World City Guide

Getting There By Rail

Shosholoza Meyl (tel: (021) 449 2124; fax: (021) 449 2463 or (086) 000 8888, toll free; website: www.spoornet.co.za) operates all mainline railway services, while Cape Metrorail (tel: (021) 449 4210 or (083) 123 7245; fax: (021) 449 3356; website: www.capemetrorail.co.za) operates the suburban services (see Getting Around). While national travel is easy and comfortable, often even luxurious, suburban services are unreliable, not very extensive and can be very dangerous, especially after dark. Rail enquiries should be directed to the Metro Transport Info central toll-free number (tel: (0800) 656 463; website: www.mti.co.za); inter-city train reservations are also available. Metrorail also provides a security emergency number (tel: (0800) 210 081).

Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, services both national and suburban lines. The station is in a vast, vaulted building that houses an array of shops and kiosks – some tacky, others quite compelling. Other facilities include information desks, security lockers for hire (R10 per day), a restaurant and, believe it or not, a doctor, dentist and money-lending services. There is also a daily open-air flea market, located immediately outside the station.

Rail services: Mainline destinations include daily services to Pretoria via Johannesburg, Kimberley and Worcester (journey time – 28 hours), and a weekly service to Durban via Kimberley and Bloemfontein (journey time – 37 hours 10 minutes). Trains to Johannesburg and Durban offer a sleeper service and are relaxing alternatives to flying, with dining cars and serviced compartments.

The premier luxury train in South Africa is the Blue Train (tel: (021) 449 2672 or 334 8459, reservations; fax: (012) 449 3338 or 334 8464; e-mail: bluetrain@transnet.co.za; website: www.bluetrain.co.za), with services between Cape Town and Pretoria (journey time – 27 hours), as well as up the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (journey time – 43 hours 30 minutes). Trains can be chartered from Pretoria to Victoria Falls and Nelspruit/Hoedspruit; there are no scheduled services to these destinations. Trains to Pretoria depart three times a week, with more departures in October, November, February and March, while trains to Port Elizabeth depart on a specific day in March, September and December. Advance booking is recommended for both routes.

Transport to the city: Cape Town Station is situated right in the heart of the city centre. The central public transport bus depot is situated across the road, on Strand Street (in front of the Grand Parade). Metered taxis and minibus taxis are also available outside the station.