Following financial close of the Post-2026 GautrainConcession, RATP Dev Gauteng will continue operating and maintaining Gautrain, extending its rolein delivering one of Africa’s most reliable passenger rail systems.
Awarded by the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government, the concession has been granted to the Sihamba Sonke Mobility (SSM) consortium, which will be responsible for the operation, maintenance and refurbishment of the Gautrain network and its integrated feeder bus services until 2041.
Through Bombela Operating Company, RATP Dev has operated and maintained Gautrain since its launch in 2010. Over the past 16 years, the network has consistently maintained availability levels exceeding 99%, helping establish Gautrain as a benchmark for passenger rail in Africa.
Under the new concession, RATP Dev Gauteng will continue leading services across the rail, bus, midibus and parking network while participating as a shareholder in the concessionaire. The contract combines the expertise of Gautrain’s established local workforce with RATP Dev’s international rail operations experience to support long-term asset performance and high standards of passenger service.
Alongside its South African partners, RATP Dev will help deliver the next phase of Gautrain’s development, focusing on network refurbishment, localisation, skills development and technological innovation while strengthening integration between rail and feeder bus services.
Key priorities for Gautrain’s next phase
-
- Maintain Gautrain’s high standards of safety, reliability and customer service
- Support localisation and South African skills development
- Invest in workforce training and future rail talent
- Enhance integration between rail, bus and feeder services
- Deliver long-term refurbishment and asset sustainability programmes
- Deploy digital tools and predictive maintenance technologies to improve performance and reliability
Gautrain at a glance
- 15+ years of continuous operation and maintenance by RATP Dev subsidiary Bombela Operating Company since the network’s launch in 2010.
- 80 km of rail infrastructure connecting Pretoria, Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport.
- 10 multimodal stations integrated with road and public transport networks across Gauteng Province.
- 2 rail lines serving South Africa’s economic and political heartlands.
- 45 bus and midibus routes complementing the rail service and extending regional connectivity.
- 500+ employees delivering daily operations and maintenance services.
- 160 km/h top speed, making Gautrain the fastest regional rail service in Africa.
- Less than 40 minutes to travel between the Pretoria and Johannesburg corridor, compared with up to two hours by road traffic.
- 99%+ availability rate, reflecting the network’s high operational reliability.
Executive comments
Nthabiseng Kubheka, Country Director, RATP Dev South Africa:
“The continued operation of Gautrain under this new concession is first and foremost a recognition of the expertise, dedication and professionalism of our South African workforce. Every day, our employees help deliver the high standards of safety, reliability and customer service that passengers expect. As we enter this new 15-year chapter, we remain committed to developing local talent, expanding skills transfer, investing in training and creating opportunities for the next generation of rail and mobility professionals. Together with our partners, we will continue building South African capabilities that support Gautrain’s long-term success and contribute to the country’s transport sector.”
Pierre Cicion, Vice President Middle East and Africa, RATP Dev:
“The award of this new concession reflects the confidence placed in the Sihamba Sonke Mobility consortium and in the proven performance of Gautrain over the past 16 years. Gautrain has become a benchmark for passenger rail in Africa, demonstrating how reliable, integrated public transport can support economic growth and regional connectivity. Together with our South African partners, we look forward to helping deliver the network’s next phase of development through innovation, multimodal integration and long-term asset stewardship, while creating lasting value for Gauteng’s passengers and communities.”
About RATP Dev
RATP Dev is a global operator of urban and intercity transport systems, active in 17 countries across five continents, including South Africa where we have proudly operated the Gautrain rapid rail system for over 15 years. As a subsidiary of the RATP Group, we draw on 125 years of expertise developed in Paris’s ultra-dense and continuously modernised network. Our 25,000 employees deliver excellence across more than 120 operations worldwide including commuter rail, trams, buses and metros where we lead the field in designing, operating and maintaining high-capacity automatic and semi-automatic metro lines.
