Qatar
/ Transport / By Land
The
only public transport in Doha is taxis. There are two main types
- orange and white painted saloon cars and limousines.
Orange and white taxis are an omnipresent feature of Doha roads.
They hurtle around, touting for business by hooting at pedestrians
and will stop just about anywhere (in the middle of a roundabout
is a favorite place). These taxis are outrageously cheap - an
average fare inside Doha is about QR 9.00 (less than $3.00) and
metering ensures that you pay the correct fare.
The major exception to this is taxis at the airport, who have
a profound aversion to switching on their meters, and charge around
QR 30 to just about everywhere. Even if you are a seasoned resident,
it is difficult to reduce this amount. The way round it (if you
don't have much luggage) is to walk to the main road and hail
a taxi there, otherwise be prepared to pay their inflated prices.
Taxi drivers know Doha well, but their English language skills
vary considerably. However, if you can direct them to your destination
in monosyllables, you stand a reasonable chance of arriving where
you want to go. Their driving is erratic and eccentric but mostly
safe, as are the vehicles (though many of them have seen better
days and are past the first flush of youth). Air conditioning
can be a bit dodgy, so be prepared to sweat, and expect the radio
to be playing at ear-splitting volume.
Apart from these minor drawbacks, they are a wonderful form of
transport, and great value for money.
Limousines are considerably more expensive (around QR 25.00 for
an average trip) and have to be pre-booked. These are clean, comfortable,
air conditioned and well driven by uniformed chauffeurs. They
are to be recommended for transport to the airport, and for late
night returns from parties. Limousines operate 24 hours per day,
and the waiting time if, you ring on spec, can be anything from
20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how busy they are. It is best
to book about one day in advance ensure punctuality.
Most expatriates in Qatar own their own cars. This is almost a
necessity, as not having one is very restrictive, given the lack
of public transport.
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