Commuting to airport - living in Doha
By luxuryhotel •
I am coming to Doha with my wife and little baby from Europe for the whole of 2009 and I'll need to commute everyday to the airport.
Here in Ye Olde World we live in an apartment tower with grocery shopping and pharmacy very close by car and even walking distance. I was considering a serviced apartment in the West Bay in order to have quick access to shopping but I understand most people suggest to stay as close as possible to your office, but I'd like to stay in an area where I can meet other expats. What do you think ?
mmm... then it seems I need to get a villa in Al-Fardan Gardens near LuLu... any hints ? I do not feel like going in small compound, that one is rather big and greenish - at least in Google Maps :)
For 3 1/2 years I lived right by the airport on D ring road. It was close to loads of shopping. There are quite a few compounds with westerners and all the amenities. No big apartments, however. I now live in West Bay as my husband commutes to Ras Laffan (45 minutes North of Doha). When I go from West Bay to Airport area to visit friends it takes about an hour during heavy traffic. something to consider
Thank you all for your feedback.
My office will be located at the new airport under construction behind the current airport. I'll have a car, so on Fridays-Saturdays I (hopefully) will take my little family to the mall for groceries. I was thinking that during workdays my wife could arrange a private driver for smaller duties, I have read KARWA is now offerting "standard limousine" service (it should be midway between KARWA and VIP limos).
Regaring West Bay, I was thinkin of the new towers such as Somerset, Alfardan or BHT... Ezdan seems too big to me, I wonder how the service is there with so many units.
luxuryhotel, try Ezdan Tower. If your wife dont drive she wont be stranded with your little one. I know the apartment have a shuttle bus to the city centre ... so at least going shopping and groceries still very easy to reach for your wife.
There maybe a few things you would like to consider.
1. If I'm not mistaken the West Bay area has one of the highest rent, considering you are also looking for a serviced apartment.
2. West Bay and the airport area is at opposite ends. You will have to think of your travel time and if you want to endure the daily drive.
3. Even if you stay in close by to City Centre, you will most like have take your car since you have a baby. Currently the road infront of it is not yet finished. Though the weather is tolerable right now, summer is a different story.
4. If you'd like to meet expatriates, I'm sure there will be other ways to do so, apart from just staying in a building with them.
West Bay is a good area and true there is a lot of expatriates living there, you just have to check a few more things to help you decide.
Well this is not exactly Europe and you will find things likely not as close or handy. That is likely why they suggested living closer to your work. Also, when you say airport, the new airport under construction or the existing operating airport?
You will find traffic here to be a mess and very slow. I am from Texas and used to commute 75 miles or approximately 120 km everyday, I know commute approximately 12 km and it can take as much as an hour to arrive at work, thank goodness it is not usually that bad. By comparison, my 120 km commute to Dallas only took 1 hour and 15 minutes for 10 times the distance.
So you may wish to consider location to work, but honestly you are the only one who can assess that and to do that properly, you will need to have boots on the ground here in Doha.