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Metrorail (Western Cape)
Encyclopedia
Metrorail Western Cape is a network of commuter and suburban rail services in the metropolitan area of Cape Town
, South Africa
. It is operated by Metrorail
, which operates commuter rail service in the major cities of South Africa. The routes are probably the most comprehensive of any of the cities in South Africa but some key areas have no train service, notably the Atlantic suburbs and Tableview
.
There are 81 operational trainsets, made up of 868 coaches. There are 671 scheduled trains per weekday, operating over 423 kilometres (262.8 mi) of track to 109 stations
and 5 halts. there were an average of 621,000 daily weekday passenger trips. The services are divided into three areas, each of which has various branches.
Most services commence or terminate at the main Cape Town station
in the centre of the city, which has 24 platforms
. All services are by electric multiple unit
s, aside from the daily train to Malmesbury
which is on a non-electrified line.
to Muizenberg
, and then along the edge of False Bay
to Simon's Town
. Although Simon's Town
is the southern terminus, many trains terminate at Fish Hoek because the line south is single-track.
, rejoining the Southern Line at Heathfield. The service terminates at Retreat.
on two different routes, one around the southern side and the other around the eastern side of Pinelands. From Langa they travel on one of three lines, going either to Mitchell's Plain
, to Khayelitsha
, or through Belhar
to Bellville
.
to Bellville
along the old main line through Salt River
, Maitland, Goodwood
and Parow, while others travel along the relief main line via Century City
. After Bellville, trains run on one of three routes: through Kraaifontein
and Paarl
to Wellington
; via Kuils River
and Stellenbosch to Muldersvlei; or via Kuils River
and Somerset West to Strand.
Two "Business Express" trains provide a luxury commuter service, travelling from the suburbs to Cape Town in the morning and the reverse in the afternoon. One train runs from Huguenot
(Paarl
) via Kraaifontein
and Brackenfell to Cape Town, while the other runs from Strand via Somerset West and Kuils River
to Cape Town.
There are also two longer distance trains stopping at all stations en-route daily. One along the main-line to Worcester
and at 174 km (108.1 mi) the longest possible route on a commuter train in South Africa. The other is the only diesel-hauled commuter train in the Western Cape to Malmesbury
which travels 78 km (48.5 mi) on the route to Bitterfontein.
Tourists are advised to buy a first class or MetroPlus ticket, this entitles them to better security and more comfortable seating. Tickets can, and should only, be brought at station ticket offices or from uniformed mobile ticket vendors with yellow ticketing machines. Staff at ticket offices and mobile ticket vendors will also assist with train information regarding schedules, platforms facilities etcetera.
Prospective travellers are urged to first consult the Call Centre or website to determine a route and suitable timetable. It should be noted that frequencies can vary vastly from weekday peak to weekend off peaks. Services to Simon’s Town, Bellville via Century City, Strand, Muldersvlei (via Stellenbosch) and Wellington are less frequent over weekends with a train about every hour on Saturdays and every two hours on a Sunday. In contrast, weekday frequencies on some lines offer three minute headways.
Every train displays a four digit digital or analogue train number. The route and destination of a specific train can be determined by just looking at the train number.
Up trains travel towards Cape Town and carry even train numbers.
Down trains travel away from Cape Town and carry odd train numbers.
Destinations can be derived from the following table:
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is operated by Metrorail
Metrorail (South Africa)
Metrorail is an operator of commuter rail services in the major urban areas of South Africa. It is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa , a state-owned enterprise which is responsible for most passenger rail services in South Africa...
, which operates commuter rail service in the major cities of South Africa. The routes are probably the most comprehensive of any of the cities in South Africa but some key areas have no train service, notably the Atlantic suburbs and Tableview
Tableview, Cape Town
Tableview or Table View is a west coast suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, named after its view of Table Mountain. It has expanded rapidly since the 1970s and has extensions such as Flamingo Vlei, Sunridge, West Riding and Killarney.-See also:*Table View High School...
.
There are 81 operational trainsets, made up of 868 coaches. There are 671 scheduled trains per weekday, operating over 423 kilometres (262.8 mi) of track to 109 stations
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
and 5 halts. there were an average of 621,000 daily weekday passenger trips. The services are divided into three areas, each of which has various branches.
Most services commence or terminate at the main Cape Town station
Cape Town Railway Station
Cape Town railway station is the main railway station of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is located along Adderley and Strand Streets in the city's central business district....
in the centre of the city, which has 24 platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
. All services are by electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s, aside from the daily train to Malmesbury
Malmesbury, Western Cape
Malmesbury is a town with 37,529 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa, about 65 km north of Cape Town.The town is the largest in the Swartland due to the dark "Renosterbos" , an indigenous plant that turns black in the warm, dry summers...
which is on a non-electrified line.
