Gautrain hoping to kick off operations at end of May

Weather and "construction-related challenges permitting", the Gautrain is hoping to start with operations at the end of May or beginning of June.

This is the view of Gautrain spokeswoman Ingrid Jensen, who said she was confident "it was 99 percent assured" that the OR Tambo-Sandton route would be operational by the time the World Cup starts in June, if unseasonable rain does not disrupt construction.

"Factors such as rain and unforeseen accidents could delay the train from running, but we are fairly confident that it will be ready on time," she said.

The Gautrain bus-feeder system from the Sandton station, which will be effective in a 10km radius, will also be operational. There is no bus-feeder system from the airport station. Buses will run every 10 minutes during peak hours.

The Gautrain is a R26 billion project that will eventually provide a rapid-rail link from Joburg's Park station to Sandton, and then on to OR Tambo International Airport and Pretoria.

The train uses a smart-ticketing service, preloaded at ticket machines that have already been set up at OR Tambo. Tickets bought there can be used for the train and buses. Money can be loaded onto a smart card using cash, debit cards or credit cards.

Passengers can purchase a ticket when disembarking from aircraft at machines situated at the entrance of the station, just a few minutes' walk from the arrivals entrance.

The cost is R80 for a one-way ticket to the airport and R30 to Pretoria from Park station. This, said Jensen, was to make it affordable for regular commuters to the area.

Airport coaches will transport 140 passengers in one trip.

The train will run every 12 minutes, with a maximum speed of 160km/h during peak hours for three hours in the morning, and three hours in the afternoon and evening peak hours during the first three years.

Thereafter, the train will run at 10-minute intervals during peak hours from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm.

There will be tight security on trains and stations through access control; electronic surveillance, with more than 650 CCTV cameras; and visible policing, through private security forces. The central call centre will monitor all the railway lines and stations.

Passengers will be able to transfer easily between the Gautrain and other forms of transport, such as the new Bus Rapid Transport services, planes, taxis, Metrorail trains and cars. Park-and-ride facilities at the stations will be available at an affordable cost.

The airport service will be available only to Sandton and back. Construction of the final route is expected by 2011.

The OR Tambo and Sandton stations are almost complete, but passengers will not be able to access any other station on the routes, other than at the terminal, except in an emergency.

It will take about 12 minutes to travel between Sandton station, situated beneath Rivonia Road and West Street, to the airport central terminal building, a distance of 18km.

The trip to Pretoria is 80km long. Commuters from Pretoria will have to change in Sandton to catch the airport line.

The Gautrain's braking system is pre-programmed and controlled electronically.

The Star

Posted at 09:20AM Mar 02, 2010 by Editor in Market  |  Comments[3]