Qatar’s Metro is a super-efficient light rail underground system, criss-crossing Doha with thousands of passengers daily.

And I’m their number 1 cheerleader.

Why?

Because the Metro is

• economical (even in South African terms)
• reliable
• easy to use
• quick
• safe, and
• clean.

It also means I can still move about this modern Middle Eastern city of plenty without ever having to get behind the steering wheel of a car. (Driving in Doha is not for the faint of heart.)

But perhaps, one of the greatest pleasures of using the Metro – for me, anyway – is the opportunity to people-watch.

Slice of life – people watching

With 115 different nationalities among the 2.9 million people now living in Qatar, it means trips on the red, green and gold lines are never dull.

It’s a slice-of-life opportunity to witness how people from all corners of the earth go about their daily business. From the migrant workers, who toil under the harsh Middle Eastern sun, through to the local Qataris in their elegant white thobes (robes) in the Gold Class, it’s a treat to peak (without staring, of course) into these other worlds.  

This educational and visual experience of different cultures extends to language lessons too. I mean, I am also learning Arabic from the Metro train announcements that switch from English to Arabic. (Though, I am not sure, “the next station is … ” in Arabic, will be of too much help in the wider Middle East!)

Excellent public transport system

Perhaps, my praise for Doha’s rapid transport system is misplaced. Those accustomed to good public transport systems might be less impressed, but for South Africans, the Metro is a marvel. (Sadly, our passenger trains back home have largely been defeated by theft and vandalism, and while most big cities in Mzansi have a public bus system, this is often side-swiped by the we-rule-the-road taxi industry.)

However, methinks that even the Brits and Europeans, who may take their own good public transports system for granted, will also be enamoured with this swanky new underground system.

No, mind-the-gaps of the London underground here – yet.

Metro for football fans

No doubt, the proof of the Metro’s true capability, or lack thereof, will be revealed during the FIFA 2022 World Cup, starting on 20 November.

The 76 kilometres of railway and 37 stations that opened in 2019, will play a key role during the month-long tournament. It will take fans to six of the eight stadiums hosting the event in and just outside the capital of Doha.

This transport will be free to those with tickets using the compulsory Hayya card on the day of their games.

Certainly, the green line withstood the large numbers who flocked to Ali Bin Ahmed Stadium for the final qualifying games on different days in May.

But with several games being played at different sites across the city on the same day in the early part of the tournament, it is surely going to be in everyone’s best interest to set out long before the starting whistle to ensure you safely reach your destination on time.

There will, of course, be other transport in the form of buses, taxis and cars to supplement the role of the underground.

Economical, efficient and ever so clean

While none of us can accurately predict the future, we can account for Metro experiences to date.

You can easily spot the over-ground stations with their clean curved lines and Arabic branding across the city. The latter has since been supplemented with football paraphernalia.

But it’s all just so clean.

I know I am a stuck record on this one. (Again, to be fair, with urban South Africa as my yardstick, I know I am coming off a low base, so my reaction may be misplaced. But you be the judge.)

The cost of using the Metro is QAR2 per trip (that’s about R9), and the daily ceiling charge is QAR6 (about R30). Using the underground also means you do not have the stress of navigating the busy highways and byways. And since the driverless trains move at about 107km/h, it’s a time-saving choice too.

The Metro’s efficiency is also due to it timeliness. Trains run every two to five minutes, dependent on the line. So, there is very little waiting about.

In my seven months of regularly using the Metro, I have had only one negative experience. An emboldened few jumped the patiently awaiting passengers to grab their places, causing some of us to have to wait for the next train.

The queue-jumping and lack of decorum might be the norm overseas, but in officious Qatar folk do not break the rules.

When masks are required – which, as at 10 October, they still were – everyone obliges. Well, it’s that or face the expensive consequences of a fine.

Well-run processes

The first thing to strike you about the Metro system is its good, clean looks. Indeed, cleanliness was among my top ten first impressions of Doha when I arrived in February 2022.  

If you struggle with the latter, don’t fret, even before you look around for help, it’s likely that one of the customer services staff or a security officer will have approached you.

This is one of the pluses of Qatar – hospitality and help. Customer service is generally very good.

And, with increased numbers of staff presently being trained, the Metro is likely to be on its game for the world’s most beautiful game and its fans.

Apart from your Metro card which you will tap at the entry and exit turnstiles, the other must is the Etheraz health app. You need to show that you are vaccinated and presently COVID-free whenever you go in public – including shops, restaurants, pubs, stadiums and public transport.

We do the phone-sunglasses-ID check whenever we leave the house, since there is nothing worse than arriving at the shops or wherever, to discover you have left your phone at home.

Safety

To use the Metro, you need a Metro card which costs QAR10 (about R46) and which you can top up either online through the Metro App or with cash at the stations.

I have travelled alone at night on the Metro and never felt uncomfortable. I have also been the only woman in the open people-facing carriages among at least 40 men, and never had cause for concern.

Doha is the second safest city in the world for good reason.

It’s part of the culture here.

It’s a culture that extends to making special provision for women. This is why there is a separate family section on the train.  It is reserved for women and families. Mark can join me there, but he can’t sit there alone. The seating is especially designed to be child-friendly too.

Dos and don’ts

There are constant passenger announcements in both English and Arabic, inclusive of safety reminders. There’s signage warning those in thobes and long skirts to ensure that their garments don’t get caught in the escalator.   

In fact, there is good signage all-round indicating what you can and cannot do. 

There are CCTV cameras both on and off the trains.

So it’s best you don’t eat, drink (unless the bottle has a screw top), put your feet up on the furniture, chew gum, bring a bicycle, smoke, litter or bring any animals aboard the Metro trains.

You’re not supposed to sing, dance, perform or play a musical instrument that causes a nuisance …

I am not sure that’s going to work among jubilant fans during the FIFA 2022 World Cup, do you?