The transport sector in Qatar plays an important role in the country’s aim to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons under Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030, the development blueprint. Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund invests heavily in building and maintaining the country’s roads, rail networks, port and airport upgrades, while developing integrated public transport system powered by cleaner electric energy. Boosting transport infrastructure is essential for Qatar’s growing population with the country’s development of smart cities and rising tourism. The heightened uptake of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technologies is enhancing efficiency and competitiveness as Qatar strengthens its position as a leading regional logistics and trade centre. The Iran conflict caused initial disruption to air travel across and around the Gulf in March and early April 2026. In parallel, ongoing maritime disruption in the Strait of Hormuz since March 2026 has underscored the strategic importance of resilient transport infrastructure, multimodal logistics connectivity and supply chain continuity planning across the sector.
Structure & Oversight
The Ministry of Transport (MoT) regulates land, maritime and air transport, and is responsible for improving urban mobility and access to public transport. The Civil Aviation Authority is a government entity under the MoT that regulates operators and the aviation sector. The government-owned Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) manages all shipping terminals, quays, dry ports and container terminals. Under QNV 2030, Mwani aims to develop Qatar’s maritime infrastructure by expanding port capacity to enhance competitiveness. Government-owned Qatar Rail is responsible for rail transport, including Doha Metro, and the commissioning and management of new railway projects. Also playing a central role in the transport sector is the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the agency responsible for the procurement of critical public sector infrastructure projects, including all roads, bridges and motorways.
Strategy
Guiding the sector is the Transport Master Plan for Qatar 2050, a strategic roadmap for land transport infrastructure launched in 2022. It aims to develop a fully integrated and sustainable public transport system, contributing to Qatar’s goals of achieving a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Implementation of the master plan generated an estimated QR300bn ($82bn) in economic returns by 2025 through reduced congestion, higher productivity and more efficient mobility, according to MoT estimates.
Aligned with the master plan, the MoT launched its Ministry of Transport Strategy 2025-30 in September 2025 to promote the transport sector’s role in economic growth and Qatar’s economic diversification efforts. The plan aims to strengthen Qatar as a leading regional centre for transport and logistics services by investing in critical port and road infrastructure. The strategy includes 43 infrastructure and transport initiatives, with total investments exceeding QR1.2bn ($320m), backed by private sector participation of about 40%. The regional conflict and disruption to Gulf shipping routes during 2026 further underscored the importance of investment in strengthening logistics resilience, freight mobility and operational continuity across transport infrastructure.
A key focus for the MoT is digital transformation across Qatar’s public transport systems to improve urban mobility and reduce traffic congestion by increasing the use of digital applications, AI-powered traffic management tools and smart control centres. In June 2025 the MoT announced the launch of the Transport Data Management System as part of the master plan. It features a geospatial database to integrate transport-related information available to government entities and transport consulting firms to improve transport planning, traffic analysis and operating costs.
Building on traffic management systems introduced during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, more sensors are being installed in busy areas in Doha and nearby Lusail City to provide real-time data to adjust traffic lights based on congestion and parking occupancy. Drivers can access real-time parking updates via the Smart Parking Service, launched in late 2022 and available on the TASMU app, to find parking spaces easily and in turn reduce congestion. Urban developments, the building of smart cities like Lusail City, and the renewal of Doha’s downtown Msheireb are driving demand for sustainable, energy-efficient integrated public transport networks and smart traffic solutions. In downtown Msheireb, the free, hydrogen-fuel-cell and battery-powered self-propelled tram operates on a closed 2.1 km loop circuit with embedded tracks and no overhead lines, while cars are parked underground, reducing congestion.
Public Spending
Qatar’s 2026 budget totals QR221bn ($60.6bn), a 5% increase in overall government expenditure when compared to the previous year. Of that figure, the transport sector was allocated QR4bn ($1bn). For 2026, Ashghal plans to issue tenders worth QR49bn ($13bn), mostly road, bridge and tunnel building contracts. Qatar’s transport infrastructure construction market is expected to grow to $13bn in 2026, up from $12.5bn in 2025. Looking ahead, its market size is projected to reach $16.9bn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1% between 2026 and 2031, according to estimates by Mordor Intelligence, a market research company.
