Education City Tram to increase frequency during Asian Cup

The Education City Tram will increase the frequency of its services to ensure better connectivity to the Education City Stadium, during the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, Gulf Times has learnt."The tram operation plan will be co-ordinated with the tournament’s organisers, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Transport to ensure a smooth and efficient service, including measures such as crowd control and security,” said Qatar Foundation (QF) Integrated Transportation System director Jassim Eisa Rasheed.AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will be played from January 12 to February 10, with the Education City Stadium a key venue with four group matches, one Round of 16, and one Quarter-final.According to Rasheed, after the launch of the Green Line services, the tram will help provide access to visitors across all the major sites in the Education City as well.He added that the tram’s operating hours will be extended during weekends to accommodate student requirements and other events."This will involve running trams earlier in the morning and later at night,” Rasheed said. "Dedicated tram routes may be implemented during special events and tournaments where the Education City Stadium is a venue to make it easier for fans and visitors to get around.”The official said that the Education City Tram has been a resounding success since its launch in December 2019, allowing park-and-ride links between the Education City’s schools, universities, entities, and facilities."The average number of daily tram passengers per day quickly reached over 3,000,” he revealed. "By the start of this academic year in September 2023, that figure had risen to over 4,000.”"The average number of tram passengers per month has reached over 120,000,” Rasheed continued. "This is a remarkable number, especially considering that the tram system is still relatively new.”"The introduction of the Green Line in July 2023 has further boosted the popularity of the tram system, making it easier for students and staff to get around the full campus, and Education City being more accessible to visitors,” he added. "By the end of 2023, the daily ridership of has reached around 5,000.”"Students at the QF are using the tram more frequently for a number of reasons,” Rasheed said."First, the tram is a convenient and efficient way to reach facilities on both our south and north campuses, and is fast, reliable, and free,” he explained. "Second, the tram is environmentally friendly. And third, the tram is wheelchair accessible and feeder buses are available to pick up and drop off passengers to tram stops during hot weather.”The tram is making it easier for QF students to get around campus and to participate in all the activities that the Education City has to offer.All three lines are now operational, with the Blue Line connecting QF schools, the Yellow Line connecting its universities, the Qatar National Library, Minaretein, and QF student housing, and the Green Line connecting Education City’s north campus – which includes Sidra Medicine, the Qatar National Convention Centre, and QF housing – with its south campus.