Qatar Extends Public Service Hours

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

Al-Bayt Stadium area, Al Khor, Qatar, Wednesday (16-11-2022) which will be the arena for the opening match of the 2022 World Cup between hosts Qatar against Ecuador.

DOHA, KOMPAS — The Qatari government is trying to provide the best service for supporters, media and volunteers who are present during the 2022 World Cup. In addition to free public transportation services and extended operation hours, public spaces in Qatar will also open at night.

The eight stadiums that will host 64 matches of the world football festival can be accessed by three routes of the Doha Metro, which is equivalent to the MRT (mass rapid transit) in Jakarta. Only three stadiums cannot be accessed directly by the public transportation route, which was just inaugurated in May 2019.

The three stadiums are Al Bayt Stadium, which is the location of the opening match, as well as two other stadiums on the south side of Doha, namely Al Thumama Stadium and Al Janoub.

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In the media and support guide released by FIFA, for the three stadiums, feeder buses are provided from the nearest station on match day. For example, to get to Al Bayt Stadium, you can take the S950 feeder bus from Lusail Station.

We traveled to Al Bayt Stadium, on Wednesday (16/11/2022). The stadium was chosen because it is the venue for the opening ceremony and the opening match, Qatar versus Ecuador, on Sunday (20/11), as well as the stadium that is farthest from the center of Doha. The 60,000-seater Al Bayt Stadium is 35 kilometers from downtown Doha.

The [feeder] buses are not operating today. To get to Al Bayt Stadium, you can take a bus to Al Kho

Our metro journey ends at Lusail Station. When we were about to board the feeder bus, we were told it was only available on match days.

“The [feeder] buses are not operating today. To get to Al Bayt Stadium, you can take a bus to Al Khor," said Amous, a passenger-service officer at Lusail Station, pointing to a public bus stop to board bus number 722.

Similar to the Doha Metro, public buses are free when showing the Hayya card, which also replaces visas for foreign nationals in Qatar during the World Cup. However, the bus driver said that the bus only passed by the stadium and there were no nearby stops around the stadium.

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

A worker prays during his break from work in the Al-Byat Stadium area, Al Khor, Qatar, Wednesday (16-11-2022). Al-Byat Stadium will be the venue for the opening match of the 2022 World Cup between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.

After a journey of about 25 minutes, we were dropped off at the bus stop on the side of the main road. The journey was continued by walking about 1.5 kilometers to the Al Bayt Stadium complex.

Although it is a bit difficult to reach a stadium that is not integrated with a metro station outside of match days, supporters need not worry. The Qatari government has extended the public-transport operation hours.

During the World Cup, the Doha Metro operates for 21 hours, from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next day. Previously, the metro only operated until 11 p.m. This is to meet the needs of supporters who come home late at night. The last match in the preliminary round and the majority of matches in the knockout round will start at 10 p.m. local time so that it will only end at midnight.

Online taxi

Additional operational hours are also carried out individually by online taxi drivers. Saed, one of them, is willing to work for a whole week since the beginning of this week.

Previously, he only activated his online transportation app for four or five days per week. "I'm sure the World Cup will have a lot of passengers. I prepared myself before this Sunday. So, when the World Cup started, I got used to the new working hours," he said.

On the other hand, conventional taxi drivers complain that their income has not increased before the World Cup; this is the sentiment among taxi drivers operating at Hamad International Airport.

I'm sure the World Cup will have a lot of passengers. I prepared myself before this Sunday.

"Before the [COVID-19] pandemic, I could carry five to six passengers per day from the airport. Now, a few days before the World Cup, the number of passengers is the same as in the COVID-19 era: only two or three passengers per day," said Monir, who has been driving a taxi since 2017.

Not only are the operation hours of public transport longer, but shopping centers, such as malls and supermarkets, and restaurants also serve visitors until 2 a.m. During normal times, shopping centers in Doha operate from 10 a.m. to midnight.

Adil Khamis, Qatar's local World Cup ambassador, said that Qatar's preparations to welcome the World Cup were complete. Various public facilities and public service rules have been adjusted to provide comfort for local and international football supporters who come to Qatar.

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo.