Other than buses

 By taxi

Other than buses, the only alternative to not renting a vehicle is taxis. There are two taxi services, also op-erated by Mowasalat : Karwa and Al Million. Alter-natively, “limousine” taxis are available, which are un-marked, much more expensive (sometimes twice the cost of Karwas) and may not carry a meter. If you feel sure about the fare, you can negotiate it up front, but it is ad-visable to insist on a meter.

Because of increasing complaints regarding taxis, some precautions should be noted. For nearly all journeys within Doha the tariff should be set to '1', and for journeys at night or outside of Doha it should be set to '0'. Airport taxis have a single tariff, which begins at QR 25. Re-ports of tampered meters are on the rise (look for black tape or paper), as well as reports of drivers locking the doors or refusing to open the trunk without extra pay-ment. Technically if the driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free. If you have problems, you can call the police at 999, at which point the driver will suddenly be very cooperative.

The demand for taxis far exceeds the supply and waiting times may vary greatly. During morning business hours, companies usually require 24 hours notice if you need a taxi; however in practice, even this is unreliable as the

scheduled taxi often doesn't show up. At other times, it may take upwards of 90 minutes for an on-call taxi to ar-rive, and hailing one may be impossible in many places. The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi (normal or limousine) are at major malls, the airport and international hotels. The acute shortage has led to a thriv-ing market for unlicensed, or unofficial, taxi services, most with a steady clientele. For visitors, the best way to find a reliable driver is to ask around – many residents, particularly expats, hire such drivers regularly and will happily share contact information.

Occasionally, you may find a local driver will stop and offer to give you a ride if he or she sees you looking lost on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though sometimes they will refuse to take it. If a driver slows down and flashes their headlights, they are usually signalling they're willing to give you a lift; beckon them over with a wave in response. However, hitchhiking always has its risks, and it is not an advisable practice for solo women.