Gauteng and the City of Johannesburg, with EcoMobility, is putting the province and the city on a trajectory to make public transport part of people’s lifestyle.
Since the commencement of the City of Johannesburg’s EcoMobility Festival, the Gautrain has shown a substantial passenger increase of 7.7% on its train passenger trips. On the first day of the festival, the Gautrain recorded its highest Monday passenger trip count with an average of 60,120 passengers using the service on the day compared to the normal 55,800 average Monday passenger trips. The bus service increased by 512 passenger trips with an average of 21,076 passengers using the bus service on the day. A total of 2,934 non-train users were also recorded on buses.
The recent increase in the usage of the Gautrain passengers shows that commuters are making a conscious shift from private car use to public transport, and that public transport is safe, reliable, accessible and affordable.
“Our goal is to make public transport more accessible, convenient and integrated. The EcoMobility Festival is proving that public transport is accessible and affordable and the recent increase of passenger numbers on the Gautrain System shows that public transport is a mode of choice and not of force,” says Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Dr Ismail Vadi.
In support of the EcoMobility Festival, Gautrain made the following adjustments to its services:
- • Additional eight-car train trips to depart from Hatfield at 5:56 and 7:26 on weekdays.
- The weekday afternoon peak period (North and East-bound) has been extended and will commence approximately from 14:40 (previously 15:30).
- Over weekends the trains will operate at 20 minute service intervals from 09:00 to 18:00 (changed from two trains to three trains per hour per direction). This means that three as opposed to two trains will operate each hour in each direction.
- Additional express bus services over and above the current Gautrain bus services will be introduced to service certain park and ride sites which is detailed further:
- At Monte-casino an additional 16 to 20 express bus service departures is planned in the peak periods. Prepaid tickets for the Gautrain bus service is available inside Montecasino at the Sins outlet during the following times:
Mondays 09:00 – 22:00
Tuesday – Thursday 09:00 – 23:00
Friday – Saturday 09:00 – 24:00
Sunday 10:00 – 22:00 - At Brightwater Commons an additional 10 to 12 express bus service departures are planned in the peak periods. Prepaid tickets for the Gautrain bus services is available at the Caltex Waterfront which is open 24 hours a day.
- Normal Gautrain bus services at 20 minute intervals will be running from Emperor’s Palace;
- Normal Gautrain bus services at 20 minute intervals will be running from Melrose Arch; and
- In Sandton the existing Gautrain bus routes will marginally be impacted to operate on the EcoMobility public transport loop.
