Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) announced that it received the first Lusail tram at Hamad Port Monday morning.
Following its departure from the Alstom factory in the French city of La Rochelle for Barcelona, the Citadis tram arrived in Doha on schedule after 18 days, Qatar Rail said in a statement.
Once offloaded at Hamad Port, the tram will be taken to its final destination - the main depot - where it will be assembled and tested, as the company gears up for the operational phase of the project. The tram will undergo a number of technical tests to ensure that the highest safety standards are met, Qatar Rail has stressed.
Earlier this year, the Lusail Tram underwent a Factory Acceptance Test at the Alstom factory in France, which ended successfully in the presence of HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti and a number of senior representatives of Qatar Rail.
The design of the Lusail Tram was inspired by ‘Al Mehmel’, which signifies the dhow – the traditional Qatari boat used for pearl fishing. The design concept “focused on the sea representing dhow pearl fishing and bringing in the calm, cool, elegant and tranquil elements of that medium to the design”, the statement noted. All these features are depicted in the design of the trams.
“The Lusail Tram will soon become the main transportation hub for the visionary Lusail city,” Qatar Rail added.
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On track
* Lusail Tram will connect to Doha Metro through two interchange stations at Lusail and Legtaifiya.
* 35.4km-long Lusail Tram network will be launched in 2020.
* Network includes four lines and 28 stations above ground and underground.
* Lusail Tram project progress currently stands at 73%.
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The Lusail Tram will connect to the Doha Metro through two interchange stations at Lusail and Legtaifiya. The 35.4km-long Lusail Tram network will be launched in 2020.
The network includes four lines and 28 stations above ground and underground. The Lusail Tram project progress currently stands at 73%.
Abdulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie, Qatar Rail’s managing director and chief executive officer, said: “The arrival of the tram marks the beginning of a new phase. The Lusail Tram project is well under way; work is going on right now towards the completion of station construction work as we aim to deliver the project within the assigned timeline, underpinned by our commitment to deliver a modern and sustainable transport network for Lusail city.”
Hamad al-Bishri, Qatar Rail’s deputy chief executive officer, noted: "We are pleased to witness this milestone, which is paving the way for the next phase of the Lusail Tram project. We would also like to recognise the efforts of all our partners who contributed to the successful delivery of this milestone and the logistic support they provided to ensure the safe arrival of the tram at its final destination.”
Ahmad al-Saleh, Lusail Tram project director, added: "We are excited to receive the first tram. Soon, the dynamic tests will begin inside the depot followed by testing on the tracks in Lusail city. We look forward to receiving the remaining trains in the upcoming period.”
