This month saw some important developments in Qatar’s transport sector, some very far-reaching beginnings, which will change the way people commute inside the country – the opening of all Doha Metro lines and stations and the launch of Education City Tram by Qatar Foundation (QF).
Both assumes a lot of significance in not only easing the traffic worries but also in pushing the country to a much more sustainable future with significantly lower carbon footprint.
Modern public transport play an important part in bringing down carbon emissions worldwide and by unveiling a world-class metro, Qatar has shown its intent in making its future a sustainable one. The response from the visiting fans for the FIFA Club World Cup is anything to go, then Doha Metro is a clear winner. The fans we spoke to were so impressed with services and facilities offered by the metro that they said it could be compared with the best in the world.
The more recent launch of Education City Tram is another step in introducing modern transport solutions for the public with additional environmental benefits. People visiting the Education City campuses can move around using the trams after parking the cars at special parking zones. The tram line, which opened a couple of days back, is also connected to the Doha Metro station for a seamless travel experience.
The fact that the tram is free for public makes it even more enticing to use. It is an ideal choice of transport for the thousands of students inside the campus as it even allows bikes inside and provides WiFi – two things current generation of students are most fond of. The 19 state-of-the-art Avenio trams have an onboard energy-storing system that removes the need for overhead power cables and can travel from one stop to the next without a need for charging.
This makes it one of the most technically advanced tram services in the world. More routes will be opened soon and will cover 11.5km and will provide a link within and between Education City’s North and South campuses. A tram network is also in the offing at Msheireb Downtown Doha and Lusail city. The Lusail city one is expected to cover longer distance including connections to two stations on the Red Line of Doha Metro.
In addition to the metro and trams, Qatar is also setting up a network of charging stations for electric cars, which is the most crucial factor in adaption of electric cars in a country. Add to that the plans for bringing autonomous electric shuttles for the World Cup. These initiatives will make mobility in Qatar cleaner, quicker, safer and sustainable.
