QA Qatar: how to get around

The government-owned Mowasalat also runs the taxi and limousine service. The taxis are easily spotted due to their uniform light blue colour with a maroon top. The initial fare on the meter is QR 4, with an extra QR 1.20 per kilometre within Doha and QR 1.80 anywhere outside the capital. A trip to or from the airport has a single tariff of QR 25. To ensure you are not scammed, some precautions should be noted:

• For journeys within Doha the tariff should be set to '1', and those at night or outside of Doha should be set to '0'.
• Check the meter is not tampered; signs of a tampered meter include tape and strips of paper around the outside.
• By law, if a driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free.
• There are occasional reports of unruly drivers locking the taxi doors or refusing to open the trunk until extra payment is made. If such an occurrence happens to you, attempt to leave the car. If not possible, calling the police on 999 should cause the driver to become very cooperative.

The demand for taxis exceeds the supply and waiting times can vary greatly. Attempting to obtain one during morning business hours requires at least 24 hours notice, although even in practice this is unreliable, as the scheduled taxi often doesn't show up. At other times, it may take 90 minutes or more to get an on-call taxi, and hailing one on the street may be impossible much of the time. The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi are major malls, the airport and international hotels.

Taxis can be booked and summoned by calling +974 4458 8888.

An alternative to taxis and buses would be to use a limousine service, which will send an unmarked limo car to your location. They are expensive, but luxurious taxis with an initial fee of QR 20, but do not always feature a meter.

International limousine services, such as Uber, Careem, and Lyft are available in Qatar. The apps allow for quick and easy summoning of a driver.

Occasionally, a local driver may offer you a lift if they see you waiting on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though usually they will refuse to take it. A driver offering a lift will slow down and flash their headlights at you; they can be summoned with a wave in response. Although the practice is safe, it is not advisable for solo women.

A metro opened in 2019 serving Doha and its suburbs. You can travel from point A to B for QR2 per person per trip or buy a day pass for QR6. However, if you are planning to use the metro very frequently, you can buy a metro card for QR30. Free metro link bus services are available from/to metro stations to/from nearby destinations. The metro opens at 06:00 and closes at 23:00.

You can hire a car for about US$20 per day with local car rental companies. Plenty of them are located at the airport and Doha city centre, or else ask your hotel for some advice.