343K Daily Train Trips by 2026: Cape Town’s Rail Comeback 🚆🇿🇦 \ stacker news ~Construction_and

South Africa’s commuter rail system long crippled by underinvestment,vandalism,and Covid-era disruptions is beginning to show signs of serious recovery.

In Cape Town, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced that daily passenger rail trips have grown from 53,000 in April 2024 to 104,000 in 2025, following the reopening of Philippi and Nolungile stations. With the second line to Kapteinsklip due later this year, the city expects to hit 162,400 daily trips, and target 343,000 by April 2026.

This surge comes as PRASA restores the Central Line, Cape Town’s critical rail artery connecting Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to Cape Town and Bellville CBDs. While the line currently handles 30,000 daily trips, it’s expected to reach 350,000 daily trips at full capacity, contributing more than half of the city’s projected total of 685,900 daily rail trips.

The restoration isn’t cheap: Creecy confirmed R1.3 billion (approx. $72 million) has been spent on rebuilding signalling, substations, perway, and relocating over 7,000 illegal occupants who had settled along the Central Line tracks. The effort has also created 2,500 jobs.

At present, two trains per hour run from Chris Hani Station, but the goal is to boost this to six as signal capacity improves. Southern Line is already 98% re-signalled, with full Central Line signalling expected by 2026/27.

National Perspective:

✓35 out of 40 PRASA lines have been reopened. ✓2024 saw 77 million passenger trips, with a goal of 123 million in 2025. ✓Long-term target: 600 million annual trips by 2030/31.

Creecy says achieving this depends on sustained efforts in corridor revitalization, station refurbishment, new signalling systems, and private sector engagement. An RFI (Request for Information) process will be launched in June, inviting market input on services like fare collection, depot management, and digital infrastructure.

Municipal Control Incoming?

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis has reiterated the city’s ambition to take over passenger rail services from PRASA. Three governance models are under development:

1. Full ownership and operations by the City, absorbing PRASA personnel.

2. Asset ownership with a concessionaire operating trains and stations.

3. Integrated concession model for large-scale end-to-end delivery.

Hill Lewis says the city wants integrated ticketing, new routes, and affordable housing projects around train stations.

Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas added that expansion efforts include not just the Central Line, but also new routes like the Strand Bellville line and the proposed Blue Downs corridor to reach underserved communities.

Takeaways for the Rail & Infra Community:

•Municipal takeover of national infrastructure is gaining traction will it improve service? •Significant public investment (R1.3B) has enabled early wins can private partnerships scale it further? •PRASA’s digital transformation and signalling upgrades may shape rail’s future in SA. •The RFI process could be an important window for startups and global rail tech players.

30 sats \ 4 replies \ @BlokchainB 31 May

I am curious to know what the one trip fare is

70 sats \ 2 replies \ @TheBTCManual 31 May

A single trip is R18, or $1 but you can get a monthly pass for $20 so you can take as many trips as you like within that month.

119 sats \ 1 reply \ @wolfsbane OP 31 May

$20 for unlimited trips makes rail the most affordable way to move in Cape Town huge win for commuters and a smart push for mass adoption.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BlokchainB 31 May

I wonder if they secure it well and stop crime and homeless from ruining the riding experience. These issues hurt American mass transit

93 sats \ 0 replies \ @wolfsbane OP 31 May

As of the latest available data, a one-way trip on Cape Town’s passenger rail system typically costs between R10 and R15 for short to medium distances however fares can vary depending on the distance traveled, the line, and ticket type single, return, or monthly With PRASA’s ongoing upgrades and the planned integration of digital fare systems, these prices may change especially if the city introduces integrated ticketing under municipal control.

For the most accurate and current fare information, it’s best to check with Metrorail Western Cape or the official PRASA website especially as new stations and services come online.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @TheBTCManual 31 May

I alternated between taking the central line and northern line for 5 years travelling from Bellville to Cape Town and boy do I have some stories to tell, was a wild ride with plenty of entertainment and thrills along the way

It's great that they're getting this system back on track even when it was at its crappiest it still managed to get me to work i'd say 80% of the time.

Only thing is expanding the network would be crazy expensive and since the suburbs have expanded so much over the years knowing the rail was going nowhere, it's kinda just stuck at the moment in terms of growing its value to the city.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @wolfsbane OP 31 May

Absolutely even in its worst state, it got the job done for many. Expansion is tough now with how much the suburbs have sprawled but with ridership rising and city control on the table there’s a real chance to boost long term value.