Lusail Tram network expands

QATAR Railways Company (Qatar Rail) launched full operation on the new Pink Line and the remaining stations on the Orange Line of the Lusail Tram network on April 8.

The new Pink Line shares infrastructure and six stations with the underground Orange Line from its southerly terminus at Legtaifya to Tarfat, from where the Pink Line continues on its own alignment north to Seef Lusail-North, adding another four stations. All stations are currently operational, except Al Sa’ad Plaza, an interchange with the network’s future east-west Purple Line.

The extended Orange Line runs from the previous terminus at Al Wessil to Naifa, from where the line continues north into an anticlockwise, uni-directional single-track loop that it will share with the future Turquoise Line, serving nine stations in Lusail city centre. This includes Downtown Lusail, where the line interchanges with the future east-west Purple Line. The most northerly station is Rawdat Lusail from where the line returns south via Lusail Stadium and Al Yasmeen.

The Lusail City stations are the first at-grade stations to open on the network. Public awareness campaigns have commenced to alert pedestrians and road users of the potential risks of light rail operation.

The initial 7km underground section of the Orange Line opened in January 2022. The service operates the same hours as the Doha metro, from 05:30 to 0.00 Saturday - Wednesday, 05.30-01.00 on Thursdays, and 14.00-01.00 on Fridays.

The network is operated with a fleet of 28 five-section Alstom Citadis LRVs. The at-grade sections are entirely catenary-free, drawing power from Alstom’s track-mounted APS system.

RKH Qitarat, a joint venture of RATP Dev, Keolis and Hamad Group, operates and maintains the Lusail Tram network as well as the Doha metro under a contract signed with Qatar Rail in 2017.

“The expansion of Lusail Tram services reflects our commitment to achieving our vision of supporting Qatar’s efforts in providing an integrated and sustainable transportation system,” says Eng Jassim Al Ansari, chief of programme delivery at Qatar Rail. “We are proud of the efforts made by the teams working on this important project, and we look forward to continuing to enhance tram services, expanding their scope, and opening the remaining lines to serve residents and visitors to Lusail City.”