How to get to | Qatar

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Source: Shahin Olakara

The only land border is with Saudi Arabia and a visa or transit visa is required to use the bus or taxi services. Airlines flying to Doha include:

• Star Alliance - EgyptAir, Lufthansa, Turkish
• Oneworld - British Airways, Royal Jordanian
• Sky Team - KLM
• Other Selected - Qatar Airways, most Middle Eastern airlines, some Indian airlines

TIP Several airlines operate fifth freedom flights between Doha and other Middle East hubs (notably excluding Saudi Arabian airports). These can be relatively inexpensive.

TIP If visiting somewhere else in Middle East and flying on Qatar Airways it is usually worthwhile on paid tickets to make the other place the destination with a stopover in Doha. The cost is the same or very little extra compared with Doha as destination. The opposite applies if flying other gulf airlines (ie if flying Emirates Gulf make Dubai the stopover and Qatar the destination).

TIP If including Bahrain in a Star Alliance or Sky Team around the world ticket (which have a mileage limit) take a surface sector from one of the other Middle East hubs to avoid the need for lengthy backtracking due to lack of Asian connection.

TIP On a One World explorer around the world ticket (which is not mileage-based) you can back-track via London on British Airways or Amman on Royal Jordanian, or fly on to Bahrain on British Airways to connect with Cathay Pacific.