Metrorail Western Cape

Metrorail Western Cape Region
Overview
Owner	South African Rail Commuter Corporation
Locale	Cape Town, Western Cape
Transit type	Commuter rail
Number of stations	109 (+ 5 halts)
Daily ridership	621,000 (as of 2004)
Operation
Operator(s)	Metrorail
Number of vehicles	79 trainsets (868 coaches)
Technical
System length	423 km (263 mi)
Track gauge	42

A Metrorail train pulling out of Kalk Bay station in Cape Town

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 19 people. See 2006 Cape Town truck-train collision.

Map of the network

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 units, aside from the daily train to Malmesbury which is on a non-electrified line.

There are 79 operational trainsets, made up of 868 coaches. There are 671 scheduled trains per weekday, operating over 423 kilometres (263 mi) of track to 109 stations and 5 halts. As of 2004 there were an average of 621,000 daily weekday passenger trips. The services are divided into three areas, each of which has various branches.

Area South

Area South operates two routes that travel southwards from Cape Town.

Southern Line

0:00 Cape Town N2 Eastern Boulevard Northern & Central Lines via Ysterplaat 0:03 Woodstock 0:06 Salt River Northern, Central & Cape Flats Lines via Maitland 0:09 Observatory N2 Settlers' Way 0:11 Mowbray 0:13 Rosebank Liesbeek River 0:15 Rondebosch 0:18 Newlands 0:20 Claremont 0:22 Harfield Road 0:24 Kenilworth 0:26 Wynberg 0:28 Wittebome 0:30 Plumstead 0:32 Steurhof Diep River 0:34 Diep River Cape Flats Line 0:36 Heathfield 0:39 Retreat 0:42 Steenberg 0:44 Lakeside 0:47 False Bay 0:48 Muizenberg 0:51 St. James 0:53 Kalk Bay Clovelly Silvermine River 0:58 Fish Hoek 1:00 Sunny Cove 1:05 Glencairn 1:10 Simon's Town

Main article: Southern Line (Metrorail)

The Southern Line travels through the Southern Suburbs 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.

• Cape Town Railway Station
• Woodstock
• Salt River
• Observatory
• Mowbray
• Rosebank
• Rondebosch
• Newlands
• Claremont
• Harfield Road
• Kenilworth
• Wynberg
• Wittebome
• Plumstead
• Steurhof
• Diep River
• Heathfield
• Retreat
• Steenberg
• Lakeside
• False Bay
• Muizenberg
• St James
• Kalk Bay
• Fish Hoek
• Sunny Cove
• Glencairn
• Simon's Town

Cape Flats Line

Cape Flats Line
0:00 Cape Town N2 Eastern Boulevard Northern & Central Lines via Ysterplaat 0:03 Woodstock 0:06 Salt River Southern Line Salt River M5 Black River Parkway 0:08 Koeberg Road 0:10 Maitland Northern Line 0:13 Ndabeni 0:16 Pinelands Central Line N2 Settlers Way Black River 0:18 Hazendal 0:21 Athlone 0:23 Crawford 0:25 Lansdowne 0:28 Wetton 0:30 Ottery M5 Prince George Drive 0:34 Southfield Diep River Southern Line 0:38 Heathfield 0:40 Retreat Southern Line

The Cape Flats line travels east from Cape Town as far as Maitland, then turns south through Athlone to meet the Southern Line at Heathfield. The service terminates at Retreat.

• Cape Town Railway Station
• Woodstock
• Salt River
• Koeberg Road
• Maitland
• Ndabeni
• Pinelands
• Hazendal
• Athlone
• Crawford
• Lansdowne
• Wetton
• Ottery
• Southfield
• Heathfield
• Retreat

The line then rejoins the Simon's Town before Heathfield station and trains terminate at Heathfield or Retreat

Area Central

Central Line
Cape Town 0:00 0:00 N2 Eastern Blvd Woodstock 0:03 0:04 Esplanade Salt River 0:06 0:07 Paarden Eiland Southern Line 0:09 Ysterplaat Salt River M5 Black River Pkwy Koeberg Road 0:09 Maitland 0:11 Northern Line Monte Vista branch Ndabeni 0:14 Pinelands 0:16 0:15 Mutual Cape Flats Line Northern Line Elsieskraal River 0:20 Langa Bonteheuwel 0:23 0:00 0:23 0:00 Netreg 0:03 0:05 Lavistown N2 Settler's Way 0:09 Belhar Heideveld 0:06 0:12 Unibell Nyanga 0:10 0:15 Pentech Philippi 0:14 0:18 Sarepta Northern Line R300 Cape Flats Fwy 0:24 Bellville Lentegeur 0:19 Mitchell's Plain 0:23 Northern Line Wellington branch Kapteinsklip 0:26 Northern Line Stellenbosch branch Stock Road 0:18 Mandalay 0:21 Nolungile 0:25 Nonkqubela 0:28 Khayelitsha 0:32 Kuyasa 0:38 Chris Hani 0:44

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

Area North

Cape Town 0:00 0:00 N2 Eastern Blvd Woodstock 0:03 0:03 Esplanade Salt River 0:07 Southern Line 0:09 Ysterplaat Salt River M5 Black River Pkwy Koeberg Road 0:09 Maitland 0:12 Cape Flats Line & Central Line via Pinelands 0:13 Kentemade Woltemade 0:15 0:15 Century City Mutual 0:17 0:18 Acacia Park Central Line Thornton 0:20 0:21 Monte Vista Goodwood 0:22 Vasco 0:24 0:25 De Grendel Elsies River 0:27 0:27 Avondale Parow 0:30 0:30 Oosterzee Tygerberg 0:32 Bellville 0:33 0:00 Central Line Lavistown branch 0:04 Stikland R300 Kuils River Fwy Kuils River 0:06 0:08 Brackenfell Blackheath 0:11 0:13 Eikenfontein Melton Rose 0:15 0:16 Kraaifontein Eerste Rivier 0:18 Fisantkraal Faure 0:24 Mellish Firgrove 0:30 Mikpunt Somerset West 0:36 Klipheuwel Van der Stel 0:39 Wintevogel N2 Settler's Way Kalbaskraal Strand 0:44 Abbotsdale Lynedoch 0:25 Malmesbury Vlottenburg 0:29 Stellenbosch 0:35 Du Toit 0:44 Koelenhof 0:50 0:56 0:27 Muldersvlei 0:33 Klapmuts N1 0:42 Paarl Berg River 0:47 Huguenot 0:50 Dal Josafat 0:54 Mbekweni 0:59 Wellington Malan Soetendal Hermon Voelvlei Gouda Tulbaghweg Artois Wolesley Romans River Breë River Botha Goudini Road Worcester to Durban & Johannesburg

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
• Brackenfell
• 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 are trains to each of the following

• Worcester- this continues on the main line to Johannesburg beyond Wellington and serves some smaller communities 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.

See also

• Metrorail (South Africa)
• Cape Town

External links

• Metrorail Cape Town website
• Map of current network