When Gautrain beats Ubering to the airport

Depending on what time and where you’re travelling from, the Gautrain can be much cheaper and faster than using an e-hailing service to travel to OR Tambo International Airport. However, e-hailing services offer the most affordable option for those travelling in groups.

The Gautrain can be an affordable alternative to driving when commuting along its North-South rail from Hatfield Station in Pretoria, to Park Station in Johannesburg.

A recent MyBroadband analysis found that using the Gautrain for your daily commute is generally more affordable than driving South Africa’s most affordable car, the Suzuki S-Presso, with one passenger.

However, using the Gautrain to get to the airport is significantly more expensive than a regular commute.

A trip from Hatfield Station to Park Station during peak hours, roughly between 06:00 and 09:00 a.m. and 3:00 and 6:00 p.m., costs R106, with an off-peak trip costing R85.

On the other hand, a trip from Hatfield to OR Tambo International Airport is R248. Similarly, travelling from Park Station to OR Tambo costs R230.

MyBroadband compared the cost and travel time when taking the Gautrain from Hatfield, Centurion, Sandton, and Johannesburg to OR Tambo International Airport to using e-hailing services that accommodate up to two people.

This required comparing the cost and time taken during peak and off-peak periods.

Because Sandton is the only Gautrain station that runs a direct line to OR Tambo, it had the shortest airport travel time and lowest cost during peak and off-peak periods.

Commuters travelling to the airport from other stations must switch trains at Marlboro station, which can cost more and add a few extra minutes to the commute.

This can range in length from two to three minutes to 15 minutes. The Gautrain app provides a travel time estimate, taking switching trains into account.

When travelling from Centurion to OR Tambo International at 4:30 p.m., MyBroadband found that the trip took 33 minutes, two minutes less than estimated, whereas the return trip took slightly longer.

During off-peak periods, the cost of taking the Gautrain was roughly the same as Bolt and R40 more than Uber.

The same was noticed for travel time and cost when commuting from Hatfield during peak periods.

However, when commuting from Sandton and Park Station in Johannesburg, using e-hailing services to get to the airport is less expensive than taking the Gautrain, regardless of the time.

On the other hand, the travel time when using an e-hailing service can be significantly longer during peak travel periods.

This happens in the case of Sandton, where the Gautrain takes 14 minutes, and Uber and Bolt take 50 and 55 minutes, respectively.

However, it is important to note that the Gautrain cost is for a single person, while the price of e-hailing can accommodate two people.

This means travelling via an e-hailing service to OR Tambo International in a group is generally more affordable than buying multiple Gautrain tickets.

Those who prioritise convenience over price, especially during peak periods, may benefit more from travelling via the Gautrain than from e-hailing, given that the train is often a shorter commute and has a significantly lower risk of delay.

It is also worth considering the additional costs that may be incurred when using the Gautrain and e-hailing services.

Uber has been found to quietly levy surcharges on trips to and from airports.

When asked about these charges at the beginning of 2024, an Uber spokesperson said they align with its policy to apply a surcharge to its fares for trips to and from airports across South Africa.

This was despite the surcharges not being included in Uber’s quoted prices.

There is also the cost of commuters getting to and from the Gautrain station to consider, which sometimes may require an e-hailing trip.

Commuters can leave their cars in secure parking at the station. This costs R24 for 24 hours, R65 for two days, and R101 and R137 for three and four days, respectively.

The table below shows the cost and travel time of commuting to OR Tambo International Airport via the Gautrain and e-hailing services.