South Africa is moving ahead with plans for its first-ever bullet train, set to connect Gauteng and Limpopo, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026.
Should the project proceed as planned, South Africa could see its first bullet trains in operation by 2030.
The new bullet train will cut travel time from Pretoria to Polokwane to just 90 minutes, averaging 177 km/h and reaching over 200 km/h on certain stretches.
The planned route will pass through key locations like Hammanskraal, Bela-Bela, Mokopane, Louis Trichardt, and Musina.
The project will be rolled out in two stages:
- PHASE 1: Pretoria to Polokwane
- PHASE 2: Expansion to additional Limpopo hubs, including Musina
In addition to the high-speed Limpopo line, Gauteng is investing R120 billion to grow its rail system—extending the Gautrain from 80km to 230km and adding six new stops to boost regional mobility.