Metro & Buses
Since its launch in May 2019, Doha Metro has become one of the world’s fastest driverless train networks, with speeds of up to 100 km per hour. In its first year, Doha Metro reduced traffic congestion in the capital by up to 25%, with a target of reaching 50%. Covering a distance of 76 km, the underground and elevated network features three lines with 37 stations across the capital. In January 2025, the new turquoise line of the Lusail Tram opened, marking the completion of the 25-station network across four lines. The latest development expands access to public transport in the capital, particularly for residents of Lusail City, about 15 km north of Doha. A park and ride initiative, first launched in 2020, continues to expand free parking facilities near Doha Metro stations.
While the MoT has prioritised improving access to public transport to help ease congestion, improve air quality and offer an alternative to private car use, residents across Qatar remain largely car dependent. New vehicle sales continue to rise, increasing by nearly 14% in 2024 from the previous year, of which over 70% were private vehicles. Qatar’s car-centric culture makes it challenging for public authorities to increase the use of public transport, with less than 30% of the economically active population using the Doha Metro.
In recent years, Qatar has made significant progress in shifting to electric buses as part of its sustainability goals to reduce carbon emissions by ensuring all public and government school buses become fully electric by 2030. As of mid-2025, 74% of public buses, totalling 787 vehicles, were electric, reflecting Qatar’s commitment to a clean energy transition across its public transport system. A notable example of the MoT’s push for renewable energy is Lusail City, home to the world’s largest electric bus depot housing more than 800 electric buses with 11,000 solar panels generating 4 MW of power daily to feed the depot building. Additionally, construction is underway at the Umm Alhoul free trade zone near Hamad Port to build the first electric bus assembly plant in the Middle East with an initial capacity to produce 300 buses a year. Upon completion, which is expected in 2026, the plant will cater to both growing local and regional demand for cleaner energy and spur the construction of more depots and charging stations.
Electric Vehicles
Qatar’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy 2021 aims to raise EV sales to 10% of total domestic vehicle sales by 2030, and plans to install 15,000 public charging stations by 2030. Aligned with QNV 2030, the strategy is part of government aims to transition to electric mobility and reduce carbon emissions. Despite growing sales in 2024, EV adoption in Qatar remains limited. EVs accounted for under 3% of total light vehicle sales in 2025, largely due to high initial costs, limited charging stations and consumer concerns about battery performance in extreme temperatures. Despite the challenges, demand for EVs is expected to rise, providing significant investment opportunities for EV manufacturers. Germany’s Volkswagen, France’s Gaussin, and China’s Yutong are already partnering with Qatari government entities to tap into the country’s EV market.
Ride-Sharing Apps
Qatar’s ride-hailing market is projected to significantly grow, driven by the MoT’s focus on digital transformation initiatives, along with rising smartphone penetration and a growing cashless economy. Its market size reached $420m in 2025 and is expected to total $1.3bn by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% between 2026 and 2034. The main players in Qatar’s taxi app market are Uber, Careem and Karwa which is operated by Mowasalat, the government-owned transport company. Karwa also provides transport for major events, corporate transport, and school bus and limousine services. Gaining users for shared e-scooters and e-bikes services has proved challenging in Qatar, however, with user penetration for e-scooters at 7.8% in 2025. Factors such as extreme summer heat, a lack of charging stations and dedicated bike lanes in Doha have limited the use of shared e-scooters and e-bikes.
Roads
In 2025, road building and maintenance accounted for 52.6% of Qatar’s transport infrastructure construction market share. This is supported by ongoing motorway upgrades across Qatar’s 8, 500-km road network, increasingly incorporating smart signalling, EV chargers and internet of things sensors. In February 2026, Ashghal awarded 12 new projects worth QR4.5bn ($1.2bn) to Qatari engineering and construction companies as part of efforts to promote partnerships with the local private sector, including four road and residential infrastructure development projects. Ashghal also issued tenders for eight new infrastructure projects, including the building of tunnels and drainage systems, totalling QR7bn ($1.9bn).
