New Gautrain routes and expansion to be announced this week

Details on the new Gautrain routes and expansion are expected to be made public this week. 

Gauteng Public Transport, Roads and Infrastructure MEC, Jacob Mamabolo said R2.45 billion will be allocated to the Gautrain for operational expenses and subsidies for the 2022/23 financial year. 

GAUTRAIN ROUTES TO BE CONFIRMED THIS WEEK

The South African previously reported that extensions to the existing Gautrain infrastructure were in the works, with Lanseria, Little Falls, Soweto and Boksburg highlighted as areas the proposed new rail infrastructure will reach.

These would include routes to Lanseria via Cosmo City and the Cradle of Humankind with coverage from Mamelodi in the north, Boksburg in the South and Soweto South West of Gauteng.

PROPOSED EXTENSION PLANS

The proposed extension plan was broken down into 5 phases that will eventually see 19 new stations. The expansion would add an additional 149km of railway line and 19 new stations. It was estimated that the expansion project would create more than 240 000 jobs.

Phase 1 – which was submitted to National Treasury for approval in 2017 – would see the network expanding by 32 kilometres and three new stations between Marlboro and Little Falls in Roodepoort.

• A link between Marlboro and Soweto with an additional station at Sandton, as well as new stations at Randburg, Cosmo City, Little Falls, Roodepoort and Jabulani
• Connecting Jabulani and Mamelodi through Cosmo City, with new stations at Fourways, Sunninghill, Olievenhoutsbosch, Irene, Tshwane East, Hazeldean, and Mamelodi
• A link between Rhodesfield and Boksburg with new stations at East Rand Mall and Boksburg
• Connecting Cosmo City and Lanseria Airport with new stations at Cradle and Lanseria.

SEVEN REGIONS PUNTED FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL NETWORK

On 11 May, The National Rail Policy White Paper was officially made public outlining the government’s plans to fix South Africa’s broken train network. 

One of the proposals tackles the idea of bringing the Gautrain system to other parts of the country.

In total, regions have been punted for a high-speed rail network – three of which would rely on the existing infrastructure:

• Cape Town to the Winelands
• Gauteng to Bloemfontein
• The eThekwini conurbation
• Gauteng to Polokwane
• The Durban–Pietermaritzburg corridor
• Gauteng to Rustenburg
• Mthatha to Gqeberha, via Buffalo City

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