The capital of Qatar Doha: airport, terminals and how to get to the city

What should be prepared for tourists traveling to the capital of Qatar? Doha, whose airport recently could not cope with the huge passenger traffic, acquired in 2014 a new hub. And those people who have been to Qatar before, may not know the place of their landing. The old international airport was called "Doha". The new, built five kilometers to the south, carries the proud name Hamad (Hamad International Airport). But unofficially after him the name "New Doha Airport" was firmly entrenched. The old hub with the launch of Hamada was closed. So now all the sides arriving in Qatar land on one of the two lanes of the new air harbor. About what services you will find in "Hamad International Airport" and how to get from it to the city, we will tell in this article.

Building

For the first time, the need for a new hub was started in 2003. Then the city of Doha became very popular for travelers. His airport could no longer cope with the passenger traffic. Construction of the hub began in 2005. The new air harbor was promised to be put into operation in 2009. But the first flight of the air harbor took only on April 30, 2014. By the end of May, all the Qatar Airways, the largest air carrier of Qatar, had been stationed at the new Hamad airport. Why did they build this air harbor for so long? The flow of passengers coming to Doha or transit through this city grew from year to year. Therefore, the new air gate of Qatar decided to build with a distant calculation. Now Hamad can take three hundred and twenty aircraft and fifty million passengers a year. For comparison, we give such facts. The old Doha hub passed through itself only nineteen million travelers annually. The liners take two strips. One of them, a stretch of almost five kilometers, is the longest in the Middle East.

Doha City, Hamad Airport

The air harbor is only ten kilometers southeast of the capital of Qatar. This distance can be overcome by taxi. But do not rush into the car of the official carrier Karwa Taxisare. This is quite expensive. Only for landing the counter will wind you seven dollars. It is better to take a conventional taxi. In this case, a trip to the center of Doha will cost you only three dollars. If you have a hotel booked in Doha, ask the administration about the transfer. Many hotels send free buses to the airport for their customers. If you have an international driving license, you can rent a car directly at Hamad Airport. In the arrivals halls you will find offices of numerous companies that provide rental cars of various classes - from budget to executive.

Service

Consider now the services that the Doha New Airport provides. The scheme of this air harbor is simpler than it seems at first glance. Its area is five hundred acres. From the porthole of the plane when landing Hamad appears in the form of an airliner. And before a tired traveler, it opens like a magical tropical garden. And this is in the middle of the desert! All experienced tourists claim that Hamad eclipsed the splendor of the old Doha airspace. How is this possible? After all, there were several air-conditioned waiting rooms in beautiful terminals connected by transitions. At the airport of Doha, there were even two mosques - male and female. Not to mention the many shops, cafes, restaurants and hotels. During the construction of Hamada, we took into account all the minor shortcomings that the passengers complained about earlier, when the old air harbor - Doha operated. Qatar Airport now provides free Wi-Fi in the gate area. Everywhere there are fountains with drinking water, toilets. All signs are made in big letters, so it's almost impossible to get lost at the airport. For passengers with children a more comfortable waiting area for flights is provided. For a certain amount, everyone can relax in the lounge or VIP lounge.

City of Doha: airport, reviews

What do tourists who recently arrived in the capital of Qatar say? The airport evokes exceptionally laudatory responses. The hub is large, spacious and very beautiful, like an oasis in the desert. All the attendants are attentive and hospitable. Pre and post-flight procedures here are amazingly fast. In the terminal there are several restaurants, cafes, postal and bank branches, duty-free shops, a VAT refund point.