Rail
Qatar’s railway sector, though smaller than road infrastructure, is the country’s fastest-growing segment in the transport infrastructure construction market. According to market research company Mordor Intelligence, the railway sector is forecasted to expand at compound annual growth rate of 6% from 2025 through 2031, depending on the ongoing pace of existing and upcoming extension projects. Growth is largely driven by the ongoing Doha Metro expansion and the GCC Railway. The ambitious GCC Railway project aligns with QNV 2030 development goals by boosting trade and freight mobility, supply chain resilience and tourism. When complete, the railway will feature high-speed passenger trains and freight services stretching over 2,117 km. The project aims to boost regional integration and connectivity by linking all six member nations.
First approved by the GCC countries in 2009, the project is due for completion in December 2030, but that is subject to each country’s financing implementation. Each GCC member state is responsible for implementing the portion of the project that lies within its territory. Qatar is set to build railway lines, stations and freight terminals spanning 283 km. While prolonged delays have stalled progress over the past decade, significant portions of the network are now moving into advanced planning or construction stages, backed by an estimated $240bn investment.
Among other notable initiatives to improve regional integration is the planned new train project between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In December 2025, the two countries signed an historic agreement to build a highspeed electric 785-km rail link, connecting their capitals of Riyadh and Doha and international airports. It is expected the railway will cut the journey time between the capitals to about two hours. The project is expected to be completed by 2032, offering a robust pipeline of investment opportunities for local and foreign engineering and construction firms. Upon completion, the major project will transport 10m passengers a year and create 30,000 jobs, boosting regional mobility and tourism, while enhancing bilateral trade.
Aviation
Expansion work at Doha’s Hamad International Airport was completed in May 2025 to cater to rising tourism demand, raising capacity to 65m passengers a year. Qatar aims to attract up to 7m tourists annually by 2030, an increase from 5.1m in 2025, and boost the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP to 12%-15% by 2030. The transport sector plays an important role in achieving this goal. In 2025, Hamad International Airport handled 54.3m passengers, a 3% increase from the previous year, while cargo handled reached 2.6m tonnes, marking a slight decline in line with global market trends. However, the Iran conflict resulted in the total closure of Qatar’s airspace in March 2026, resulting in a significant drop in passenger numbers in the first half of 2026. Meanwhile, the airport’s early-delivery record strengthened investor confidence ahead of future terminal and runway infrastructure projects. The airport’s upgrade also included a $1.2bn cargo terminal expansion, raising cargo handling capacity to cater to rising demand from e-commerce and growing reliance on air freight alternatives during periods of maritime disruption and uncertainty.
Qatar’s government-owned flag carrier, Qatar Airways, is a major player in the global aviation sector and continues to expand its connectivity in the region and beyond. In spite of the conflict, in May 2026 Qatar Airways posted a profit of $1.9bn for the FY 2025/26, slightly down from the previous financial year of $2.1bn. In January 2026, the national airline launched direct flights from Doha to Saudi cities of Hail, Yanbu, Abha and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport, adding to the more than 150 existing weekly flights to Saudi cities and reinforcing its commitment to expanding its services in the Saudi market. New flights were also launched in January 2026 to Tashkent and Toronto, expanding the airline’s global reach to over 170 destinations worldwide. Qatar Airways also announced the launch of new flights to Caracas and Bogota starting July 2026, reflecting the airline’s expansion into the South American market and strengthening connectivity between the Middle East and the Americas. Qatar Airways is also well positioned to cater to rising demand for air cargo capacity driven by the e-commerce boom and shifting regional trade patterns amid maritime disruption in the Gulf. As of early 2025, the airline ranked as the largest air cargo carrier among passenger airlines and second overall behind FedEx. It operates 28 Boeing 777 Freighters for its freight operations, with a further 34 next-generation 777-8F aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2028, as well as additional cargo capacity on more than 200 of its passenger aircraft.
