Whether you’re commuting from Centurion to Sandton, catching a flight from OR Tambo or planning a day out in Pretoria, the Gautrain is one of the quickest ways to get around Gauteng. This guide covers all 10 Gautrain stations, both routes, the feeder buses, what you’ll pay, when trains run and what’s changing now that a new operator has been appointed.
The system carried 7 860 068 passengers in 2024/25. It’s also entering a new chapter. On 30 September 2026, the Gauteng government named the Sihamba Sonke Mobility consortium as the Gautrain’s operator for the next 15 years, with more trains, longer hours and expanded bus routes promised.
Gautrain At A Glance
| Network length | 80 km, of which about 15 km is underground |
| Top speed | 160 km/h |
| Stations | 10 |
| Routes | North-South line (Park to Hatfield) and East-West airport line (Sandton to OR Tambo) |
| Trains | 24 four-car electric trains, growing to 32 under the new operator |
| Operating hours | Roughly 05:30 to 20:30 daily. First and last trains vary by station and day. |
| Payment | Gautrain Card or contactless bank card. Cash isn’t accepted on trains or buses. |
| Opened | Airport line on 8 June 2010. The full North-South line by June 2012. |
The Gautrain Routes Explained
The Gautrain has two routes that meet at Sandton and Marlboro.
North-South Line: Park Station To Hatfield
This is the main commuter line between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It runs through eight stations:
Park → Rosebank → Sandton → Marlboro → Midrand → Centurion → Pretoria → Hatfield
A full trip from Park to Hatfield takes about 40 minutes. Approximate travel times between stations are:
| Section | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Park to Rosebank | 3 minutes |
| Rosebank to Sandton | 4 minutes |
| Sandton to Marlboro | 5 minutes |
| Marlboro to Midrand | 6 minutes |
| Midrand to Centurion | 9 minutes |
| Centurion to Pretoria | 8 minutes |
| Pretoria to Hatfield | 7 minutes |
East-West Airport Line: Sandton To OR Tambo
This line links Sandton with OR Tambo International Airport. It runs through four stations:
Sandton → Marlboro → Rhodesfield → OR Tambo
Sandton to OR Tambo takes about 15 minutes. The airport trains have dedicated cars with luggage space for travellers.
Changing lines: if you’re coming from Park or Rosebank and heading to the airport, ride to Sandton and change to an OR Tambo train. If you’re coming from Pretoria, Centurion or Midrand, you can change at Marlboro. Allow at least an hour door to door when you have a flight to catch.
ALSO READ: Gautrain Costs Explained: What Your Commute Really Adds Up To Each Month
Gautrain Stations: A Station-By-Station Guide
Park Station (Johannesburg CBD)
- Type: underground
- Line: North-South (southern terminus)
- Where: next to Braamfontein, inside the wider Park Station transport hub in the Johannesburg CBD
- Good for: the CBD, Braamfontein, Wits University and connections to long-distance buses and other rail services
- Buses: J1 Parktown, for Constitution Hill and Parktown, and J2 CBD, for Marshall Street and the inner city
Rosebank Station
- Type: underground
- Line: North-South
- Where: in the heart of Rosebank’s shopping, office and arts district
- Good for: Rosebank Mall, the Keyes Art Mile, galleries, restaurants and the Sunday rooftop market
- Buses: RB2 Melrose Arch, RB3 Illovo, RB4 Hyde Park and RB5 Killarney. The RPS1 Parkhurst route is suspended until further notice.
Sandton Station
- Type: underground
- Lines: North-South and East-West. Sandton is the main interchange for airport trains.
- Where: in the Sandton CBD
- Good for: Sandton City, Nelson Mandela Square, the Sandton Convention Centre and Africa’s richest square mile of offices
- Buses: S2 Gallo Manor, S3 Rivonia, S4 Randburg and S5 Fourways, for Montecasino. For Liliesleaf, take the S3, get off at Rivonia Road and 11th Avenue, then walk about 15 to 20 minutes.
Marlboro Station
- Type: at grade (ground level)
- Lines: North-South and East-West. This is where the airport line branches off.
- Where: next to Alexandra, off Marlboro Drive
- Good for: Alexandra, Linbro Park, Kelvin, Buccleuch and the Greenstone area. It’s also the easiest place for Pretoria-side passengers to change for OR Tambo.
- Buses: Kelvin, Buccleuch, Lakeside, Linbro, Greenstone and Woodlands Office Park
Midrand Station
- Type: at grade
- Line: North-South
- Where: central Midrand, between Johannesburg and Pretoria
- Good for: Midrand’s business parks, Waterfall, Sunninghill and Mall of Africa
- Buses: HMS1 Halfway Gardens, SMS1 Summerset, M1 Randjespark, M2 Noordwyk, M3 Sunninghill and M4-1 Mall of Africa. The Mall of Africa route also runs on weekends.
