A new tram system that will help make Education City a car-free campus will come into operation by the end of this year or early next year, officials have reportedly said.

The update was given at the Smart Parking Conference this week by QF Capital Projects engineer Ahmed al-Khanji, according to the Gulf Times.

The remarks are consistent with a presentation last year by project engineer Siemens, which said that the north campus would be completed in June 2016, and the south campus in December 2016.

That’s a ways behind the initial 2015 proposed launch date, and the newer fall deadline.

Qatar Foundation received the first batch of trams from Germany last summer, and onsite testing of the people mover system was expected to begin this year.

A total of 19 trains are being manufactured by Siemens, which has tested the trams to make sure they can withstand the extreme heat and high humidity of a Qatar summer.

The new 24-station tram system is envisioned to transport an average of 3,300 people in each direction an hour, with 16 of the 19 trains operating at four-minute intervals during peak time.

It’s been estimated to cost around US$412 million.

Four carparks

Al-Khanji said the transportation system will connect to four parking garages inside of Education City.

This will make it easy for people to go from campus to Sidra Medical and Research Center, the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) and staff housing, Gulf Times reports him as saying.

The newspaper added:

“Al Shaqab and QNCC car parks can accommodate around 3,000 cars each. The (Qatar) Academy car park, which has a tunnel connected to the schools, can also house 3,000 cars. It will serve as a VIP car park during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Oxygen (Park) underground car park can take 1,500 cars.”

Al-Khanji also said that bikes and buses will help facilitate transportation around EC.

Thoughts?