Southern Line
The Southern Line travels from central Cape town through the Southern SuburbsSouthern Suburbs, Cape Town
The Southern Suburbs are a group of suburbs in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. This group includes Rondebosch, Claremont, Plumstead, Ottery, Wynberg, Newlands, Constantia and Bishopscourt, and to some aspects Pinelands and Observatory too....
to Muizenberg
Muizenberg
Muizenberg is a beach-side suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay coast...
, and then along the edge of False Bay
False Bay
False Bay is a body of water defined by Cape Hangklip and the Cape Peninsula in the extreme South-West of South Africa.- Description and location :...
to Simon's Town
Simon's Town
Simon's Town , sometimes spelled Simonstown; is a town in South Africa, near Cape Town which is home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour...
. Although Simon's Town
Simon's Town
Simon's Town , sometimes spelled Simonstown; is a town in South Africa, near Cape Town which is home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour...
is the southern terminus, many trains terminate at Fish Hoek because the line south is single-track.
Cape Flats Line
The Cape Flats Line travels east from Cape Town as far as Maitland, then turns south through AthloneAthlone, Cape Town
Athlone is a suburb of Cape Town located to the east of the city centre on the Cape Flats to the south of the N2 highway. It is named after Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone who was Governor-General of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1930...
, rejoining the Southern Line at Heathfield. The service terminates at Retreat.
Central Line
The Central Line serves areas to the south-east of the city centre. Trains run from Cape Town to LangaLanga, Cape Town
Langa is a suburb found in Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 1927 interms of the 1923 Urban Areas Act. Similar to Nyanga, Langa is one of the many areas in South Africa that were designated for Black Africans before the apartheid era. It is the oldest of such suburbs in Cape Town and...
on two different routes, one around the southern side and the other around the eastern side of Pinelands. From Langa they travel on one of three lines, going either to Mitchell's Plain
Mitchell's Plain
Mitchells Plain is a largely coloured township about 20 km from the city of Cape Town. It is one of South Africa's largest townships. It is located on the Cape Flats on the False Bay coast between Strandfontein and Khayelitsha...
, to Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha is a partially informal township in Western Cape, South Africa, located on the Cape Flats in the City of Cape Town. The name is Xhosa for New Home...
, or through Belhar
Belhar
Belhar is a suburb of the City of Cape Town in the Cape Flats area.It is known for being the place where the Belhar Confession was formulated....
to Bellville
Bellville, Cape Town
Bellville is a former city in the Western Cape province of South Africa; it is now part of the greater Cape Town metropolitan area. It falls within the area of the City of Cape Town municipality....
.
Northern Line
The Northern Line serves the northern suburbs of Cape Town as well as some outlying towns. Some trains travel from Cape Town stationCape Town Railway Station
Cape Town railway station is the main railway station of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is located along Adderley and Strand Streets in the city's central business district....
to Bellville
Bellville, Cape Town
Bellville is a former city in the Western Cape province of South Africa; it is now part of the greater Cape Town metropolitan area. It falls within the area of the City of Cape Town municipality....
along the old main line through Salt River
Salt River, Cape Town
Salt River is a mainly industrial suburb of Cape Town located near Table Bay to the east of the city. It is named after a river of the same name, this being a continuation of the Black River. The name Salt River is a translation of the Dutch "Soutrivier"...
, Maitland, Goodwood
Goodwood, Cape Town
Goodwood is a suburb situated between the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is 10 kilometres from the city centre and accessible from the N1, N7 and N2 highways....
and Parow, while others travel along the relief main line via Century City
Century City, Cape Town
Century City is a 250 ha suburb of Cape Town, South Africa that was constructed as a mixed use development including entertainment, residential, retail and office components. Development began under Monex Development in 1997 and continues under the new owners, Rabie Property Group. Investment thus...
. After Bellville, trains run on one of three routes: through Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein is a suburb of Cape Town, in the Western Cape province of South Africa.It is located in the city's northern suburbs and flanks the N1 Highway towards Paarl and Worcester to the north and south...
and Paarl
Paarl
Paarl is a town with 191,013 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa and the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington...
to Wellington
Wellington, Western Cape
Wellington is a town in the Western Cape Winelands 45 minutes from Cape Town, in South Africa with a population of approximately 58,300. Wellington's economy is centered around agriculture such as wine, table grapes, citrus fruit and a brandy industry. The town is located 75 km north-east of...
; via Kuils River
Kuils River
Kuils River is a town in the Western Cape province, South Africa. It is a level 2 administrative region, and is close to Cape Town's wine routes. It is located near the intersection of the M12 and the R102....
and Stellenbosch to Muldersvlei; or via Kuils River
Kuils River
Kuils River is a town in the Western Cape province, South Africa. It is a level 2 administrative region, and is close to Cape Town's wine routes. It is located near the intersection of the M12 and the R102....
and Somerset West to Strand.
Two "Business Express" trains provide a luxury commuter service, travelling from the suburbs to Cape Town in the morning and the reverse in the afternoon. One train runs from Huguenot
Huguenot railway station
Huguenot railway station is the main passenger railway station in the town of Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa. It is served by Metrorail commuter trains on the Northern Line...