Centurion Station
- Type: elevated
- Line: North-South
- Where: central Centurion
- Good for: Centurion Mall, Centurion Lake and the surrounding offices. It’s also a popular park-and-ride station for southern Pretoria commuters.
- Buses: C1 Techno Park, C2 Rooihuiskraal, C3 Wierda Park, C4 Southdowns, Highveld, Midstream and Samrand. Centurion has more bus routes than any other station.
Pretoria Station
- Type: at grade
- Line: North-South
- Where: next to the historic Pretoria railway station, on the southern edge of the Pretoria CBD
- Good for: the Pretoria CBD, government offices and the National Zoological Gardens
- Buses: P3 CBD and P5 Pretoria Zoo. The zoo route also runs on weekends.
Hatfield Station
- Type: at grade
- Line: North-South (northern terminus)
- Where: Hatfield, east of the Pretoria CBD
- Good for: the University of Pretoria, Hatfield’s student precinct and embassies, and connections to Brooklyn, Lynwood and Menlyn
- Buses: H1 Brooklyn, H2 Lynwood (for the CSIR), H3 Hatfield, H5 Menlyn and Queenswood
Rhodesfield Station
- Type: elevated
- Line: East-West
- Where: Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, one stop before the airport
- Good for: Kempton Park, airport-area hotels and offices, and Emperors Palace
- Buses: RF1 Kempton Park CBD, RF2 Emperors Palace and RF3 Kempton Park Express
OR Tambo International Airport Station
- Type: elevated
- Line: East-West (eastern terminus)
- Where: inside the OR Tambo precinct, a short walk from the terminals
- Good for: catching a flight or meeting arriving passengers
- Buses: none run from the airport station itself
Gautrain Fares: What You’ll Pay
Gautrain fares depend on distance and time of travel. Gautrain did not apply its annual fare increase on 1 June 2026, so fares stay unchanged for 2026.
- Peak times: weekdays 06:00 to 08:30 and 15:00 to 18:30, plus all day on weekends and public holidays
- Off-peak: all other weekday times. Off-peak fares are cheaper.
Sample single-trip fares (peak/off-peak):
| Trip | Peak | Off-peak |
|---|---|---|
| Midrand to Sandton | R61 | R49 |
| Centurion to Sandton | R79 | R63 |
| Hatfield to Rosebank | R103 | R77 |
| Pretoria to OR Tambo | R258 | R258 |
Single trips on the network range from about R30 to R258. Airport trips cost more than commuter trips.
Save with commuter products: if you travel between the same two stations often, you can buy a weekly product (10 trips, valid for 10 days) or a monthly product (44 trips, valid for 44 days). Weekly products range from R352 to R1 018, and monthly products from R1 422 to R4 114, depending on your route. Note that commuter products need a Gautrain Card. For exact fares, use the fare calculator on the Gautrain website or app.
How To Pay: Gautrain Card Or Bank Card
Gautrain Card:
- costs R21 from a ticket vending machine or ticket office at any station
- needs a minimum balance of R38 before you can tag in for a train or bus
- can be loaded at vending machines (cash or card), ticket offices, online or in the Gautrain app
- can be registered, so you can block it if it’s lost or stolen.
Contactless bank card: you can tap a contactless debit or credit card instead of buying a Gautrain Card. This is handy for visitors and occasional riders.
Golden rules:
- Tag in and tag out with the same card, or you may be charged a penalty fare.
- Every passenger needs their own card. You can’t tap twice for a friend.
- Children under 3 travel free.
Gautrain Buses: Getting From The Station To Your Door
Gautrain feeder buses run from every station except OR Tambo, and they reach areas within about 15 km of each station.
- When they run: mainly Monday to Friday, every 20 to 40 minutes, timed to meet trains. Weekend service is limited, with weekend routes to Montecasino, Mall of Africa and the Pretoria Zoo.
- How to pay: Gautrain Card or contactless bank card, one per passenger. Cash isn’t accepted.
- What it costs: bus fares are cheaper when you connect to or from a train. Midibus trips cost about R13.
- Tracking: you can follow buses in real time on the Gautrain app.
- Accessibility: every second bus has a ramp and wheelchair bay.
Parking At Gautrain Stations
Most stations outside the Johannesburg CBD have park-and-ride facilities. Daily parking at the main stations costs roughly R38 to R61. Discounted parking usually applies if you ride the train, so you’ll pay more if you park and don’t travel.
