Rea Vaya BRT system on route to Football / Photo by Chris Botes
“The most watched sporting event on the globe (the 2010 Soccer World Cup) kicks off in our country in a few days and requires a world-class public transport solution, and the Rea Vaya BRT system is a critical part of that,” says Member of Mayoral Committee for the City of Johannesburg Rehana Moosajee as she announced details of the Rea Vaya service schedule applicable during the duration of the Soccer World Cup. She confirmed that the Rea Vaya will be ready to transport football fans from around the world when their teams play in Jozi.
“We are planning to transport 20 000 spectators to both Ellis Park and Soccer City on match days and will be able to move spectators speedily and safely to the game and after the game has finished. This means we have had to reconfigure some of the service schedule times for optimum usage”.
The details of the Rea Vaya event service schedule during the Soccer World will be as follows:
• An event service will run on the following specific days as reflected in the schedule beneath from Constitutional Hill, Westgate and other Rea Vaya BRT stations in the CBD and SOWETO.
• Spectators using the Constitution Hill Park and Ride site will receive Rea Vaya return tickets. The cost of these tickets is included in the parking fee
• Passengers boarding for the game venues at other Rea Vaya BRT stations will be required to purchase a R12 return event ticket. These return tickets will ensure that passengers will not have to queue to buy tickets after the games.
In respect of ordinary commuters not attending the soccer matches, Rea Vaya services will not be operating on the following specific days and times:
• On Friday, 11 June kick off at 16:00 at Soccer City, normal commuter services will stop operating at 11:00 when the last bus will depart from Ellis Park to Soweto. There will be no further afternoon commuter services. Event services commence at 11:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Saturday, 12 June kick off at 16:00 at Ellis Park, normal commuter services will stop at 12:00 when the last bus will depart from Ellis Park to Soweto. There will be no further afternoon commuter services. Event services commence at 11:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 15:00.
• On Monday, 14 June, kick off at 13:30 at Soccer City, normal service cut off time will be 09:00 when the last bus departs Ellis Park for Thokoza Park. There will be no further afternoon commuter services. Event services commence at 09:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Tuesday, 15 June, kick off at 20:30 at Ellis Park, normal service will stop at 16:00 when the last bus will depart from Ellis Park to SOWETO. There will be no further afternoon commuter services. Event services commence at 16:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 18:00.
• On Thursday, 17 June, kick off at 13:30 at Soccer City, there will be no normal Rea Vaya service from 09:00 when the last bus departs from Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. There will be no further commuter services. Event services commence at 13:30 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Friday, 18 June, kick off at 16:00 at Ellis Park, there will be no normal Rea Vaya service from 11:00 when the last bus will depart from Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 11:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 14:00.
• On Sunday 20 June, kick off at 20:30 at Soccer City, Rea Vaya will provide services to soccer fans only. Return journeys will be catered for after the game. Services will commence at 16:00
• On Monday, 21 June, kick off at 20:30 at Ellis Park. There will be no normal commuter service as from 16:00 when the last bus leaves Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 11:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 14:00.
• On Wednesday, 23 June, kick off at 20:30 at Soccer City, there will be no normal Rea Vaya commuter services from 16:00 when the last bus departs Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 16:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Thursday, 24 June, kick off at 16:00 at Ellis Park, there will be no normal Rea Vaya service from 11:00 when the last bus leaves Ellis Park for Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 11:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 14:00.
• On Sunday 27 June, kick off at 20:30 at Soccer City, Rea Vaya will provide services to soccer fans only from 16:00.
• On Monday, 28 June, kick off at 20:30 at Ellis Park, normal services will stop operating from 16:00 when the last bus will depart Ellis Park for Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 16:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match. As event services are operated to the Ellis Park venue, buses will be available to passengers from the CBD to Soweto trunk stations only on the return event journeys up to 18:00.
• On Friday 2 July, kick off at 20:30 at Soccer City, the normal commuter service will stop operating at 16:00 when the last bus will depart from Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. There will be no further commuter services. Event services commence at 16:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Saturday 3 July, kick off at 20:30 at Ellis Park normal commuter services will end at 16:00 when the last bus departs Ellis Park to Thokoza Park. Event services commence at 16:00 and will only operate to the game venue. Return passengers will be catered for after the match.
• On Sunday 11 July, kick off at 20:30, Rea Vaya will provide services to soccer fans only as from 16:00.
See also attached schedule below.
Rea Vaya apologizes for inconvenience and urges passengers to make use of alternative transport on game days. The World Cup is no ordinary event and this arrangement is absolutely necessary to ensure its success.
Passengers should also note that the Soccer City station is ONLY open on match days and should not expect to use it on other days.
REA VAYA SERVICE AVAILABILITY SCHEDULE ON FWC 2010 MATCH DAYS
For Safety on the road also view: