The road system is fair but the local driving is often fast and reckless. Driving is on the right. Areas of sabka (salt flats) make leaving the road to access the coast a hazard in many parts of Qatar, even in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. It's best to stick to prior tracks.

Bus: A new fleet of modern, air-conditioned buses now reaches main towns. Contact Central Bus Station (tel: 458 8888; website: http://www.mowasalat.com/) to check on progress.

Taxi: There is a choice between the old orange and white cars or newer, slightly more expensive sea-blue taxis. Both have meters. Taxis can be hired on an hourly basis, but in this case it's better to negotiate the fee in advance.  Taxis are the main source of public transport within Doha.

Car hire: Available from local and international companies at the airport and hotels. The minimum age for driving is 21 years. Seat belts must be worn. Large on-the-spot fines are issued to anyone not wearing one or not carrying a driver's licence. 

Emergency breakdown assistance: Police (tel: 999).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required, but a temporary licence can be obtained on presentation of a valid UK licence.

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Doha to other major cities and towns in Qatar.

	Air	Road	Rail
Al-Khor	-	0.45	-
Al-Zubara	-	1.30	-
Bir Zekreet	-	1.00	-
Khor Al-Adaid	-	3.00	-