8 Fun facts you probably did not know about the Gautrain

1. The first public passenger trip was made on 3 February 2009 by 150 people on a 3km test track at the depot.

2. Fifteen cars will be manufactured and assembled by Bombardier in Derby and the remaining cars will be assembled by UCW Partnership (Union Carriage & Wagon Co. (Pty) Ltd) in South Africa using structural components made in Britain.

3. Gautrain will consist of 24 trains, each made up with four cars linked together: nineteen trains will service the commuter network and five trains will service the airport link

4. The train is expected to cut the number of cars on the N1 Ben Schoeman Highway highway by 20%, with 100,000 daily passenger trips.

5. On July 8, 2008, the first four-car train set was handed over to the Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa
Mbhazima Shilowa

6. 65 road intersections will be upgraded during construction.

7. More than six million cubic metres of soil will have to be moved and disposed of.

8. Gautrain will operate from 05:30 to 20:30.