Eight new trains are planned for Gautrain, with manufacturing to take place in Gauteng. They form part of a programme to refurbish the existing fleet and increase capacity and service frequency. 

The programme falls under a new 15-year concession awarded to Sihamba Sonke Mobility, which took effect on 28 September 2026 and runs until 2041. It covers operating, maintaining and refurbishing Gautrain and its integrated feeder-bus network.

For passengers, the changes to watch are how often trains arrive, how late they run and whether connecting services make the whole journey easier.

More trains, built locally

Alstom says it will manufacture the eight new trains at its Ubunye facility in Gauteng. Its work also includes upgrading signalling and communications, refurbishing existing trains and providing long-term maintenance.

The company says these improvements are designed to increase capacity and allow more frequent services. Its announcement does not give a delivery date for the new trains, so passengers should expect further updates on when they will enter service. 

What else is planned?

The Gautrain Management Agency’s announced programme includes:

• More weekday off-peak trips and extended operating hours.
• Better connections between trains and feeder services, with additional feeder routes and midibuses.
• Station improvements, including security and passenger information systems.
• Expanded public Wi-Fi and improved digital services.
• Backup power at stations, alongside renewable-energy investment.

These changes are scheduled to be introduced progressively during the concession period. They should not be read as services already available at every station.

Before your next journey

For now, plan around the published timetable. A commitment to longer operating hours does not establish a new last-train departure time.

Gautrain’s official website provides schedules, fares, bus information and a trip planner. Check the connecting bus as well as the train, particularly when planning an evening journey or an airport trip.

• Check Gautrain schedules, fares and connecting services

The Bottom Line

The practical test will be whether the investment makes more everyday journeys possible: getting home after a later shift, catching a convenient off-peak train or reaching a destination beyond the station. The concession provides the framework; the rollout will determine when passengers experience those improvements.