Heading north of the city? The two longer transfers from the airport, priced and timed.
The Pearl and Lusail sit north of the city centre, so the transfer is longer than West Bay and the metro is less convenient. Here is what to expect.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| The Pearl | $40, 25–30 min |
| Lusail | $45, 30–35 min |
| Van | $65–70 |
| Karwa | QAR 80–110 |
| Metro | Awkward with luggage |
Prices and times
| Route | Private sedan | Van (up to 7) | Karwa taxi | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport → The Pearl | $40 · QAR 146 | $65 | QAR 80–100 | 25–30 min |
| Airport → Lusail | $45 · QAR 164 | $70 | QAR 90–110 | 30–35 min |
| Airport → Katara | $40 | $65 | QAR 75–95 | 25 min |
By metro
Red Line from the airport: 30 minutes to Legtaifiya for The Pearl (then taxi or shuttle, 10 minutes), or 35 minutes to Lusail QNB for the boulevard hotels. Fine with a backpack in daytime; not fun with suitcases or after midnight when the metro is closed.
Tips
- Give the exact tower or hotel name at The Pearl — Porto Arabia has 30 towers and the drop-off points differ.
- Night arrivals: a pre-booked transfer avoids the taxi rank queue, which is longest between 11 pm and 2 am when the long-haul flights land.
- Hourly chauffeur ($17/h, 4 h minimum) makes sense if you want to drop bags and go straight on to dinner at Katara.
Hotels north of the city
| Hotel | Area | From airport |
|---|---|---|
| Marsa Malaz Kempinski | The Pearl | 30 min |
| Porto Arabia serviced apartments | The Pearl | 28 min |
| Raffles / Fairmont Doha (Katara Towers) | Lusail | 35 min |
| Le Royal Méridien / Hilton Lusail | Lusail | 35 min |
| Hilton Salwa (resort) | South-west coast | 70 min — different direction |
Why the metro is awkward here
Legtaifiya station is on the mainland side of the causeway to The Pearl; from there it is a 2 km walk or a shuttle that runs every 20–30 minutes. Lusail QNB is a 10-minute walk from the Boulevard hotels but 3 km from the marina. With luggage, after a long flight, neither is fun — which is why most guests staying north pre-book a car.
Combining the transfer with a tour
Landing at midday and staying at The Pearl? A transfer that stops at the Museum of Islamic Art and the souq on the way (3 hours, guide included) costs less than a transfer plus a separate tour the next day. Ask for the 'arrival city tour' option.
Late-night arrivals
Most European and Asian long-haul flights land between 11 pm and 3 am. The metro is closed, the taxi rank queue is at its longest and app prices surge — the three reasons pre-booked transfers to The Pearl and Lusail are our most common night booking. The driver tracks the flight, so a two-hour delay costs you nothing, and hotel check-in desks at The Pearl and Lusail are staffed 24 hours.
Day trips from The Pearl and Lusail
Both are 30 minutes from the old city by car and 40 by metro, so plan one 'city day' with a private car or the metro and one desert day with hotel pickup — every tour we run collects from Pearl and Lusail hotels at no extra charge.
BookableAirport → The Pearl or LusailFixed prices, meet & greet, flight tracking. Sedan from $40, van from $65.Book a transferFAQs
About 25–30 minutes outside rush hour, 45 minutes at peak. Lusail is 5–10 minutes further.
