Pretoria - The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has completely closed the main Pretoria Station, in the CBD, and no trains will enter the station for 40 days, beginning this Friday until 22 January.
Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said the significant work to be done at the busy Pretoria Station will involve the replacement of old signals, turnouts and points machines as part of Prasa’s modernisation programme.
"The benefits of a new modernised infrastructure will be a safer, faster, smoother and world-class train service with improved travelling times. An occupation will be taken during this period and trains will be monitored to ensure safe movement of trains.
During the construction phase the following train service will apply:
- Trains from the Saulsville corridor (00), De Wildt corridor (44) and Mabopane (18) will turn around at Bosman Station.
- All Trains on the northern side will terminate at Bosman station and Mears Street Station.
- A shuttle train service (31s) will run between Mears Street Station and Koedoespoort. Busses will ferry commuters to Bosman Station.
- Another shuttle train service (81s) will run between Pienaarspoort to Bosman via the Capital Park route.
- All Johannesburg - Pretoria trains (06s) will turn at Centurion Station, buses will ferry commuters to Bosman Station.
Mofokeng said tickets will only be sold to commuters travelling to the above-listed stations.
Train commuters are advised to adhere to the service announcements made at stations during this period to be familiar with the revised train timetables.
"We hope that our valuable customers will co-operate and support Metrorail during this construction phase. Metrorail is committed to continually ensure that safety for all within its operational environment is prioritized," said Mofokeng.
"We are to report that the final testing and commissioning of the newly installed electronic signalling system in the Park Station [Johannesburg] complex is going well.
"We have returned many platforms back to operations running with the new system, proving that the transition from the old system to the new electronic interlocking system has been a huge success."
For more information, commuters are urged to contact Metrorail Customer Care on 0800 12 70 70 or 011 773 6936 or 012 743 0030.