With major expansions planned for the Gautrain and its network, the proposed new routes and stations have been officially gazetted.
These routes will form the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN), the next expansion of the already operational Gautrain Rapid Rail Link (GRRL) system.
The notice follows weeks of announcements from the Gauteng Provincial Government regarding the imminent release of details on the network expansion.
During the recently concluded National Transport Conference, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi noted that the ‘winner’ who will expand the Gautrain will be announced in the coming weeks.
The selected partner will be responsible for expanding the network to Springs, Atteridgeville, Fourways, and other economic nodes in the province, which include Soweto, Mamelodi, and the West Rand.
Alongside the new routes, the proposed new stations include:
- Jabulani Station
- Roodepoort Station
- Lanseria Station
- Cradle Station
- Smart City Station
- Samrand Station
- Fourways Station
- Sunninghill Station
- Olievenhoutbosch Station
The gazetted notice confirms that the proposed route determination for the Soweto Extension, as well as the Cosmo City Junction, have been confirmed.
These are in addition to the GRRIN Phase 1 expansion, which will expand the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link route between Sandton and Little Falls, with the Cosmo City and Randburg Stations along the way.
Included in the notice are several regulatory measures that need to be considered, including any future applications to establish townships or subdivisions of land that need to take into account the new routes.
The new Gautrain expansions
The first proposed route, from Little Falls Station to Jabulani Station in Soweto, will pass through the proposed Roodepoort Station.
This route begins at the end of the GRRIN Phase 1 route near the M47, around 1.6km South of the Little Falls Station and will run entirely underground for nearly 20km.
From the Little Falls Station, the route will run south, passing under Helderkruin and Horizon View before turning parallel to the PRASA line to the Roodepoort Station.
While the station building planned for the latter will be built above-ground, its platforms will remain underground.
From here, the proposed route will deviate around Braamfischerville, parts of Meadowlands West and Dobsonville to avoid dolomite areas, pass under the R41 and M77, and cross previously mined zones.
The tunnelled route will continue under Meadowlands East, Mofolo North, and Jabavu, before reaching the proposed Jabulani Station, with a design similar to Roodepoort Station.
The second proposed route expansion will run from Cosmo Station to Lanseria Station through Cradle Station and Smart City Station.
This route will start at the Cosmo City platform and span approximately 17.4km above ground, including about 7km on elevated bridge structures (viaducts).
Starting on an elevated section at Cosmo City Station, this proposed route will head north-west through vacant land, crossing South Africa Drive through overhead viaducts to the proposed Cradle Station.
From here, the route maintains its north-west heading, crossing the R114 and N14 before turning east towards Lanseria Airport.
This proposed route crosses the R552 via a viaduct before reaching the proposed Lanseria Station north of Lanseria Airport’s parking area.
Tied into the proposed Crade Station route will be the Smart City Route, which continues north in an underground tunnel under the R114, R512 (Malibongwe Drive), and N14, and will reach the proposed Smart City Station.
As with the Roodepoort and Jabulani Station, the platforms are expected to be underground, while the station building will be above ground.
The final gazetted proposed route runs from Cosmo City Station to Samrand Station through Fourways Station, Sunninghill Station and Olievenhoutbosch Station.
This route will start at Cosmo City platforms and span approximately 30.4km, mostly underground, with 5km above ground near Cosmo City and Samrand.
The proposed route will begin above-ground at Cosmo City, heading north-west before turning north-east towards Fourways, crossing Malibongwe Drive by a viaduct.
Shortly before Witkoppen, the route enters a tunnel by Hoogland Industrial, continuing underground to the proposed Fourways Station, where platforms will once again remain underground with buildings above.
The route continues north-east underneath Lonehill towards the proposed Sunninghill Station, and continues underneath Waterfall, Kyalami, Carlswald and the R55 (Woodmead Drive), M39 (Allandale Road) towards the proposed Olievenhoutbosch Station.
The tunnel route then continues on this heading, passing under the N1, R101, and the existing Gautrain Rapid Rail Link, emerging above-ground to the proposed Samrand Station.
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