Gautrain unveils 'attractive' prices

Johannesburg - A single Gautrain trip between Hatfield in Pretoria and Park Station in Johannesburg would cost R39 for a monthly ticket holder, provincial authorities said on Wednesday.

Monthly ticket holders will get a 20% discount and weekly ticket holders a 10% discount.

"They are sufficiently price attractive to create a substantial shift from private car use to public transport in the form of the Gautrain," Gauteng transport MEC Ismail Vadi told reporters.

He was announcing the fares for the Gautrain rapid train which is expected to be fully operational from July.

A single trip between the OR Tambo international airport and Sandton, which is currently R100, will increase to R105 when the train system is fully operational.

A trip from Pretoria to OR Tambo will cost R125 and a trip from Johannesburg Park Station to OR Tambo will cost R115.

A monthly ticket from Hatfield in Pretoria to Park Station in Johannesburg will cost R39 per trip, while a single trip on a weekly ticket between Park Station and Hatfield will cost R43.

Vadi said it was expected that the majority of people would buy monthly tickets.

"Gautrain will be able to transport commuters every day in all directions, providing economic mobility and the convenience of door-to-door commuting," he said.

The first phase of Gautrain was opened in June last year just before the start of the Soccer World Cup.

Vadi said the Gautrain was not only aimed at meeting future transport demands and improving the image of public transport, but also at economic development and employment creation.