Qatar Rail launches Lusail Tram preview service

Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) launched the first phase of the preview service of the Lusail Tram Saturday. The first phase includes the preview service of six stations on the Orange line: Marina, Marina Promenade, Yacht Club, Esplanade, Energy City South and Legtaifiya - all underground. Legtaifiya, a combined Tram and Doha Metro station, connects Lusail Tram to the Doha Metro network. Customers can ask the customer service staff at the station to get travel information. We are pleased with this significant milestone for Qatar Rail, said engineer Jassim al-Ansari, chief of Program Delivery while describing Lusail Tram project as one of the pillars of the integrated transport system. Engineer Jassim Al Ansari, Chief of Program Delivery at Qatar Rail As part of Qatar Rail’s efforts to provide an integrated transportation experience between all its networks, existing Doha Metro Travel Cards will allow customers to seamlessly move throughout the Metro and Tram networks, as well as provide access to metroexpress and metrolink services. One of the 28 trains of the Lusail Tram being unloaded from a cargo ship Travel cards work across both the Tram and the Metro with no additional costs; however, customers must always remember to tap in and tap out using the validators on-board the Tram to avoid paying twice. Engineer al-Ansari explained that Qatar Rail delivered the project within the assigned time frame and according to the highest standards. Eng. Abdul Rahman AlMalik During the past months, we have successfully completed the technical testing for this current stage, and we are confident the Lusail Tram will be a key player in the overall transportation system once the entire network is opened through providing Lusail City with a modern and sustainable transport network,” he explained. The design of the Lusail Tram was inspired by Al Mehmel, which signifies The Dhow – a traditional Qatari boat used for pearl fishing. Lusail Tram is a fully integrated railway and one of the most complex and advanced tram systems in the world, thereby ensuring a very high standard of operations and safety for customers. Approximately 98mn man-hours were spent during the project construction and it has received many international safety awards such as the RoSPA Gold awards and the BritishSafety Council Award in recognition of occupational safety and no major incidents were recorded. Interior views of a Lusail Tram station. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam Lusail Tram trains are both eco- and user-friendly, providing a greener, more efficient option than cars. Each tram train consist of 64 seats and a comfortable capacity of 209 passengers in both Standard and Family Class. Engineer Ahmad al-Saleh, Lusail Tram project director, said the trains are manufactured in France by Alstom, one of the largest train manufacturers in the world. The Lusail Tram fleet consists of 28 “Citadis X05 trains that use ground power supply technology. The maximum speed can reach 60 km/h. The trains have six screens to display travel information and around 20 USB ports.” Interior view of a Lusail Tram train. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam. The design of the Lusail Tram was inspired by “Al Mehmel”, which signifies “The Dhow” – a traditional Qatari boat used for pearl fishing, the official explained. The design concept focuses on the sea and dhow pearl fishing with the blue accent colours of the marine environment.” Road safety is also an important aspect that Qatar Rail is looking at, since the Lusail tram network is still undergoing tests in Lusail City. Qatar Rail is keen to educate the public on road safety with the tram system. Once fully open, the Lusail Tram network will be 28km long, comprising four lines and 25 stations (from where two stations will connect with the Metro network). The Tram network will connect various government offices, residential towers, leisure and sports facilities, avenues, marinas and other major attractions across Lusail City (supplied picture). Abdulrahman Ali al-Malik, senior director of QSHESE at Qatar Rail, said: “The tram system differs from other vehicles that travel on the road. The trams run on fixed tracks at a steady speed and cannot stop as quickly as cars. Therefore, we are keen to release awareness campaigns with the start of the preview service in Lusail City, to introduce the tram system and educate the public on the tram trains and what to expect to see on the roads. In addition, it is of a high importance that pedestrians and drivers abide by traffic safety guidelines, signs and traffic signals, to avoid the risks that may occur as a result of a collision with the tram train during its movement in the city.” About 510 staff are employed in operating and maintaining the Lusail Tram Network, which is managed from the Operations Control Centre at the Tram Depot located west of Lusail City.

Qatar / Qatar

Qatar Rail launches Lusail Tram preview service