Also starting Friday is the much-awaited 11th Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), which is among the various activations planned in the coming days to provide a unique experience for fans during the tournament.
Al Bidda Park is set to host QIFF until December 17, along with the Corniche until December 4. There will also be three open plazas along the Corniche with attractive designs to draw visitors. Besides, eight interactive light and sound shows, extending from the Theatre Park to the Pearl Monument on Corniche Street, will be held to coincide with the food festival.
With a large number of people expected to visit the area, special transportation services and pedestrian crossings have been arranged to serve the Corniche during the closure period.
Road users have been encouraged to use alternative modes of transport in view of the closure. Only public transit services will be operated in the area, including Mowasalat (Karwa) buses and Doha Metro, during this period.
Shuttle buses will be provided on different routes for transportation from today until December 4. The public can avail of the Corniche, B-Ring Road and C-Ring Road loop services to reach places such as Souq Waqif, Hotel Park (Sheraton), Al Bidda Park and several others. (SEE BOX)
The buses will be operating every 15 minutes.
The Corniche loop service will have 11 pick-up and drop-off points, while the B-Ring Road service will have 15 and the C-Ring Road service 19, according to information available on Sila, the platform that brings together Qatar’s transport modes into one network. Detailed maps are available on Sila's Twitter page.
A large number of people are expected to use the Doha Metro to reach their destinations, and can also avail of the 'Park and Ride' facility available from some stations. The metrolink and metroexpress feeder bus services will also be available.
Overall, there are 37 Metro stations, of which seven serve the Doha Corniche area - DECC, West Bay QP, Corniche, Al Bidda, Msheireb, Souq Waqif and National Museum. Also, metrolink services are available at 21 stations and metroexpress at six stations, while the 'Park and Ride' facility can be found at 14 stations, according to information available on the Doha Metro & Lusail Tram Twitter page.
Special pedestrian crossings have also been arranged along the Corniche for the benefit of commuters and fans, who can access the Corniche bus service using these crossings in conjunction with the operation of the Metro.
Alternative entrances and exits will be provided to access the area around the Corniche. “A-, B-, C- and D-Ring roads, along with February 22 Street and Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, will remain open and these could be used as alternatives during the closure period,” First-Lieutenant Khaled al-Mulla, head of the technical team of the Corniche Closure Committee, had said recently.
On its part, Mowasalat (Karwa) has modified its bus routes, timings and dates in view of the FIFA Arab Cup. The details can be viewed on the company's Twitter page.
There has been co-ordination with all parties directly or indirectly affected by the Corniche closure, with detailed maps being sent to them by the authorities concerned showing alternative routes to reach their destinations.
Also, affected entities can apply for an exceptional permit during the closure period, which will be granted subject to conditions.
Meanwhile, heavy vehicles and buses are banned from entering some roads from November 26 until December 4 during peak hours - from 6am to 8.30am, from 12noon to 3pm, and from 5pm to 10pm. The roads included on this list, according to the Ministry of Interior, are A-Ring Road, B-Ring Road, C-Ring Road, February 22 Street, Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, Mohammed Bin Thani Street, Al Markhiya Street and Al Istiqlal Street.
Public transport and school buses are exempted from this ban.
Also, heavy vehicles are banned around stadiums at all times except from 1am to 5am.
Shuttle bus and Metro services
* Corniche loop bus service: Northbound stops - Souq Waqif Metro station, Al Bidda Park, Post Office, Hotel Park (Sheraton), DECC Metro station and City Center Doha; Southbound stops - Hotel Park (Sheraton), Post Office, Al Bidda Park, Dhow Harbour and Al Meena Street
* B-Ring Road loop bus service: Northbound stops - Souq Waqif Metro station, Dhow Harbour, Al Meena Street, Kaybar Street, Al Doha Al Jadeda Metro station, Rawdat Al Khail Street, Salwa Road, Doha Oasis and Qatar Bowling Centre; Southbound stops - Al Bidda Street, Doha Oasis, Salwa Road, Rawdat Al Khail Street, Al Doha Al Jadeda Metro station and Al Raqqah Street
* C-Ring Road loop bus service: Northbound stops - Souq Waqif Metro station, Dhow Harbour, Al Meena Street, National Museum Metro station, Umm Ghuwailina Metro station, Al Hilal, Al Rawabi Street, Salwa Road, Al Sadd Metro station, Rumailah Hospital and Qatar Bowling Centre; Southbound stops - Al Bidda Street, Rumailah Hospital, Al Sadd Metro station, Salwa Road, Ali Bin Abi Talib Street, Al Hilal, Umm Ghuwailina Metro station and National Museum Metro station.
* Doha Metro timings: Doha Metro will operate between 2pm and midnight today; between 6am and 11pm from tomorrow until November 29; between 6am and 3am from November 30 until December 18 (except Fridays); and between 9am and 3am from November 30 until December 18 (Fridays).
