{"id":819066,"date":"2025-04-02T13:17:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T11:17:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=819066"},"modified":"2025-04-02T13:17:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T11:17:25","slug":"new-routes-planned-for-big-gautrain-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/819066\/new-routes-planned-for-big-gautrain-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"New routes planned for big Gautrain expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport has confirmed expansion plans for the Gautrain and new routes through Soweto and Costo City. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the project&#8217;s financial sustainability has been questioned and criticised.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of February 2025, the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport issued a Notice of Route Determination of a Railway Line for the Soweto Extension and Cosmo City Junction of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Integrated Network Extension Project.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a significant step in the planned expansion of the Gautrain network, which has been a key component of Gauteng\u2019s transport infrastructure since it began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Gautrain is an 80-kilometre high-speed rail system that connects Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kempton Park, and OR Tambo International Airport.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) manages the project under a Concession Agreement between the Gauteng Provincial Government and a private operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Gautrain has also been credited with various economic benefits, including creating thousands of jobs and increased property development around its stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The expansion project aims to further extend the network with new routes and stations, improving connectivity and accessibility for commuters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Notice, <strong>the proposed railway routes include<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Little Falls Station to Jabulani Station (Soweto) via Roodepoort Station.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cosmo City Station to Samrand Station via Fourways Station, Sunninghill Station, and Olievenhoutbosch Station.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cosmo City Station to Lanseria Station via Cradle Station and Smart City Station.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This Notice was published under section 6 of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act 8 of 2001 (GTIA), which regulates transport infrastructure in the province and entrusts the MEC with financing, constructing, and managing such projects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of establishing a new railway line involves two key phases: Route Determination and Preliminary Design.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The publication of the Notice is the first step, requiring a preliminary route alignment study and an environmental investigation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The law requires that the MEC invite public comment on the proposed routes, ensuring that all interested and affected parties have an opportunity to provide input before finalising the determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain-.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain--1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-819100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain--1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain--300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain--768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gautrain-.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The elephant in the room <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the expansion is expected to boost Gauteng\u2019s economy and improve public transport accessibility, concerns over Gautrain\u2019s financial viability remain a significant concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its ambitious goals, the Gautrain has struggled with declining passenger numbers, leading to increasing questions about whether further investment is justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally projected to serve 47 million passengers by 2025, the Gautrain has fallen far short of this target, carrying only 7.9 million passengers in the 2023\/2024 financial year\u2014a notable drop from the 13.9 million recorded in 2019\/2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This decline has resulted in heavy reliance on taxpayer subsidies, with R2.79 billion allocated in the last financial year alone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Civil society organisations, including the Automobile Association (AA), have <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/motoring\/589103-gautrain-under-siege.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">criticised<\/a><\/strong> the planned expansion, arguing that the province\u2019s transport budget should prioritise urgent infrastructure upgrades such as road maintenance, taxis, and buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDespite this reality, authorities are pushing forward with an extravagant expansion project, neglecting the pressing transport needs of the province,\u201d the AA said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The AA also argued that Gauteng\u2019s existing road network must be improved to ease congestion and enhance road safety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFrom the outset, we have cautioned that this expansion is misguided. With dwindling ridership and mounting operational costs, it is now abundantly clear: We warned you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In response to these concerns, Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe acknowledged the challenges but expressed confidence in the system\u2019s future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He noted that declining ridership is not unique to Gautrain, as rail operators worldwide grapple with the impact of hybrid and remote work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe days of a predictable 9-to-5, Monday through Friday commute are over. Passengers are demanding a more frequent service throughout the day and dynamic pricing to accommodate their hybrid work schedules,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kgobe also highlighted that affordability has become a significant factor in commuter choices amid rising living costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising that Gautrain is perceived as inaccessible to some market segments, he said the agency is working to identify underserved groups and tailor its offerings to attract more passengers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent brand study found that while Gautrain maintains a reputation for safety, efficiency, and cleanliness, accessibility remains a concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, any changes to the system will be complex, given that the current Gautrain concession agreement expires in March 2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA new Public-Private Partnership agreement will determine the future operational framework, providing an opportunity to rethink Gautrain\u2019s business model to ensure financial sustainability,\u201d said Kgobe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He added that the new agreement will allow for innovation and modernisation of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;\u201cA new Public-Private Partnership agreement presents an opportunity to rethink the Gautrain business model, ensuring financial sustainability and operational excellence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-819101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GMA-CEo-Tshepo-Kgobe.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport has confirmed expansion plans for the Gautrain and its new routes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":819103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[1652,725,853,22182,22180,22181],"class_list":["post-819066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-government","tag-gauteng","tag-gautrain","tag-south-africa","tag-the-automobile-association-aa","tag-the-gauteng-mec-for-roads-and-transport","tag-the-gautrain-management-agency-gma"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/819066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=819066"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/819066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":819312,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/819066\/revisions\/819312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/819103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=819066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=819066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=819066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}