Small Business Stuff Chat about SMME issues

Another punch in the wallet

The Gautrain people must think that we have boulders between our ears.    Having achieved their first lot of jollies with their completely over-the-top rule book and the wanabee cops implementing it, they are now sticking it to us with their fare structure.

Simply put, it’s just under R50 to travel between central Pretoria and central Johannesburg.  However, if you want to go to the airport, which is on the Pretoria side of Johannesburg, it’s R125.  And looking at the map on their website, it looks like travellers will need to go to Sandton and change trains to travel back to ORT. 

How, other than pure and simple greed can this be justified.

Politicians have wittered on endlessly about a major benefit of the Gautrain being the reduction in road traffic.  Quite apart from the simple question of Mr and Mrs Tourist asking “What Now?” while standing in Sandton wanting to get to Roodepoort, I cannot see any benefit to me to change to the Gautrain when I go to Oliver Tambo Airport.

I had looked at being able to walk out of my office in Pretoria, over the road to the Hatfield Gautrain station, and thence to ORT.  On Monday the reverse.  At a reasonable fare, that would save me a shed-load of money in travel cost and parking fees.  Never mind the mental strain of the R21.

Driving to ORT means R150 to park, plus petrol, wear and tear - probably at least R200-R250.  At R250 for a Gautrain round trip the saving is marginal, so I’ll drive. 

Take the underground to Heathrow or Metro to CDG, and it's a standard fare, not out of line with fares to the adjacent stations. 

This is a rip-off, pure and simple.