Mowasalat to operate 4,000 buses during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Mowasalat Bus

For the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Mowasalat (Karwa) will use about 4,000 buses to transport fans.

“We have added over 2,300 buses for the mega sporting event. In general, about 4,000 buses will be deployed including public transit buses,” said Khalid Kafoud, Director of Public Relations and Communications at Mowasalat (Karwa). Speaking to Qatar Radio yesterday, he said Karwa will also operate 800 taxies during the World Cup. “In addition, over 1,300 taxies were launched recently under new ‘Karwa-Fox’ economy service in partnership with Fox Transport.”

According to him, the service will make it simple for customers to acquire affordable transportation via the Karwa Taxi app.

“Following the efforts by  Qatar to provide eco-friendly transportation, Mawasalat Karwa has over 850 electric buses which are operating with zero carbon emissions and are noise-free,” said Kafoud.

He said that the company has more than 1,600 hybrid buses, the newest diesel-powered fleet that runs on euro-6 engines, and employs RW technology to reduce the harmful impacts of vehicle smoke.

Regarding electric charging station, he said: “All electric bus charging stations are working with full capacity. Fast charging stations have also been installed at various places across the country.” 

According to him, Qatar will be the first FIFA World Cup host to deploy such a large number of electric buses as well as electric and hybrid taxis to significantly lower carbon emissions throughout the competition.

“The public transport fleet which will be used during the World Cup will leave a legacy for sustainable transportation system of Qatar,” said Kafoud.

He said that Mowasalat (Karwa) had been putting together an action plan for the World Cup for years, including plans for providing buses, drivers, and training programs.

On September 21 and 22, the business conducted a demo run to test more than 2,300 tournament service buses on 80 routes, simulating the World Cup's busiest days.

“The test aimed at evaluating the readiness of workforce, operation capacity of the fleet. Simulation of ferrying fans from accommodation to stadiums took place during the test run of the buses.”

Expecting huge number of fans during the World Cup, he said road networks including metro stations and airports were tested to ensure the readiness for the event. “We have launched an addition of 90 new electric buses to the Metrolink fleet to cater to the needs of residential areas,” said Kafoud.

He said these buses according to their size are very suitable for residential areas. “They are fully electric, eco-friendly with zero carbon emissions, ensuring seamless operation because of being almost noise-free. These buses will come into operation from October 1,” the official said.