Gautrain and PRASA offer train rides to this weekend’s Springboks match

• Gautrain and PRASA have announced that they will be offering train rides to and from Emirates Airline Park for this weekend’s Springboks match.
• Gautrain will offer rides to Park Station, with PRASA offering free rides to Emirates Airline Park to match ticket holders.
• Rides commence at 10:30 and end at 22:00.

This weekend, specifically 31st August 2024, South Africa will play New Zealand in a decisive test match in this year’s Rugby Championship.

The Springboks match is hotly anticipated, as it is a rematch of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, along with the same fixture last year seeing the All Blacks coming out victorious in an epic game at Emirates Airline Park (formerly Ellis Park).

To assist those attending the match with additional transport options, Gautrain and PRASA have announced that they will be partnering on rides to and from Emirates Airline Park on the day.

“We are showcasing the fact that here in Gauteng, commuters can walk or take a bus or taxi to a PRASA or Gautrain Station, and board a train to get to the Emirates Park Stadium, via Ellis Park Train Station,” noted Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, per SA News.

Unpacking how it will work, Gautrain shared via its official X account that fans will be able to board the Gautrain at any of its seven stations between Hatfield and Park Station (Hatfield, Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand, Marlboro, Sandton and Rosebank) or any of its five stations between OR Tambo International Airport and Park Station (OR Tambo, Rhodesfield, Marlboro, Sandton, Rosebank), with the latter option requiring a changing of trains at the Sandton Station.

From Park Station they will then board a PRASA train to Ellis Park Station, and then walk a relatively short distance to Emirates Airline Park, where this weekend’s Springboks match will be taking place.

According to Gautrain, the rides will be free for the PRASA portion of the journey to any valid ticket holders attending the Springboks match, with the service starting at 10:30 in the morning and ending at 22:00 in the evening. The final PRASA train out of Ellis Park Station will depart at 21:30 on the night.

Therefore, it should be emphasised that regular Gautrain ride and parking fees will apply for anyone planning on attending the match.

While it would have been nice for the entire journey to be free, for those who plan to drink at the game, as well as those who do not wish to deal with traffic or safety concerns while trying to leave the Emirate Airline Park area, this is a solid alternative.

“Our government, across the national, provincial and local spheres, must work together to design and build sustainable cities with integrated transport systems which will assist in growing our country’s economy and which is ultimately for the benefit of our citizens,” added minister Creecy.

“The proposed expansion of the Gautrain network, further north and south, is a clear example of our intention to further integrate our public transport system to achieve sustainable cities that work for our people,” she concluded.

[Image – CC BY 2.0 SA Tourism on Flickr]

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