{"id":642407,"date":"2026-04-26T12:58:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T10:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=642407"},"modified":"2026-04-26T12:59:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T10:59:38","slug":"one-south-african-train-operates-like-a-high-speed-metro-line-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/motoring\/642407-one-south-african-train-operates-like-a-high-speed-metro-line-in-europe.html","title":{"rendered":"One South African train operates like a high-speed metro line in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Gautrain stands as a high-tech anomaly within South Africa’s rail industry, operating more like the high-speed metro lines in Europe than a local commuter line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched in 2010, the Gautrain ditched the narrow-gauge 1,067mm railway tracks used in South Africa for many decades in favour of the international standard of 1,435mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gautrain’s overhead line voltage is 25kV at 50Hz alternating current, which is also the standard in many countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This standard is used by the vast majority of rail networks in Europe and North America, and it provides two primary benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first is that the international standard gauge provides the stability required for the Gautrain to reach a top speed of 160km\/h.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, it enables the rail system to access a global market of “off-the-shelf” train components and technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gautrain rail system was developed through a private-public partnership between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Bombela Concession Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bombela Concession Company included Murray & Roberts, the Strategic Partners Group, Bombardier Transportation, Bouygues, and various minority stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bombardier Electrostar, a model of train produced by UK-based Bombardier Transport which is widely used in south-east England, was selected for the Gautrain system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bombardier Electrostar units are designed in Derby in the UK. The Gautrain’s train cars are almost indistinguishable from those used on major metro lines, such as the Gatwick Express.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from physical equipment, the Gautrain’s operational approach comes directly from France. RATP Dev is a primary partner of the Bombela Concession Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RATP is the state-owned operator of the Paris Metro, and the partnership has enabled the Gautrain to maintain an impressive on-time rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gautrain network also follows the R\u00e9seau Express R\u00e9gional (RER) model used in Paris. Rather than acting as a small subway, the network acts as a regional thoroughfare connecting major hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

End of an era for the Gautrain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Gautrain’s 19\u00bd-year agreement with the Bombela Concession Company (BCC) officially ended in March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), the agreement’s conclusion marked the closure of a major chapter in one of the country’s most fruitful public-private partnership projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Gautrain will continue operating under the PPP model going forward, ensuring stability, continuity and sustained private-sector participation,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gautrain Management Agency and provincial government had not yet appointed a new company to take over as concessionaire by the time the BCC’s agreement ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bombela Operating Company (BOC) is continuing to manage the Gautrain under a contractual holdover arrangement for up to six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GMA said the holdover period would allow stakeholders to complete final negotiations with the preferred bidder identified for the new concession agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The preferred bidder will operate, maintain, refurbish, upgrade, and modernise the Gautrain system for the next 15 years,” the GMA said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gauteng Provincial Government recently gazetted new routes and stations to expand the train network, a plan that has been in the works for several years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central to this expansion is a 17.4km line linking the Lanseria Airport to the network. This will feature elevated viaducts and a station north of the airport’s parking area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first new stations to be built through the expansion are set to be constructed in Soweto, Mamelodi, Springs, Atteridgeville, Fourways, and parts of the West Rand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The route determination for the Soweto Extension and the Cosmo City Junction has been finalised, officially establishing the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A significant underground stretch of 19.9km is planned to connect Little Falls to Soweto, and the Cosmo City Junction will serve as a central connector, linking Soweto, Centurion, and Sandton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Sandton, Cosmo City will also connect these routes to the existing network, with Randburg Station designated as the connection point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little Falls to Jabulani Station will be linked by a proposed new station in Roodepoort, while Cosmo City will run to Samrand, passing new stations in Fourways, Olievenhoutbosch, and Sunninghill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the document, the entire route from Little Falls to Jabulani will run underground, meaning approximately 19.9 kilometres of tunnels must be built beneath Roodepoort and into Soweto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Gautrain rapid rail system<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Gautrains at the OR Tambo airport station. Photographer: Colinmthompson \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
OR Tambo Airport Gautrain station. Photographer: corn-flower \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Photographer: Bay_Media \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Gautrain travelling from Pretoria to Sandton. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Photographer: Rich T Photo \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Gautrain passing over a bridge in Kempton Park. Photographer: Brasol Makgalemela \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Gautrain stands as a high-tech anomaly in the South African passenger rail industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341076,"featured_media":642522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_status":"idle","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"","_sma_x_attempts":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29366],"tags":[104739,103583,103584,104738,86647,8231,104743,67332,74998,75000],"class_list":["post-642407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motoring","tag-bobardier-electrostar","tag-bombela-concession-company-bcc","tag-bombela-operating-company-boc","tag-gauteng-management-agency","tag-gauteng-provincial-government","tag-gautrain","tag-passsenger-rail","tag-rail","tag-railways","tag-trains"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642407"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=642407"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642407\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":642708,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642407\/revisions\/642708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/642522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=642407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=642407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=642407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}