Congress Transport

A selection of Doha hotels have offered a choice of special rates for participants of the 20th World Petroleum Congress. Click here for further details.

Participants will need to quote their full name and congress registration order number to the hotel when reserving to benefit from the special rates. Rates are subject to change and availability at the time of booking. Attendees are to confirm and pay for their accommodation arrangements directly with the hotels.

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Free scheduled airport transfers from Doha International Airport to selected congress hotels will be available from 2nd December 2011 - 4th December 2011. Complementary transport will also be provided from the selected hotels to the Qatar National Convention Centre. These services will commence from 2nd December 2011, to allow for participant registrations, and will end on 8th December 2011.

A free Doha city Hop-On / Hop-Off shuttle will also be available, linking all the exciting points of interest, entertainment and leisure in Doha, during the period of the congress and exhibition.

Further transport details such as maps, routes and timetables will be published at a later date.

For any additional transport needs, Karwa Taxis are safe and the drivers helpful. To book you must call their call centre: +974 458 8888.

The State of Qatar issues two-week Tourist Visas on arrival for nationals of the following 33 countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, The Netherlands, USA, UK, Vatican City.

Only citizens of Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Saudi Arabia and the residents in the Gulf Cooperation Council of Arab States who are businessmen, medical doctors, engineers and similar prestigious positions do not need a visa.

All other nationalities not mentioned above need to apply for visas in advance. Your hotel will be able to assist you with your visa application and issue. This is standard service provided by most hotels and a fee is charged for the service. Alternatively, your travel agent or tour company can assist you. Visit the website of the Ministry of the Interior for the State of Qatar for the current information on the countries whose nationals need to apply for a visa to visit Qatar - www.moi.gov.qa

Registered congress and exhibition participants will qualify for a 15% discount on their Qatar Airways flights to Doha for the 20th WPC. Details on how to book the discounted fares will be issued upon completing your registration. You may either book your flights through a dedicated webpage or have your travel company do the bookings for you.  Group bookings can also be handled and upon request sent to your nearest Qatar Airways office.

Qatar Airways holidays is also offering a variety of short holiday breaks especially packaged and priced for congress and exhibition particpants.  Details on the packages can be viewed at Qatar Airways Holidays.  These specially packaged holiday breaks can also be booked at WPC venue.

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airline in the world, flying to over 100 leisure and business destinations across six continents with a modern fleet of  100 aircraft. The airline that was recently named ‘Airline of the Year’ by the prominent industry audit Skytrax also remains one of a select-few carriers with a Five Star ranking for service excellence. Qatar Airways was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row.

On the ground, Qatar Airways' unique Premium Terminal in Doha provides dedicated facilities for First and Business Class passengers in an atmosphere similar to a luxury hotel. Facilities range from exclusive concierge-style seated check-in to duty-free shopping, a nursery and play area for children and fine dining offering international cuisine, free wireless access throughout the entire terminal and a spacious business centre with secretarial service, several meeting rooms with video conference facilities, PC workstations and printers. Qatar Airways’ Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport also received the accolade ‘Best First Class Lounge’ in its category.

Qatar has a moderate desert climate with hot summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures can rise to 50oC and winter temperatures can vary between 7 oC and 24 oC. Rainfall averages 70mm per year, usually between October and March.

In December, the temperature averages at maximum 24oC and minimum 14 _oC.

Qatar Local time is 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) with no daylight savings adjustments. The working week in Qatar runs from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday being days off. Government ministries’ working hours are from 7am – 2pm, Sunday to Thursday; similar to the oil, gas and petrochemicals companies.

Shop times vary, but are generally 8.30am – 12.30pm and 4pm – 9pm although shopping malls tend to be open all day between the hours of 10am and 10pm. Some shops do not open at all on Fridays, while others open for a few hours early in the morning and re-open in the late afternoon, most malls and shopping centres only open around 4pm on this day.

The official currency is the Qatari Riyal (QR), which is divided into 100 Dirhams. The exchange parity has been set at a fixed rate of US$1 = QR3.64. Notes in circulation are QR1, QR5, QR10, QR50, QR100 and QR500. Most major international Credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted.

Qatar has more than 100 bank branches and there are hundreds of ATMs across the country. Most Visitors to Qatar can access funds in their home accounts by using their ATM cards at these machines. Bank hours: 7:30 am – 1:30 pm Sunday to Thursday with some branches that open all day at shopping centres.

Electricity is 220-240v with a frequency of 50 Hertz. British standard plugs are utilized. Most hotels offer internet connections. You can also access Qtel Hotspots at selected locations through pre-paid Hotspot cards. Locations include Souq Waqif, various hotels, cafes and the Diplomatic Club. Access cards valid for one year can be purchased at Hotspot locations and cost from QR30, QR50 or QR70.

Free wireless internet (iParks) access is offered at many coffee shops and public parks, including Doha’s Sheraton Park, Al Rumaila Park and Dahl Al Hamam Park.

The country code for Qatar is 974. There are two mobile phone service providers in Qatar: Qatar Telecom (QTEL) and Vodafone. They both offer international direct dialling to most countries. Travellers with international roaming may connect via these service providers for calls and text messages.

Prepaid SIM cards are available at all Qtel and Vodafone service centres, shops and authorized dealers. You need to simply show a copy of your passport and complete the registration form.

The expanding range of Medical facilities in Qatar is available to both residents and visitors. Visitors need to pay for treatment at government hospitals, primary healthcare centres and private hospitals or must have adequate health insurance to cover the hospital fees.

In case of emergencies at the congress venue, a first aid professional will be available at all times.

Delegates and their spouses already benefit from a 15% discount on their Qatar Airways international flights to Doha, and Qatar Airways is now also offering a variety of short holiday breaks that have been especially packaged and priced for congress and exhibition participants.

Qatar Airways understands how special your holiday is, so when it comes to planning, the airline is committed to making sure that every part of your well-earned break is organized to your satisfaction.

Whether you want to relax at a luxury resort or go on an adventure holiday, Qatar Airways Holidays has packages to suit every taste and budget. All packages are within four-and-a-half hours flying time from Doha and include The Maldives, The Seychelles, Istanbul, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Beirut, Kerela, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Dubai, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.

More details and information on how to book Qatar Airways Holidays will be available soon