Today, the largest city of Doha is the capital of a developed Arab state - Qatar. At the international airport of this city, tourists traveling to Asian countries often carry out transfers. Practice shows that traveling in this way can save a lot. What points should a Russian tourist pay attention to when planning a transplant in Doha? What to do during these few hours? You will find information on this below.
About airport service
When planning a transfer at Doha Airport, tourists should be aware of the basic conditions offered to them here. So, it is noted that the airport in question is quite large in size, and also it is clean and beautiful both outside and inside.
In the building of the docking station there is duty free, where all goods are presented at prices that are expensive for a Russian tourist. Alcoholic drinks here are also much more expensive than in the Russian capital. It is important to note that drinking alcohol within the Doha Airport is strictly forbidden - a large fine of $ 2,000 (about 14,000 rubles) is required for this.
Experienced tourists note that in duty-free airport you can buy Apple equipment duty free. Travelers from Russia, having visited the terminal of the Doha airport, often express a lot of positive emotions from a huge assortment of goods presented in duty-free, including not only food, perfumes, souvenirs, alcoholic drinks and similar products, but also cars.
Entertainment
At the airport there is a wide selection of entertainment that tourists who can wait for their flight can occupy themselves. In different parts of the building there are large installations, near which guests often arrange photo shoots.
What to do at Doha Airport for children and adolescents? For family tourists who fly with children, there are play areas where kids can have fun. To feed their child or provide him with normal rest and sleep, mothers can use the services of a mother and child’s room.
In the large hall, there are areas in which there is free access to the Internet, as well as monitors broadcasting news programs, videos and educational programs, but in Arabic. Often, Russian tourists say that access to the Wi-Fi network at the airport is provided for free - just enter the ticket number to connect.
For the comfortable movement of passengers between the terminals at the Doha Airport, a small train equipped with a magnetic cushion is equipped - for the sake of entertainment, some tourists ride it.
As for adult gaming areas, they are also available at Doha Airport. Here are areas for playing table football, chess, backgammon, checkers, etc.
Where to sleep
When planning a long-term transplant in Doha, falling out at night, it is important to take care of the place for an overnight stay. It is important to note that only on the territory of the airport tourists are offered a lot of options for places to sleep and relax, which you can use.
One of the most common is the waiting room. Although this option is far from the most convenient, it’s free. The waiting room of the transport hub is equipped with rather comfortable chairs with armrests, on which the most flexible tourists manage to sit down lying down. Free relaxation is also offered in special "Quiet rooms", some of which are divided by gender, and some are shared - they are designed for family spending time. Practice shows that as a rule there are no places in such rooms. Actually, this is precisely the main inconvenience.
Paid place for comfortable relaxation are the lounge areas located in the airport building. The main advantage of this place to sleep is that guests are offered a shower. It should be noted that Priority Pass loyalty card holders have the right to visit this place for free.
The most comfortable accommodation option is considered a transit hotel, equipped at the Doha Airport. Here you can take a shower, and sleep, and even watch TV. However, it is worth noting that this pleasure is paid, and vacation prices fluctuate around 120 dollars (8,500 rubles) per person - according to experienced tourists, within walking distance from the airport you can rent a room with the same amenities, but much cheaper.
How to eat
In case of a transfer at Doha International Airport, most tourists have questions about the food options in the terminal.
It is worth noting that earlier the Qatari airline provided tourists who had their next flight expected no earlier than 4 hours with special food vouchers - they were issued right at the entrance to the terminal. Unfortunately, this option is currently missing. Because of this, tourists are forced to independently think through the moments associated with food, ensuring all costs.
The airport has a large number of small restaurants and cafes, in some of which you can find exclusively dishes of the Islamic menu. The pricing policy in such institutions is quite high - the cost of a burger is 30-40 dollars (2000-2800 rubles), which is very expensive for most Russians.
The advantage of the catering facilities operating in the terminal of the Doha Airport is that almost all of them are ready to receive guests around the clock.
Should lonely girls go out into the city?
It is known that Qatar is a Muslim country in which strict laws apply. On this basis, many women planning a long-term transplant at the Doha airport have questions about whether it is dangerous for girls to leave the territory of the docking station on their own and walk along the streets of the capital.
It is worthwhile to understand that Qatar is a country that is one of the five most secure in the world. In view of this, tourists simply have nothing to fear here. Practice shows that locals can occasionally make comments on vulgarly dressed women (you need to remember that short shorts in a Muslim country are considered defiant clothes).
How to get around the city
You can move around the city by public transport, which is inexpensive. For a tourist who is in Doha in transit and who wants to see several sights, it is best to purchase a plastic bus pass, which operates exactly one day and costs 20 riyals. Drivers are selling the tickets themselves.
If you do not want to use public transport, any tourist can call a taxi. The cost of trips around the city is low - for a trip lasting 20 minutes you will need to pay about 450 rubles. Transportation is carried out on comfortable cars, each of which is equipped with a counter. It should be borne in mind that most drivers accept cash payments in local currency (Qatari rial), which must be obtained in advance when entering the city.