(Paarl
Paarl
Paarl is a town with 191,013 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa and the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington...
) via Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein is a suburb of Cape Town, in the Western Cape province of South Africa.It is located in the city's northern suburbs and flanks the N1 Highway towards Paarl and Worcester to the north and south...
and Brackenfell to Cape Town, while the other runs from Strand via Somerset West and Kuils River
Kuils River
Kuils River is a town in the Western Cape province, South Africa. It is a level 2 administrative region, and is close to Cape Town's wine routes. It is located near the intersection of the M12 and the R102....
to Cape Town.
There are also two longer distance trains stopping at all stations en-route daily. One along the main-line to Worcester
Worcester, Western Cape
Worcester is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is located 120 km north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg....
and at 174 km (108.1 mi) the longest possible route on a commuter train in South Africa. The other is the only diesel-hauled commuter train in the Western Cape to Malmesbury
Malmesbury, Western Cape
Malmesbury is a town with 37,529 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa, about 65 km north of Cape Town.The town is the largest in the Swartland due to the dark "Renosterbos" , an indigenous plant that turns black in the warm, dry summers...
which travels 78 km (48.5 mi) on the route to Bitterfontein.
Commuting tips
Travelling on Cape Town’s suburban railway system provides a relatively safe, affordable and easy way of getting around. Millions of people travel on the system every week without harm and only very isolated incidents take place. Except for private security, Metrorail also has the Railway Police and SAPS doing duties to ensure the safety of their passengers. Just remember the four Golden Rules: Stay in a group where possible, don't advertise any valuable items, keep on the lookout for suspicious people and remember good people are in the majority!Tourists are advised to buy a first class or MetroPlus ticket, this entitles them to better security and more comfortable seating. Tickets can, and should only, be brought at station ticket offices or from uniformed mobile ticket vendors with yellow ticketing machines. Staff at ticket offices and mobile ticket vendors will also assist with train information regarding schedules, platforms facilities etcetera.
Prospective travellers are urged to first consult the Call Centre or website to determine a route and suitable timetable. It should be noted that frequencies can vary vastly from weekday peak to weekend off peaks. Services to Simon’s Town, Bellville via Century City, Strand, Muldersvlei (via Stellenbosch) and Wellington are less frequent over weekends with a train about every hour on Saturdays and every two hours on a Sunday. In contrast, weekday frequencies on some lines offer three minute headways.
Every train displays a four digit digital or analogue train number. The route and destination of a specific train can be determined by just looking at the train number.
Up trains travel towards Cape Town and carry even train numbers.
Down trains travel away from Cape Town and carry odd train numbers.
Destinations can be derived from the following table:
| Up Train no. | Route | Down Train no. | Notes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Hoek ↔ Cape Town | See next entry | 30km | ||
| Fish Hoek ↔ Cape Town | Afternoon peak | 30km | ||
| Retreat ↔ Cape Town | Via Cape Flats line | 24km | ||
| Eersterivier ↔ Cape Town | Some weekend trains terminate at Faure | 34km | ||
| Kraaifontein ↔ Cape Town | 31km | |||
| Bellville ↔ Cape Town | Via Monte Vista and Century City | 21km | ||
| Strand ↔ Cape Town | 53km | |||
| Muldersvlei ↔ Cape Town | Via Stellenbosch | 61km | ||
| Wellington ↔ Cape Town | Includes service to Worcester (174km) | 72km | ||
| Bellville ↔ Cape Town | Via Sarepta (No distinction, Ysterplaat / Soutrivier) | 28km | ||
| Kapteinsklip ↔ Cape Town | Via Ysterplaat, some terminations at Nyanga | 32km | ||
| Kapteinsklip ↔ Cape Town | Via Soutrivier, some terminations at Nyanga | 32km | ||
| Chris Hani ↔ Cape Town | Via Soutrivier | 38km | ||
| Chris Hani ↔ Cape Town | Via Ysterplaat | 38km | ||
| Khayelitsha ↔ Cape Town | All trains via Ysterplaat | 34km | ||
Incidents
- On 13 November 2006, a train hit a truck stalled on an unprotected level crossing. The truck was carrying at least 33 farmworkers; nineteen were killed and six injured.
- On 25 August 2010, a train hit a minibus taxiBlackheath level crossing accidentThe Blackheath train accident occurred at 7:03 a.m. on 25 August 2010 when a Metrorail commuter train crashed into a minibus taxi on the Buttskop Road level crossing in Blackheath, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. The minibus was carrying fourteen children to school; nine died on the scene...
that had allegedly driven round the boom barriers on a level crossing. The minibus was carrying fourteen schoolchildren, of whom ten were killed.
See also
- Metrorail (South Africa)Metrorail (South Africa)Metrorail is an operator of commuter rail services in the major urban areas of South Africa. It is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa , a state-owned enterprise which is responsible for most passenger rail services in South Africa...
- Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
- South Africa Heritage Railways