Layover guide
Getting out of the airport in Doha
Karwa taxis from the Taxi Pavilion, or the Metro from the station at Terminal 1.
All of Doha
Karwa, operated by Mowasalat, is the official taxi service. The Taxi Pavilion is at the left-hand end of the arrivals hall.
Karwa can be booked ahead through its app or by phone rather than queueing, which is worth doing on a late arrival.
The Doha Metro station at Hamad International Terminal 1 runs seven days a week and connects the airport to the main districts.
Hamad International does not publish a fare table for the airport run, so the meter is the reference. Agree nothing with a driver who offers a flat price off-rank.
- Hamad International Airport: taxi · checked 2026-08-17
- Hamad International Airport: metro · checked 2026-08-17
The rest of Doha
The whole guideRide-hailingUber, Badrgo and Ryde are the only authorised airport pickups; the zone is in the car park via Gate 3, not at the kerb.Local laws that catch crew outPublic drunkenness carries up to six months in prison, and photographing someone without consent can cost you QAR 100,000.Staying connectedVisitor SIM/eSIM on arrival from Ooredoo kiosks in the Arrivals Hall; free terminal-wide wifi (#HIAQatar).WeatherExtreme heat June-Sept (45C-plus, humid); mild Nov-Feb; a legal midday outdoor-work ban runs 1 June to 15 Sept, 10:00-15:30.Eating near the crew hotelsSouq Waqif is the traditional eating quarter (on the Gold Line metro); Katara Cultural Village is the beachside restaurant cluster.What to buySouq Waqif covers the category buys: gold jewellery, Arabic spices and dates, and the Falcon Souq.TippingService charge is usually already in the bill; 10-15% on top is appreciated, not expected; carry cash for it.