Best Place to Exchange Money in Doha

Where to change money in Doha

Hamad International Airport is the one place in Doha where the operator itself confirms that you can change notes. None of the city's exchange houses could be checked against two independent sources, so we name none here. If you do use one, read the rate and any commission on the receipt before you hand over pounds.

• Travelex, Hamad International Airport - The airport says Travelex has four branches spread through the terminal, changing currency and sending money transfers. It does not give their hours or say which are before or after passport control.
• Cash machines, Hamad International Airport - Machines around the building pay out riyals, and the airport says some will also handle other currencies. It does not name the banks that run them.

Changing money at the airport

Hamad International Airport (DOH) publishes no rates, fees or opening hours for its Travelex desks or cash machines, so check the board or the screen before you confirm.

Every airport taxi is run by Mowasalat, the company behind Karwa taxis, and arriving passengers pick one up at the Taxi Pavilion at the left-hand end of the arrivals hall. The airport lists Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay and NAPS, Qatar's own debit network, as ways to pay. You can also book ahead on the Karwa app, at karwa.qa or on +974 800 8294. No fares are published.

ATMs and cards in Doha

Visit Qatar, the national tourist board, says the riyal is the only currency in use and that malls, hotels and the rest of Doha have plenty of cash machines. We could not find any Qatari bank's fee for visitors' cards, so budget for your UK bank's charges and check what the machine displays before agreeing.

We found no official figure for card acceptance across the city, so keep some cash for small purchases and tips. When a card machine shows the price in pounds, say no: Which? advises paying in the local currency, because otherwise the retailer chooses the exchange rate. Arriving with QAR 50,000 or more in cash, counting all currencies together, means filling in a declaration.

Paying for transport in Doha

The Doha Metro is the easiest way around the centre. You tap a Doha Metro travel card at the gate when you start and finish each trip, and Visit Qatar says a full day of travel costs no more than QAR 6. Travel cards are sold at station vending machines and by some shops, and are meant to be topped up; Goldclub cards come from a Goldclub office in certain stations. Under-fives ride free, while older children pay the adult fare. The tourist board does not mention paying with a bank card at the gates, so plan on buying a travel card. Trains stop on Friday mornings for prayers.

Free Metrolink feeder buses serve the districts around stations, and Karwa taxis can be booked through the app. Single-ticket prices from 2020 do not match today's daily cap, so we leave them out.

Good to know

• Most hotels and restaurants already put a service charge on the bill. Visit Qatar says a further 10 to 15 per cent is welcome if you were pleased, and suggests keeping cash for tips.
• With a full British Citizen passport, the FCDO says, a tourist visa is issued when you land; the passport should have six months left. Staying past 30 days means extending the visa waiver in time and buying health insurance from a provider registered with the Ministry of Public Health before you travel, at a standard QAR 50 a person each month.
• During Ramadan, visitors are expected not to eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight; hotels keep some restaurants open out of public view.