modern railway networks in the world.
Once fully operational, the metro is expected to feature a network of 300km with four lines named Red, Green, Gold and Blue.
According to the expansion plan, the Doha Metro is set to extend the Red Line to Mesaieed City and the Green Line to the Industrial City as well as the Muaither area, besides adding a new Blue Line, by 2050.
Phase one of the project involved the construction of the Red, Green and Gold lines and 37 stations. Phase two will add the Blue line to the network and will also involve the expansion of the existing lines. Approximately 60 additional stations are expected to be added to the city metro network by 2026.
The Red Line, also called the Coast Line, runs from Al Wakra in the south to Lusail in the north via the Hamad International Airport. The 40km-long line covers 18 stations, including the Legtaifiya Station, which will allow passengers to transfer to Lusail Tram services.
The Green Line, or Education Line, stretches 22km and runs from Al Riffa to Al Mansoura. The line covers 11 stations, including Msheireb, Hamad Hospital, Qatar National Library and Education City.
The Historic Line, or Gold Line, connects Ras Bu Aboud and Al Aziziya. There are 11 stations along the 14km route.
The Blue Line, or City Line, will be a 17.5 km-long semi-circular line linking the West Bay and Airport City North areas along the main C-Ring Road and connecting four stations.