Metrorail Eastern Cape
Encyclopedia
Metrorail Eastern Cape is the name given to the commuter rail services operated by Metrorail
, a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, in the Eastern Cape
province of South Africa
. There are two lines, one connecting Port Elizabeth, Despatch and Uitenhage
, and the other connecting East London, Mdantsane
and Berlin.
Unlike the other Metrorail regions, which use electric multiple units, the Eastern Cape services are provided by sets of ten coaches pulled by diesel locomotive
s.
in central Port Elizabeth, and runs northwards along the main Port Elizabeth–Bloemfontein
line as far as Swartkops, where it branches west through Despatch to Uitenhage
. PRASA is planning to construct a branch serving Motherwell and the Coega
Industrial Development Zone.
The East London Line starts at East London railway station
and runs along the main East London–Bloemfontein railway line through Mdantsane
to end in Berlin.
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...
, a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
province of 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...
. There are two lines, one connecting Port Elizabeth, Despatch and Uitenhage
Uitenhage
Uitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
, and the other connecting East London, Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
and Berlin.
Unlike the other Metrorail regions, which use electric multiple units, the Eastern Cape services are provided by sets of ten coaches pulled by diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s.
Lines
The Port Elizabeth line starts at Port Elizabeth railway stationPort Elizabeth railway station
Port Elizabeth railway station is a railway station, located in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.Work commenced on connecting Port Elizabeth to the developing national railway network in 1873, resulting in the station complex being located in the historic central district, near the harbour...
in central Port Elizabeth, and runs northwards along the main Port Elizabeth–Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
line as far as Swartkops, where it branches west through Despatch to Uitenhage
Uitenhage
Uitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
. PRASA is planning to construct a branch serving Motherwell and the Coega
Coega
The Coega Industrial Development Zone covering 110 km² of land , is situated in the Nelson Mandela Municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality near Port Elizabeth...
Industrial Development Zone.
The East London Line starts at East London railway station
East London railway station
East London railway station is the central railway station in the city of East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the terminus for Shosholoza Meyl inter-city trains to Johannesburg and Cape Town, and of a Metrorail commuter service to Mdantsane and Berlin.East London station...
and runs along the main East London–Bloemfontein railway line through Mdantsane
Mdantsane
Mdantsane is a South African township situated between East London and King William's Town in the Eastern Cape province. It is reputed to be the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto and houses the second biggest shopping mall in the Eastern Cape Province...
to end in Berlin.