Gautrain services between Park and Rosebank stations remain suspended after Saturday’s network outage.
UPDATE (Sunday, 16 February 2025 ~ 20:45 SAST): Guatrain services between Park and Rosebank were still suspended. To mitigate delays at the start of the work week, bus services between the two stations will run at 15-minute intervals between 05:30 and 20:00.
Gautrain gives update on Rosebank outage
The incident, which has disrupted operations for over 24 hours, forced Gautrain to halt train services on the affected route while engineers assess the extent of the damage.
Gautrain spokesperson Albi Modise confirmed that the drilling was done without the required approvals and was in violation of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act.
“Gautrain’s management is currently assessing the situation and working on restoring services as soon as possible,” Modise said.
To accommodate affected commuters, Gautrain has implemented a bus service between Park and Rosebank stations.
Additional buses have also been deployed to handle increased passenger volumes, especially for major events.
While no timeline has been given for when services will be restored, Gautrain has assured passengers that updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.
What caused the outage?
The disruption was caused by an individual drilling a borehole in their yard, unknowingly puncturing the Gautrain tunnel.
This resulted in water and soil infiltration, which affected the train’s operating systems in that section. Authorities have confirmed that the drilling was done illegally and are investigating further.
The Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act regulates any excavation, drilling, or construction work near critical infrastructure, and violations can lead to legal consequences.
It remains unclear whether the individual responsible for the borehole will face penalties, but officials are emphasising the need for compliance to prevent future disruptions.
Gautrain has urged the public to use the alternative bus services while technical teams work to restore train operations safely.