Bridges
Plans are underway to revive the ambitious $12bn Sharq Crossing Project (formerly known as the Doha Bay Crossing) to connect Hamad International Airport to Doha’s West Bay, Cultural District and Lusail City through a 12-km series of bridges and undersea tunnels, linking north and south Doha. Overseen by Ashghal, it was first developed in 2013 and relaunched in Qatar’s 2020 budget. In a more recent sign the project is moving forward, Ashghal awarded contracts for updated needs assessment and concept work in August 2025. The project will provide significant opportunities for local and international engineering firms. While no completion date has yet to be announced, the Sharq Crossing is positioned as a flagship project in Qatar’s urban development plans aligned with QNV 2030. When complete, the bridge will help to improve urban connectivity and mobility across key Doha districts. It will also ease congestion, handling 6000 cars per hour.
Another notable project showing gradual progress is the Qatar-Bahrain causeway project, or Friendship Bridge, a 40-km road-and-rail link between northern Qatar and eastern Bahrain. First announced in 2008, the project has moved back into the active pre-implementation phase, with Beirut-based Dar AlHandasah, a global engineering and project management consultancy, awarded a QR28m ($7.7m) contract to conduct feasibility studies in January 2026. This development follows an agreement reached in early 2024 by Qatar and Bahrain to restructure the project’s planning committee to accelerate progress.
Ports & Logistics
Qatar’s logistics sector has been a key driver of economic diversification, contributing to the growth of the country’s non-oil and gas sectors. However, the closure and disruption of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since March 2026 has introduced significant operational challenges for maritime trade flows across the Gulf region, increasing pressure on ports, logistics operators, insurers and supply chains. As of January 2026, Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports accounted for 40% of GDP. Under QNV 2030, Qatar aims to position itself as a leading global trade and logistics hub as part of its efforts to diversify away from a hydrocarbons-based economy. In recent years, the logistics sector has emerged as one of Qatar’s fastest-growing industries. A focus on digital transformation, such as automated systems to enhance supply chain efficiency and the implementation of smart tracking systems and digitisation of facilities has spurred growth in the logistics sector. Supporting innovation and growth in the transport and logistics sectors is a new global technology facility following an agreement signed in May 2024 between the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) and Quantiphi, a Google Cloud partner and digital engineering company. The facility aims to meet surging demand for AI tools to enhance efficiency in the transport and logistics sectors through predictive maintenance and dynamic routing. Such initiatives, combined with significant government investment to expand cargo volumes and handling capacity at Doha’s Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport – alongside free trade zones offering attractive incentives such as 100% foreign ownership and tax exemptions – have spurred sector growth and strengthened Qatar’s position as a logistics leader. Qatar’s logistics sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%, rising from $10bn in 2022 to $14bn in 2027.
Qatar has two main commercial ports – Hamad Port, the country’s largest port in the Umm Alhoul area south of Doha, and Al Ruwais Port in the north. Old Doha Port, adjacent to the centre of Doha, serves as the country’s main cruise terminal and yacht marina, receiving leading international cruise liners. A major redevelopment and upgrade of the port completed in 2022 gave Old Doha a passenger capacity of 12,000 tourists a day as Qatar seeks to become a leading regional cruise and luxury yachting destination. Qatar also has two industrial ports, Mesaieed Port used exclusively for petrochemical and aluminium exports, and Ras Laffan Port, the world’s largest purpose-built artificial oil and gas export harbour, spanning 46 km. Ras Laffan Port is Qatar’s main LNG export facility, and is owned and operated by the government-owned QatarEnergy.
