The new road train plying Education City
In a first for Qatar, new road trains for students have started to run across Qatar Foundation’s Education City.

The gold- and silver-coloured air-conditioned trains, which resemble old steam locomotives, run past the Ceremonial Court and each of the branch campuses from 7am to 7pm on weekdays.

Trains run every 10 minutes and are only for university students at present, Qatar Foundation Telegraph reported.

The objective is to minimise traffic around Education City schools in the long run.

During the initial phase, the trains will run two routes, the publication reported last year.

One will transport students to Qatar Academy (QA) Junior School and the other ending at QA Senior School, it had explained.

There will be a mini train station near Gate 5 of Education City, which can hold up to 600 cars in its two parking areas.

Rather than hundreds of parents having to stop by the schools during peak hours every day, they can drop off and pick up their children at the mini train station.

“We will have five road trains at Education City, each with three coaches,” said Khalifa Hamad al-Hajri, manager of Planning and Development at the Department of Facilities Management Directorate.

There will be nearly 90 seats per train.

With windows of tinted, tempered glass to shield passengers from the sun, the trains are to run several times a day, especially during peak hours.

Supervisors will be on hand and a CCTV monitoring system online to ensure that the students are safe and secure during the train rides.

The train station will include an air-conditioned waiting lounge boasting of more than 100 seats, a cafeteria, vending machines for snacks and beverages, toilets and information screens.

The train station is to have seats outside as well, covered by a large stand-alone roof, to be used when weather is good.

Al-Hajri hoped that Education City’s students would enjoy the new transport system.

“We hope that it will ease up the high amount of traffic around schools, give children enjoyment and excitement, and educate them about public transport,” he said.

There is also a plan to use the road trains for tours for visitors  to Education City and students’ families.

A road train was first used in Education City for the opening ceremony of Texas A&M University at Qatar’s Engineering Building, on March 19, 2007.

After the inaugural function at the Ceremonial Court, dignitaries including HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, his wife and QF chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, former US president George H W Bush and his wife Barbara rode an open road train to the new building.