Overview
The Doha Metro is the rapid transit system serving Qatar's capital and the wider Doha metropolitan area. It opened on 8 May 2019 and is owned by Qatar Rail, the state railway corporation, while day-to-day operation and maintenance are handled by RKH Qitarat, a joint venture of Hamad Group and the French operators Keolis and RATP Dev. The trains are driverless and rank among the fastest in the world, capable of reaching 100 km/h.
For a visitor, the system is refreshingly simple to use end to end. You enter a station, tap your travel card on the fare gate, ride to your destination, and tap out on exit. The network is small enough to grasp in a single trip: three colour-coded lines radiate from a central interchange at Msheireb in downtown Doha, so almost any journey involves at most one change. Stations are fully accessible, with spacious platforms and tactile paving, and every station has restrooms with baby-changing facilities and an ablution room just past the turnstiles. Free feeder buses and a ride-sharing service extend the reach of the metro to places the rails do not cover.
The network
The Doha Metro currently has three operational lines, roughly 76 km of track and 37 stations, with a planned expansion to about 93 km and 100 stations. All three lines meet at Msheireb, and the Red and Green Lines also interchange at Al Bidda. A fourth line, the Blue Line, is planned and expected to open around 2026.
- Red Line — the north–south coastal line, running from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south, with a branch serving Hamad International Airport. It is about 40 km long with 18 stations, including Lusail, Qatar University, Legtaifiya, Katara, DECC, West Bay, Corniche, Al Bidda, Msheireb, Al Matar Al Qadeem, Hamad International Airport, Free Zone and Al Wakra. Not every train serves the airport branch, so check the destination before boarding.
- Green Line — the education-focused line, running from Al Mansoura to Al Riffa, about 22 km with 11 stations. It serves Msheireb and Al Bidda interchanges, Hamad Hospital, Al Shaqab, Qatar National Library and Education City.
- Gold Line — the east–west historic line, running from Ras Bu Abboud to Al Aziziyah, about 14 km with 11 stations. It stops at the National Museum and Souq Waqif and passes through Msheireb, Al Sadd, Al Waab and Sport City.
- Lusail Tram — a light-rail system built by Qatar Rail in the planned city of Lusail north of Doha. It connects with two Red Line metro stations, Lusail and Legtaifiya.
- Msheireb Tram — a free nine-stop loop through the regenerated Msheireb Downtown Doha, running seven days a week until 21:00. It is not managed by Qatar Rail but connects with Msheireb metro station.
- Metrolink and metroexpress — the metro's feeder services. Metrolink is a network of free buses running seven days a week, and metroexpress is a bookable ride-sharing feeder serving several Red Line stations.
- Mowasalat (Karwa) buses — the national public bus network, covering most of Doha and surrounding towns such as Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Al Shamal, Dukhan and Umm Salal. The network centres on Al Ghanim Bus Station in Old Al Ghanim, and long-distance routes include services to Al Ruwais, Dukhan, Mesaieed, Abu Samra and Al Khor.
- Taxis and ride-hailing — Karwa is Mowasalat's taxi arm, alongside other operators distinguished by roof colour, plus ride-sharing apps such as Careem, Colo and Uber.
There are no ferries in the Doha public-transport network.
Tickets & fares
The metro uses a tap-in, tap-out system. You pay by tapping a reusable travel card at the gates when you enter and again when you exit. Cards are inexpensive and can be bought at any station, and they are valid for five years. You can top up at ticket machines, online, or through the Qatar Rail app.
- Standard card — around QR10, for Standard or Family class travel.
- Goldclub card — around QR100, for first-class Goldclub seating.
- Single journey — approximately QR2 in Standard class and QR10 in Goldclub. A single journey is one trip between two stations, measured from tap-in to tap-out.
- Day pass — approximately QR6 in Standard class and QR30 in Goldclub, giving unlimited journeys in one day. It is valid from purchase until 02:59. You do not need to ask for it separately: after you pay for three rides, the system stops charging you for the rest of the day.
- Children — under-fives ride free.
Fares and card prices are approximate and change over time, so confirm current rates at the station or on the operator's website before you travel. For the Mowasalat bus network, fares are paid with a Karwa Smart Card: a Limited card (around QR10) covers two journeys within 24 hours, an Unlimited card (around QR20) gives unlimited journeys within 24 hours, and a Classic card (around QR30) holds stored credit. Karwa cards are sold at ticket machines at Doha Bus Station, Hamad International Airport, Qatar Mall and The Pearl Qatar. Within the city, bus fares have historically ranged from about QR3 to QR9, payable with exact change or a Karwa card. Taxis have a minimum fare of about QR4 within Doha and QR25 at the airport, with per-kilometre rates that are higher outside the city and in the evening.
From the airport
Hamad International Airport (DOH) is Qatar's only international airport and lies about 20 km by road from the city centre. The easiest public-transport option into town is the Red Line metro, which stops at the airport and runs directly to central stations including Msheireb, where you can change to the Green or Gold Lines. Note that not every Red Line train serves the airport branch, so check the destination display before boarding.
Mowasalat buses also run between the airport and the city centre and the wider region, including a long-distance service to Al Khor. Taxis are available at the airport with a single starting tariff of about QR25. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the airport if you need to plan your onward journey on arrival.
Etiquette & customs
- Queuing and boarding — let passengers off before you board, and stand clear of the platform screen doors until they open. Queues are generally orderly at stations.
- Escalators — stand on the right and walk on the left, as is common in many metro systems.
- Priority seating — dedicated sections at the front of buses are reserved for women and families. On the metro, give up priority seats to those who need them.
- Eating and drinking — keep food and drink off the trains and out of the paid areas; eat before or after your journey.
- Rush hour — trains can be busy at peak times, so move down the carriage and keep bags close to avoid blocking doors.
- Women travellers — some bus routes, particularly those serving industrial areas, are used predominantly by male labourers and are best avoided by women travelling alone. On Fridays, the free West Bay shuttle bus is family-only, meaning solo men are not permitted.
- Dress and behaviour — Qatar is a conservative country, so dress modestly and keep voices low on public transport.
Official links
Survival terms
- Subway/metro — مترو الدوحة (Mitru ad-Dawha) — Doha Metro
- Ticket — تذكرة (tadhkira) — ticket
- Line — خط (khatt) — line
- Entrance — مدخل (madkhal) — entrance
- Exit — مخرج (makhraj) — exit
- Transfer — تحويل (tahweel) — transfer/interchange
- Single fare — تذكرة ذهاب (tadhkirat dhahab) — single journey ticket
- Day pass — تذكرة يومية (tadhkira yawmiyya) — day pass
Before you travel, download the Sila app or the Doha Metro app so you can plan your route, check live timings and manage your travel card on the go.