The Minister of Transport of Qatar Jassim Saif Al-Sulaiti and the CEO of Qatar Rail Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, have launched the preview service of Lusail Tram on January 1, 2022.
The experimental operation was inaugurated on the Orange Line served by 6 stations – Marina, Marina Promenade, Yacht Club, Esplanade, Energy City South and Legtaifiya where the station provides connection with the Doha Metro network.
“We have plans to provide a sustainable, multimodal and eco-friendly public transit system using the latest world technology systems aiming at providing safe, reliable and high-quality sefvices for all passengers,” the Minister of Transport said.
The 6 underground stations are air-conditioned and are equipped with customer information centre, Travel Card vending machines, live digital systems to provide service updates, as well as separate male and female prayer facilities and restrooms that cater for people with mobility impairments.
The stations also include clear directional signages to help customers navigate throughout their journey easily. All stations are equipped with CCTV and a first aid room to maintain the security and safety of all customers.
The design of the Lusail Tram was inspired by Al Mehmel, which signifies The Dhow – a traditional Qatari boat used for pearl fishing. The concept focused on the sea and dhow pearl fishing, incorporating calm, cool, elegant and tranquil elements into the design. These features also resonate throughout the design of the trams.
Inspired by the local Qatari heritage and its historical legacy, the interior design of the stations was developed on 3 levels painted in colors imitating the local traditional handcrafted textiles and the stained glass used in local windows. Patterns are derived from gypsum engravings used in local houses and palaces. Textures of clay used in historical fortresses, towers, souqs are reflected on walls and floors and vintage geometrical ornaments are accentuated and used in multiple locations.
The line is operated by trams which accommodate up to 209 passengers in both Standard and Family Class. The tram fleet consists of 28 Citadis X05 light rail vehicles manufactured by Alstom. The LRVs are designed to run at a maximum speed of 60 km/h and are equipped with air conditioning system, screens to display travel information and 20 USB ports.
In November 2020, the first phase of the tram system has been completed and all the required tests have been successfully completed.
Once fully open, the Lusail Tram network will be 28 km long, comprising of four lines and 25 stations with 2 interchange stations (at Lusail and Legtaifiya) connected to the metro system.
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