The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has announced that it will make the Gautrain service more affordable for commuters, though it will be some time before this takes effect.
According to Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tabela, the GPG plans to make the train service more affordable to improve its accessibility for commuters in the province, starting in March next year.
“We decided to ensure accessibility to the Gautrain — this is one of the assets that the people of Gauteng will be inheriting in March 2026,” Diale-Tabela said in an official statement at the Gautrain Johannesburg Park Station on Saturday.
“Using the Gautrain has been a challenge to ordinary people in our province, but also challenges that come with household income, where people spend more money on transport to work.”
This announcement comes only a few weeks after the Gautrain launched the KlevaMova initiative, which significantly reduced fees for select Gauteng residents.
The offering provides a 50% discount on train fares to eligible customers, which include:
- Scholars
- Pensioners
- Students under the age of 25
- Recipients of the South African Social Security Agency’s disability grant
- Individuals living in households with a combined annual income of under R350,000
The discounts are available on Weekly, Monthly, and return trip products.
Diale-Tabela encouraged all commuters to check out the KlevaMova programme and to sign up if they are eligible, reported the SABC.
Individuals who are interested in applying will need to submit relevant documentation to verify that they qualify for one of the above-mentioned groups.
Gautrain also advised that commuters can contact its toll-free number, visit its website, or travel to one of its stations to learn more about its services.
It should be noted that, in addition to the KlevaMova programme, the Gautrain already offers a 25% discount for students that purchase its 10-trip or 44-trip products.
Diale-Tabela stated that affordable and accessible public transport is crucial for reducing the cost of living for many residents in the province.
“As a result of South Africa’s historical spatial planning, many people live far from work and opportunities and are faced with high transport costs,” said Diale-Tlabela.
She added that businesses should encourage their employees who qualify for KlevaMova’s reduced fees to take advantage of the product.
In addition to lower travel costs, a greater emphasis on public transport is expected to yield additional benefits such as reduced road congestion, fewer traffic accidents, and lower carbon emissions.
Gautrain expansion
Earlier this year, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi confirmed that the GPG plans to greatly expand on the current Gautrain network in order to bring the service to new areas of the province.
The expansion project aims to add another 150km to the existing 80km line, effectively tripling the size of the rail service’s infrastructure.
The goal is to create new lines running through key areas including Soweto, Fourways, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Lanseria, and Springs, which will link to the existing route passing through Rosebank, Sandton, Marlboro, Rhodesfield, Midrand, Centurion, and Pretoria.
One of the biggest criticisms of the current Gautrain is that its reach is very limited, as it only passes through a few metros on a north-south line, with a single offshoot that leads to O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Consequently, most travellers still rely on additional transport to get to and from the train station, which undermines the service from both a time and cost point of view.
The expansion, therefore, is an attempt to address this issue by making the service accessible to new areas.
The project itself is also expected to create 10.1 million jobs over the next five years, according to the GPG.
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