A large simulation, mobilizing 1,300 buses has been conducted, to verify the fluidity of the trips of football fans. 300,000 supporters are expected in Doha.
Le Monde with AFP
The organizers of the 2022 Football World Cup circulated Thursday, August 18, 1,300 buses in the streets of Doha to simulate life -size public through this small Gulf State, which is preparing for a logistical challenge , suddenly over a million visitors.
“These are the most complex transport operations ever mounted for a major sporting event,” says Ahmad Al Obaidly, manager of Mowasalat, operator of Qatar bus and taxi services, first country in the Middle -Orient to welcome the World Cup, from November 21 to December 18.
The organizers thus simulated on Thursday the conditions of transport between the eight stadiums planned for the competition during the most loaded days of the World Cup, with up to 300,000 supporters in Doha at the same time.
In stifling heat, hundreds of air -conditioned, but almost empty buses have circulated between stages, metro stations and planned pickup points. At the Al Wakra metro station, in the suburbs of Doha, more than 1,000 Mowasalat drivers played the supporters going to the Al Janoub stadium, five kilometers away.
more than 4,000 bus required
Stade Al Bayt, where the opening match will take place on November 20, does not have a metro station. Hundreds of passenger buses have traveled 25 kilometers to the nearest station to the new town of Lusail, as they will do when they will take foreign supporters in their match.
Bus even made the return trip after midnight to simulate the conditions of the end -of -evening match of group B. “We want to make sure that our plans work,” said Thani Al Zarraa, mobility manager for The World Cup.
m. Obaidly said 3,000 buses had been bought and that there would be more than 4,000 in the streets for the World Cup. The company also doubled its number of drivers, at 14,000 during the World Cup, coming most of Asia and Africa.
Each bus will have five video surveillance cameras connected to a command center. After the tournament, the buses will be bequeathed to the public transport service of Qatar, which will find itself “one of the first countries in the world to have a fully electric public transport service”, assures Mr. Obaidly.