Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has welcomed the next phase of the Gautrain from Johannesburg to Tshwane, which will open for commercial service from Tuesday.
The section will extend from Rosebank Station in Johannesburg to Hatfield Station in Tshwane. The Gautrain bus services will also be fully functional along this route.
“The ultra-modern, state-of-the-art Gautrain rapid rail network marks a new era in public transportation, matching world standards for rapid rail transport,? Ndebele said.
“The main challenge facing our country is to modernise our railway system in a manner that promotes growth and development. We need new rail technologies to meet the demands of the 21st century. Our ability to efficiently move freight and people is vital to a modern, thriving economy.”
Link 1 between Sandton and OR Tambo Airport was opened in June 2010, and link 2 from Johannesburg to Pretoria will be opened on Tuesday.
Travelling at 160km per hour, taking 38 minutes between Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Gautrain will set a benchmark for future such developments in South Africa, according to Ndebele.
The transport department has contributed R12.985-billion towards the Gautrain, though recent reports have said initial projections of the cost of the entire project were woefully inadequate.
Ndebele, accompanied by Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and MEC Ismail Vadi, will board the Gautrain from Hatfield Station to the Sandton Station Piazza on Tuesday. - I-Net Bridge