The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) has received a bid from Gautrain operator Bombela to extend the platform at the OR Tambo International Airport station to allow the rail link to offload passengers from 4.5 coaches, instead of the current 2.5 coaches.

At the moment, airport passengers can only board and disembark from the train from the front two dedicated airport coaches, or the first door of the third commuter coach of a standard four-coach train.

Extending the platform also means Bombela can run an eight-car train to the airport.

“We are currently evaluating the bid and will probably make a decision on the project in March,” says GMA CEO Jack van der Merwe.

As for complaints regarding overcrowding on the early morning Pretoria to Johan-nesburg train, specifically from Centurion commuters who can no longer find seats on the train, he notes that there are certain volume triggers which would prompt Bombela to provide increased capacity in terms of longer trains, or more frequent trains, but that those triggers have not yet materialised.

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