What to see
The city of Doha is the capital of a large and very rich Arab state. It is not surprising that in this city there are lots of objects that many Russians will be interested in looking at.
What to do in Doha during a transplant? Tourists waiting for their plane, I have a great opportunity to get acquainted with the main attractions of the capital of Qatar. To visit them it was easier and much faster, a prudent tourist can rent a car - the cost of this service is about $ 15 (about 1000 rubles) per day. Also a great option is to order a taxi.
What are the main attractions of Doha Russian can see in a few hours, while waiting for the plane? The most popular among them are:
- promenade "El Cornish";
- Pearl-qatar;
- Katara Cultural Village;
- Museums Corniche and Mathaf.
Let us further consider the main features of these places.
Embankment "El Cornish"
The central promenade of the Persian Gulf "El Cornish" is a unique in its beauty pedestrian zone, the total length of which is 7 km. Walking in this place, tourists can admire the chic skyscrapers, beautiful cars, unique sculptures, buildings, as well as the Museum of Islamic Art, which can be visited during a walk.
The first thing that catches your eye while traveling along the promenade is the most beautiful skyscrapers. It is worth noting that all of them, for the most part, were built over the past decade, and in the near future their number will only increase, since Doha, in fact, is only just beginning to develop.
Pearl-qatar
Pearl-Qatar is one of the main attractions of the capital of Qatar, presented in the form of an artificial island, whose total area is 4 million m 2 .
It is important to understand that Pearl-Qatar is a separate part of the city with its own infrastructure. It is here that you can see a cluster of elite boutiques (McQueen, Kenzo, Roberto Cavalli, Giorgio Armani, Balenciaga, etc.), as well as the best restaurants in the world where you can taste perfectly cooked dishes from around the world.
Pearl-Qatar is translated as "Pearl of Qatar". As tourists themselves note, a walk along the island will be unforgettable and filled with positive emotions.
Katara Cultural Village
Katara Cultural Village is a unique place that many tourists perceive as a small separate town in the capital of Qatar. This is an ethnic village, within which there are many interesting cultural sites. In the evenings, you can meet talented musicians playing on the street, and artists. Demonstrations and workshops on crafts traditional for the Arab world are often held at the head of the square.
The territory of the Katara Cultural Village complex is open around the clock and, best of all, its visit is completely free.
Corniche and Mathaf
Corniche is a museum of modern art in Qatar. Having visited this place, you should definitely get acquainted with unique exhibits, the creation of which was carried out over the course of 14 centuries. In a number of interesting objects, a large number of ceramic dishes, manuscripts, murals, as well as several types of textiles are presented. In addition to all of the above, in Corniche you can watch a large collection of paintings.
Themed exhibitions are often held at the museum venue, which can only be visited if a ticket to the main exhibition has been purchased before. The Corniche Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wanting to study contemporary art, tourists awaiting their transplant can head to another museum - Mathaf. Its wide collection features over 6,000 exhibits reflecting the main trends in the development of Islamic religion and statehood. The oldest exhibit presented here dates from 1840. You can get acquainted with all this for free.
This museum is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (on Friday from 13:30 a.m. to the same time).
About short transfers
In Doha, an hour is enough to make a transfer from one aircraft to another - this is proved by the practice of many travelers. Consider further the features of quick docking.
Choosing a flight with a quick connection, tourists need to be prepared for hasty movement through the airport building, which is very problematic, given its scale. So, if only one hour is allotted for the docking, tourists should be ready to go through all the necessary procedures in just 10-15 minutes, because it is known that boarding the flight ends half an hour before takeoff.
In order to check in for a connecting flight, a tourist needs to go to the counter and get his green coupon, which means tourists traveling with a short transfer at Doha Airport. It should be noted that the employees of the transport hub always try to help the holders of green coupons with landing, correctly guiding their movement.
When transferring in the capital of Qatar, you need to remember that luggage will be received only at the point of arrival. In Doha, you don’t need to get him in your arms, since he is in transit.
Tourists traveling with a short transfer at the Doha Airport are transported through the airport by large comfortable buses. As practice shows, most often it happens that from the ramp of one plane they immediately fall onto the ramp of another, even without the opportunity to look into the terminal building.
Do I need a visa for a transplant in Doha?
Many tourists from Russia are concerned about the issue of whether they need a visa.
It is important to understand that Qatar is a friendly state for Russia. The countries have an agreement concluded between themselves, the content of which states that the stay of Russian tourists in Qatar can be visa-free if this period does not exceed 30 days. Entrance and exit of Russians is carried out upon presentation of a valid passport, which is affixed with a special stamp in the form of a stamp.
Practice shows that Qatar border officials often ask tourists about their availability of accommodation and overnight. In this situation, it is recommended to explain that you are a tourist staying in the country in transit and do not need to spend the night.
Do I need a visa to transplant to Doha to citizens of other countries? It is important to understand that if an agreement on a visa-free regime of visits has not been concluded between the states, then obtaining a permit to cross the border of Qatar is mandatory. However, if the connection between flights is more than five hours, tourists can apply for an electronic transit visa for free, providing all the necessary documents in a special section on the airline’s website.