Qatar hits metro milestone ahead of World Cup

DOHA: Qatar fully opened its new metro network on Tuesday in a major infrastructure milestone ahead of the football World Cup Doha will host in 2022.

The railway was opened just in time for the Club World Cup football tournament that kicked off Wednesday, with organisers hoping the metro will ease the burden on the wealthy Gulf emirate’s choked roads.

The three lines link several stadia, residential areas, the airport and tourist zones. “We were waiting for this,” said airport handling agent Anshu, as she tested the new link between Doha’s Hamad airport and the city.

“Almost everybody is taking public transport,” she said of her colleagues at the airport, which had previously only been served by expensive taxis and infrequent buses. A single journey in the metro’s standard class, equipped with WiFi and USB charging points, costs two riyals ($0.55), while gold class, boasting plush armchairs and hardwood floors, costs 10 riyals ($2.75). “For now, its mostly airport staff who are interested. But if people know about it, they will come,” said metro assistant Regine.