Metrorail (Western Cape)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Metrorail (Western Cape) operates commuter and suburban rail services in the Cape Town metropolitan area, as well as some services to nearby towns. The services are provided by Metrorail, who operate in the main cities of South Africa. The routes are probably the most comprehensive of any of the major cities in South Africa but some key areas have no train service, notably the Atlantic suburbs and Tableview.
In 2006 a serious level crossing accident killed 27 people. See 2006 Cape Town truck-train collision.
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 electic multiple units, aside from the daily train to Malmesbury which is on a non-electrified line. There are four main routes, as follows.
Contents |
[edit] Simon's Town Line
This line runs next to the Indian Ocean on the section south of Muizenberg and serves some of the southern suburbs of Cape Town.
The following stations are served by trains on this route. Some services terminate at Fish Hoek or Retreat.
- Cape Town (main station)
- Woodstock
- Salt River
- Observatory
- Mowbray
- Rosebank
- Rondebosch
- Newlands
- Claremont
- Harfield Road
- Kenilworth
- Wynberg
- Wittebome
- Plumstead
- Steurhof
- Dieprivier
- Heathfield
- Retreat
- Steenberg
- Lakeside
- False Bay
- Muizenberg
- St James
- Kalk Bay
- Fish Hoek
- Sunny Cove
- Glencairn
- Simon's Town
[edit] Cape Flats Line
This line runs on the same route as the Simon's Town line as far as Salt River and then serves the following stations
- Koeberg Road
- Maitland
- Ndabeni
- Pinelands
- Hazendal
- Athlone
- Crawford
- Lansdowne
- Wetton
- Ottery
- Southfield
The line then rejoins the Simon's Town before Heathfield station and trains terminate at Heathfield or Retreat
[edit] Bonteheuwel and beyond
Trains either run on the same route as the Cape Flats line as far as Pinelands, and then divert on a separate line to Langa or travel on a separate route out of Cape Town that pass the following stations
- Esplanade
- Ysterplaat
- Mutual
- Langa
After Langa, all trains pass through the next station, Bonteheuwel, where there is another diversion of routes. Some trains pass the following stations through to Bellville, Cape Town
- Lavistown
- Belhar
- Unibell
- Pentech
- Sarepta
- Bellville
The other route diverts south through the following stations
- Netreg
- Heideveld
- Nyanga
- Philippi
The line splits further here, one route serves Mitchell's Plain through the following stations
- Lentegeur
- Mitchell's Plain
- Kapteinsklip (terminus)
The other line serves Khayelitsha and has the following stations
- Stock Road
- Mandalay
- Nolungile
- Nonkqubela
- Khayelitsha
[edit] Bellville and beyond
This is complex network of lines that serve the northern suburbs of Cape Town as well as some outlying towns. Most services go on the same route as the Cape Flats line as far as Maitland, and then pass the following stations towards Bellville.
- Woltemade
- Mutual
- Thornton
- Goodwood
- Vasco
- Elsies River
- Parow
- Tygerberg
- Bellville
Services diverge here. Some go on the route of the main line to Johannesburg as far Wellington serving the following stations
- Stikland
- Eikenfontein
- Kraaifontein
- Muldersvlei
- Klapmuts
- Paarl
- Huguenot
- Dal Josafat
- Mbekweni
- Wellington
The other route from Bellville diverges to the south and passes the following stations
- Kuils River
- Blackheath
- Melton Rose
- Eerste River
This line diverges again, with one route serving the Somerset West and Strand area
- Faure
- Firgrove
- Somerset West
- Van Der Stel
- Strand
The other route is known as the Stellenbosch loop and serves the university town of Stellenbosch and then rejoins the main line to Johannesburg at Muldersvlei where services on this route terminate.
- Lynedoch
- Vlottenburg
- Stellenbosch
- Du Toit
- Koelenhof
- Muldersvlei
In addition, some services use an alternate route to Bellville (used by long distance passenger trains), passing the following stations.
- Esplanade
- Ysterplaat
- Kentemade
- Acacia Park
- Monte Vista
- De Grendel
- Avondale
- Oosterzee
- Bellville
Finally, there is one train a day to each of the following
- Worcester- this continues on the main line to Johannesburg beyond Wellington and serves some smaller communites along the way
- Malmesbury- this diverges from the main route at Kraaifontein and also serves a few small communities on the route to the town of Malmesbury.
[edit] Trivia
- Clovelly station, now closed, which lies between Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek on the Simon's Town line has been described as the closest station to the sea anywhere in the world.
- Mutual station is named after the Old Mutual company, one of the few instances of a station being named after a business.
