Careem introduces inter-city rides from Saudi to Qatar for FIFA World Cup

Careem has introduced inter-country rides to and from Dammam and Al-Ahsa to Doha, to enable Saudi fans to travel to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches by car.

Customers can book a ride to Doha one day in advance, for a car that can accommodate up to three passengers. Careem cars at Doha International Airport and Hamad International Airport provide direct access to all eight World Cup stadiums as well as have dedicated Careem pickup lanes.

City-to-city rides are available to those attending multiple matches. Customers in Qatar can avail packages that allow them to book multiple rides at a discounted price. Careem has expanded its fleet size by 1,000 additional cars over several months in the run up to the football event later this month.

“We’re so excited to introduce inter-country rides to enable football fans in Saudi to travel to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches by car,” said Ghaith Al-Johani, general manager for Careem Saudi Arabia.

“This will increase the supply of transport options for visitors while also creating even more flexible earning opportunities for Captains.”

Careem said in a statement that the total number of its vehicles in Qatar is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent in time for the World Cup, while fleets in neighbouring cities have been growing in tandem as well.

Careem has also tied up with local and international partners to accommodate the large influx of tourists. Partnerships with Grab, Alipay, and Kakao will enable customers to book Careem rides on their apps through a direct integration with Careem’s app.

Careem will also offer customers a zero-wait-time solution using a One-Time-Password (OTP) code at all eight stadiums. Customers can request their OTP code when adding their pickup spot on the app and will need to provide the code to a Careem Captain by the pickup lane.

Careem launched its service in Saudi Arabia in 2013, commencing operations in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dhahran, and Khobar, before expanding to reach 29 cities across the kingdom, the statement added.

Careem has broadened its service offering in the kingdom to also provide food delivery, city-to-city transportation, booking a Covid-19 vaccine, and PCR testing. In 2021, Careem Captains in Saudi Arabia earned north of $115m.

Read: FIFA World Cup ticket sales near 3 million with over a month to go