Pretoria- The Gautrain will ferry its first passengers from June 8, three days before the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup.
Tickets will cost between R16, 50 and R100 between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport.
The first train departing the OR Tambo International Airport station will leave at 05:30 on June 8. On route, the trains will stop at the Rhodesfield and Marlboro stations.
The multi-billion-rand rapid rail project had initially been expected to start operating on June 27.
The Gautrain Management Agency said a single train trip plus a single bus trip would cost R22.50 from Sandton to Marlboro, R27 from Sandton to Rhodesfield and R24.50 from Marlboro to Rhodesfield.
Without the bus trip the ticket would be R6 cheaper. Trips to the airport from any of these stations would also cost R100.
Parking will also be made available at the stations at R9.50 for the first 24 hours or part thereof as long as the train was also used. However, if a motorist uses the parking facility only, the parking fee increases substantially.
The train and bus service would run from Monday to Sunday between 5.30am and 8.30pm, every 12 minutes during peak times and every 20 minutes during off-peak times.
Commuters would have access to these services with a contactless smart card. It would cost R10 and money could be loaded onto it as required.
On weekends the train service will be available every 30 minutes.
Officials said Gautrain commuter fares are typically cheaper than using a private vehicle for the same journey but admittedly more expensive then other modes of public transport.
"This fare policy is aimed at making the Gautrain attractive and affordable to broad sectors of the population without competing with existing modes of public transport."
The second phase of the Gautrain system will open in 2011, linking Pretoria, Johannesburg and the OR Tambo International Airport.
