Citizens and residents of GCC countries can now enter Qatar without a Hayya Card, the country’s Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday.
All GCC residents and citizens will be allowed to enter through various ports without Hayya card non-ticket holders, the Ministry said.
There are three ports of entry: airports, buses and private vehicles.
Travelling to Qatar from the UAE
When travelling by air:
- There are daily flights from Flydubai, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Etihad, with Flydubai offering match day shuttle flights from Dubai World Central to Doha International Airport. Tickets can be bought directly via the flight’s website.
- Baggage weights on daily flights must not go beyond 7 kilograms and fans must return to Dubai with 24 hours of their departure.
When travelling by road:
- Fans must carry their entry visas, insurance and driving permits.
- The journey, which spans 550 kilometres, takes about five to six hours from Abu Dhabi, and six to seven hours approximately from Dubai, depending on border control.
- Fans must park on the Saudi side of Abu Samra land border, Expat Sports said, and then must take the B811 shuttle bus to central Doha’s Al Messila Metro Station, which is free of cost.
- Seats on the B811 buses must be booked in advance and passengers must provide an estimated arrival time.
In addition, almost 12,000 taxis, more than 1,300 Dubai Metro trips, extra bus routes and even ferries will keep Dubai moving during the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Dubai has unveiled a transport masterplan as it aims to run smoothly during the expected influx of visitors during the FIFA World Cup.
The RTA will operate 1,382 Dubai Metro trips daily, deploy 60 buses and add 700 more taxis on the city streets to transport fans around the city and to fan zones.
Dubai prepares for visitor influx
Fanzones across the UAE are expected to attract huge crowds and the RTA is preparing for an influx of visitors between kick-off on November 20 and the final on December 18.
The current fleet of 11,310 taxis will swell with an extra 700 Hala cabs taking the total close to 12,000. Taxis will operate around the clock near fan zones and to take travellers to and from the Al Maktoum International Airport.
A dedicated bus service with a fleet of 60 will take passengers to FIFA World Cup locations.
The new DWC1 route departs from Al Maktoum International Airport (Arrivals), passes via the Dubai Metro Expo Station, and continues to Ibn Battuta Bus Station every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This route will only be operational until December 20. The second route is F55, a metro feeder link service that will shuttle between Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai Metro Expo Station.
It runs from 5 am to 12 midnight at a frequency of 30 minutes.
The third route is N55, a night service from 10 pm until 5 am the next day to connect Al Maktoum International Airport and the Expo Metro Station.
RTA will allocate two Dubai ferries and one water taxi during the World Cup, and service timings will be synchronised with match schedules. These water transit means will ferry riders on a line linking Bluewaters Island with Dubai Harbour.
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