Make use of the shopaholics travelling on the Gautrain from Park Station (click here to read more)

The "lucky stars" were truly shining on The Zone when the Gautrain came about. Not only is the station right on our doorstep but also, it is a link from Johannesburg CBD right till Pretoria. Below is an article about research conducted on Gautrain commuters.

Research conducted about the typical Gautrain user revealed that business and airport commuters are not the only groups travelling extensively on the train, with the recently opened Park Station route allowing advertisers to reach an interesting array of travellers: those who want to access shopping malls previously inconvenient and inaccessible to them.

"Park Station serves as a major transport interchange, with commuters from Soweto, as well as from the west and south of Johannesburg. Of these travellers, a lot are business, but interestingly, research shows that a growing number of people are using the Gautrain at off-peak periods to travel to and from large shopping malls, previously not accessible to them. They now do not have to worry about congested traffic routes," Adelaide McKelvey, Continental Outdoor Media sales and marketing director.

Continental Outdoor Media has what is known as the 'Born to Shop' outdoor advertising package available to clients at Park Station and the wider Gautrain route. "We encourage advertisers to remember that shopping malls have become less about shopping and more about entertainment. With apps and technology to serve up deals to customers the minute they step through the doors, malls are firmly embracing the smart phone crowd. Creative campaigns should take this into account when purchasing this network package," said McKelvey.

The research also revealed that shoppers who spend time in retail shopping malls are more likely to make impulse purchases than those who shop online. "There are a large number of retailers whose locations exist almost exclusively within larger malls. The challenge for these stores is letting customers know that they exist and that they offer products and services that Park Station commuters would be interested in," McKelvey noted.

Article issued by Continental Outdoor

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link is a state-of-the-art rapid rail network planned in Gauteng. The rail connection comprises of two links, namely a link between Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg and a link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. Apart from the three anchor stations on these two links, seven other stations will be linked by approximately 80 kilometres of rail.

The three anchor stations will be located at: • OR Tambo International Airport; • Tshwane; and • Johannesburg. The seven other stations will be located at: • Rosebank; • Sandton; • Marlboro; • Midrand; • Centurion; • Hatfield; and • Rhodesfield (Kempton Park).

This modern train will offer international standards of public transport with high levels of safety, reliability, predictability and comfort. Travelling at maximum speeds of 160 to 180 kilometres per hour it will reach Tshwane from Johannesburg in less than 40 minutes. The minimum frequency between Johannesburg and Tshwane will initially be six trains per hour per direction and it will operate approximately 18 hours per day. This public transport service will include dedicated, exclusive bus services to transport passengers to and from stations.