The Gautrain network is to be extended to areas including Soweto, Sunninghill, and Fourways.
These and other plans were announced by Ismail Vadi, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, last week. Vadi added that capacity on the Gautrain would also be boosted in the coming months.
According to the announcement, the extensions are expected to take more than 24 months. The proposed rail network include a link from Gautrain Park Station to Westgate in the Johannesburg CDB; a link from the existing Gautrain Sandton Station to Randburg and Honeydew; and a link from Rhodesfield Station to Boksburg; and a link from Naledi in Soweto to Mamelodi.
The link between Naledi and Mamelodi will be via either the proposed Gautrain Samrand Station or the existing Gautrain Midrand Station. This extension will also include stations at Blue Hills, Sunninghill, Fourways, Cosmo City and Ruimsig.
Vadi said the Gautrain system was under pressure due to increased demand and that capacity would be increased in the short to medium term. This includes adding a seventh eight-car train during the morning peak within the next three months as well as reconfiguring the service’s seating plan to accommodate more passengers in the next six to nine months.