Earlier this year, Gautrain extended a R1-per-day parking deal for commuters who use the train until September 2026. Check the Gautrain app or website to see whether a parking special is running before you budget for your commute.
Gautrain Rules And Tips
- No eating, drinking or chewing gum on trains or in paid station areas. Security does enforce this, and fines apply.
- No alcohol anywhere on the system, and no smoking.
- No pets, except guide dogs.
- Luggage: don’t leave bags unattended or block aisles. Travellers with suitcases should use the airport cars on OR Tambo trains.
- Accessibility: all stations and trains have wheelchair access, plus audible and visual announcements and tactile guidance.
- Service alerts: SMS “ALERT” to 44181 (once-off R1) for disruption updates, or follow alerts in the Gautrain app.
- Lost property: call 011 253 0254 during office hours.
- Travel off-peak if you can. It’s cheaper, and weekends and public holidays are usually quieter.
- Plan your last ride home. Trains stop in the evening, at around 20:30 on weekdays and earlier at some stations and on weekends. If you’re out late, have a backup plan.
Day Trips And Outings By Gautrain
The Gautrain isn’t only for commuters. Here are a few car-free outings you can plan:
- Pretoria Zoo: train to Pretoria Station, then the P5 bus, which also runs on weekends.
- Montecasino: train to Sandton, then the S5 bus to Fourways.
- Mall of Africa: train to Midrand, then the M4-1 bus, which also runs on weekends.
- Constitution Hill: train to Park Station, then the J1 Parktown bus.
- Melrose Arch: train to Rosebank, then the RB2 bus.
- Emperors Palace: train to Rhodesfield, then the RF2 bus.
- Rosebank: step off the train into Rosebank’s malls, galleries and restaurants.
- Hatfield and Menlyn: train to Hatfield, then the H5 bus to Menlyn.
What’s Changing: New Operator, More Trains And Future Stations
New operator: Bombela’s original concession ended on 27 March 2026. It kept running the trains during a six-month holdover while the province finalised a new partner. On 30 September 2026, the province named the Sihamba Sonke Mobility consortium, which includes Alstom, to operate and maintain the Gautrain for the next 15 years.
What commuters can expect: the plans include:
- growing the fleet from 24 to 32 four-car trains, a 33,3% increase in capacity
- longer operating hours and more frequent trains, including weekday off-peak trains
- upgraded trains and full backup power at stations
- more bus routes and better bus-train integration.
The improvements will be phased in over the 15-year contract, and no new timetable has been published yet.
Future stations: proposed new routes form part of the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN), gazetted in March 2026. Possible new stations include Jabulani, Roodepoort, Lanseria, Cradle, Smart City, Samrand, Fourways, Sunninghill and Olievenhoutbosch. No construction or opening dates have been set.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Gautrain Stations Are There?
There are 10 Gautrain stations: Park, Rosebank, Sandton, Marlboro, Midrand, Centurion, Pretoria, Hatfield, Rhodesfield and OR Tambo International Airport.
Which Gautrain Stations Are Underground?
Park, Rosebank and Sandton are underground. Centurion and Rhodesfield are elevated, and OR Tambo is elevated within the airport precinct.
How Long Does The Gautrain Take From Johannesburg To Pretoria?
Park Station to Hatfield takes about 40 minutes. Sandton to Pretoria Station takes about 30 minutes.
How Do I Get To OR Tambo On The Gautrain?
Take any North-South train to Sandton or Marlboro and change to an OR Tambo train. Sandton to the airport takes about 15 minutes.
What Time Does The Gautrain Start And Stop?
Trains generally run from about 05:30 to 20:30. First and last trains vary by station and day, so check the Gautrain app or website.
Can I Use My Bank Card On The Gautrain?
Yes. You can tap a contactless bank card to tag in and out on trains and buses. Use the same card for your whole trip.
How Much Does A Gautrain Card Cost?
A Gautrain Card costs R21, and you need at least R38 loaded on it to travel.
Do Gautrain Buses Run On Weekends?
Only a few routes run on weekends, including those to Montecasino, Mall of Africa and the Pretoria Zoo. Most bus routes run Monday to Friday only.
Who Operates The Gautrain Now?
The Sihamba Sonke Mobility consortium was named the Gautrain’s operator on 30 September 2026 for a 15-year term, taking over from Bombela.
For commuters, the Gautrain remains one of the most predictable ways to travel between Johannesburg and Pretoria, especially in peak traffic on the N1 and Ben Schoeman. The fare freeze helps households under cost-of-living pressure. More trains and longer hours under the new operator should, over time, ease crowding and make evening travel easier. If the GRRIN extensions go ahead, areas like Soweto, Roodepoort, Fourways and Lanseria could eventually have their own Gautrain stations.
