Three lines, QAR 2 a ride and stations at nearly every sight — the cheapest way around Doha.
The Doha Metro opened in 2019 and is spotless, air-conditioned, driverless and absurdly cheap. For a visitor it reaches almost everything except the desert and The Pearl's interior. Here is the practical guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Fare | QAR 2; day pass QAR 6 |
| Lines | Red, Gold, Green |
| Airport | Red Line, T1 station |
| Hours | 6–23 (Fri 14–24) |
| Card | QAR 10 or contactless bank card |
The three lines
| Line | Runs | Stops you'll use |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Airport ↔ Lusail via West Bay | Hamad Airport T1, Msheireb (interchange), DECC (West Bay), Katara, Legtaifiya (Pearl), Lusail QNB |
| Gold | Al Aziziyah ↔ Ras Bu Abboud | Msheireb, Souq Waqif, National Museum (MIA & NMoQ), Villaggio/Sport City |
| Green | Al Riffa ↔ Mansoura | Education City, Msheireb, Al Bidda (Corniche) |
Fares and cards
- Standard QAR 2 per trip; day pass QAR 6; Gold Club (premium car) QAR 10.
- Buy a rechargeable card (QAR 10) at machines or tap a contactless Visa/Mastercard at the gate.
- Children under 5 free; family carriages are marked on the platform.
Metrolink and trams
Free Metrolink shuttle buses run from stations to nearby districts — Katara, The Pearl, Education City — and the Msheireb and Lusail trams are free. Both are marked in the Qatar Rail app.
What the metro does not do
- The desert, Sealine and Al Zubarah — car only.
- Late nights after midnight and Friday mornings.
- Luggage-friendly airport arrivals at 1 am — take a transfer.
- Door-to-door in 45°C — stations are cool but the last 500 metres are not.
Station-by-station for sightseeing
| Sight | Station | Line | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum of Islamic Art | National Museum | Gold | 10 min along the Corniche |
| National Museum of Qatar | National Museum | Gold | 2 min |
| Souq Waqif | Souq Waqif | Gold | 0 min |
| Msheireb Museums | Msheireb | All | 5 min |
| Corniche (Al Bidda Park) | Al Bidda | Red / Green | 3 min |
| West Bay hotels | DECC / West Bay | Red | 5–15 min |
| Katara | Katara | Red | 10 min or free shuttle |
| The Pearl | Legtaifiya | Red | Shuttle / taxi |
| Lusail Boulevard | Lusail QNB | Red | 10 min or tram |
| Education City | Education City | Green | Tram to the mosque and Mathaf |
| Villaggio / Aspire | Sport City | Gold | 5 min |
| Airport | Hamad International T1 | Red | 5 min to arrivals |
Riding it
- Trains have three classes: standard, family (women and children) and Gold Club (QAR 10, leather seats). Family carriages are at the front — men travelling alone use standard.
- Stations are spotless, air-conditioned and step-free; escalators are fast.
- No eating or drinking on board; fines apply.
- The Qatar Rail app has live times and the Metrolink shuttle routes.
Metro vs taxi: the honest comparison
For a couple, a taxi between two central sights costs QAR 25 against QAR 4 on the metro — but door to door in 10 minutes rather than 25 with two walks. In winter, take the metro and walk; in summer, take the metro between districts and a taxi for the last kilometre; with luggage or children under 5, take the car.
Gold Club: worth it?
For QAR 10 a ride you get a carriage with leather armchairs, extra legroom and almost nobody in it. On the 25-minute airport run with bags it is a pleasant upgrade; for a two-stop hop it is not. Standard class is spotless anyway.
Metro etiquette
Stand right on escalators, let passengers off first, keep bags off seats, no food or drink, and men travelling alone should avoid the family carriage. Announcements are in Arabic and English and every station has staff who speak English.
BookableFor everything the metro can't reachDesert safari with hotel pickup, or a fixed-price airport transfer at any hour.See the desert safariFAQs
QAR 2 per journey (standard) or QAR 10 for Gold Club. A day pass is QAR 6. Buy a travel card at any station for QAR 10 or tap a contactless bank card.