Cargo handling capacity at Qatar’s commercial ports continues to increase. In January 2026, Qatar’s ports (Hamad, Ruwais and Doha) handled over 128,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 3% from the same month in 2025, while bulk cargo recorded a 43% growth. Covering 28.5 sq km, Hamad Port is Qatar’s main gateway to global trade and its most important port. It is also one of the largest ports in the Middle East, with capacity to handle 12m TEUs annually as of 2025. According to the latest World Bank and S&P Global Container Port Performance for 2024, which provides a global benchmark of how container ports perform in handling vessel calls and measures the time container ships spend in port, Hamad Port performed well. It ranked the 11th-most-efficient gateway in the world and held the top position in the Gulf region for the first time, reflecting the port’s increased operational efficiency. Targeted investment in automation, digital platforms and streamlined Customs procedures have allowed the port to shift from being a national gateway to a regional logistics platform.
The expansion of e-commerce is reshaping the logistics sector in Qatar and worldwide. According to Invest Qatar, the government’s foreign investment promotion agency, global e-commerce will account for 41% of global sales by 2027, up from 22% in 2022. The digitalisation of logistics services, the use of Big Data solutions along with the increasing use of automation and robotics are increasingly used to enhance port operational efficiency and supply chains. Significant investment opportunities exist for companies providing such services at Qatar’s ports and free trade zones.
To boost bilateral and regional trade, Saudi Ports Authority and Qatar Ports Management Company, commonly known as Mwani, signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2026, aimed at strengthening maritime and logistics cooperation between the two countries. This agreement seeks to improve operational efficiency in logistics services and includes exploring the establishment of joint maritime corridors and shared regional distribution centres.
Private Sector Participation
Qatar offers a competitive business landscape, spurring foreign direct investment (FDI) in its transport and logistics, infrastructure and energy sectors, among others. Aligned with QNV 2030 goals, Qatar aims to attract $100bn in FDI by 2030. Qatar does not impose a personal income tax but applies a 10% corporate tax on most foreign-owned businesses. To promote private sector participation, the 2019 Foreign Investment Law provides various incentives to foreign investors, including exemption from 10% corporate tax for up to 10 years and exemption from Customs duties on necessary machinery and equipment. Furthermore, the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) offers incentives for industrial projects in designated zones, including exemption from 10% corporate tax for up to 20 years, Custom duties exemption on imports, 100% foreign ownership and no limit on capital repatriation, and partnership opportunities with Qatari companies. In recent years, the QFZA has tendered out projects, like logistics parks and warehouses, for private local and foreign developers. Such measures have helped to bolster Qatar’s transport and logistics sectors.
To promote private sector participation, Qatar has established a regulatory framework, the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Law No. 12 of 2020, to govern partnerships between the government and private sector. In the lead up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, major road building and transport infrastructure projects, such as the expansion of the Doha Metro and Hamad International Airport, were government funded. Transport projects are still largely backed by government funds.
In 2025, public funding accounted for a 75.2% share of Qatar’s transport infrastructure construction market, while private funding is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% through 2031. Looking ahead, it is expected that PPP models in Qatar’s transport sector will gain momentum and be increasingly adopted for transport infrastructure projects, future metro expansions and airport upgrades, the provision of parking facilities and smart traffic solutions in Doha, as well as the construction of new bus and rail networks and logistics parks.
Outlook
Sustained and robust public funding, the gradual rise of private-sector participation and steady population growth will continue to underpin growth in Qatar’s transport sector in 2026 and beyond, despite heightened regional uncertainty and ongoing disruption to Gulf shipping routes. Following expansion projects at Doha’s ports and airport upgrades, the country is well positioned to strengthen its role as a resilient and reliable regional trade, shipping, aviation and logistics destination, supported by modern infrastructure, digitalisation and multimodal connectivity.
Qatar’s digital transformation, a sharp focus on innovation and AI-powered smart technology solutions will be increasingly adopted to raise efficiency and competitiveness of the country’s ports, airports, logistics networks and urban transport networks. Significant investment opportunities exist for local and foreign companies to provide technological expertise linked to logistics resilience, AI-powered transport systems, cargo management and supply chain optimisation in Qatar. In addition, planned regional rail and bridge development projects across the country offer a potential future pipeline of work for both domestic and international engineering and construction companies.
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