All predictions of Gautrain ridership were greatly exceeded in the system’s first month of operations, with 400,000 people using the newly opened airport line during the time the Fifa Soccer World Cup was in full swing. System operator Bombela had expected around a third of that number during June. Chief executive Jerome Govender told the media: “Demand was such that on our first weekend of operation we had to increase train frequency from every 30 minutes to every 12. We were carrying about 20,000 passengers on weekends.” The earlier enthusiasm for Sunday family outings on the Gautrain has now eased off.
According to van der Merwe, the project team forecast 77,000 passengers weekly on the airport branch. In fact, more than 76,000 passengers are being carried each week now, “so we were 98% correct.”
Bombardier Transportation’s facility in Derby, United Kingdom, manufactured the fleet of Electrostar trains. Fifteen complete vehicles were exported to South Africa and the remaining 81 were supplied as flat-pack deliveries of roof, underframe, cab and intermediate end modules for final assembly in Nigel, Gauteng.
Bombardier’s overall contract scope includes the design and supply of 96 vehicles and the Cityflo 250 train control technology. In conjunction with its broad-based black economic empowerment partners, Bombardier is also supplying the power supply and distribution systems, communications systems, automatic fare collection, track work and maintenance equipment, as well as project management, systems engineering and integration, and testing and commissioning. The partnership will be involved in maintaining the system during the 15-year operating period following construction. The civil contractors are responsible for all civil works, including tunnels, stations and the maintenance depot.
One of the key elements of the Gautrain project is the Social Economic Development (SED) programme. This requires the builders to meet various obligations in terms of local employment and procurement. The Bombardier project team comprises around 90% South African employees, with the remaining 10% participating in skills transfer programmes.

Original article [Railways Africa]