Once a truly vibrant network of passenger and freight, the network has slipped into decline since 1994 with many of the passenger routes no longer operable and much of the freight transferred to road carriers.
Linking the major cities
Train fanatic, Denis Andrews of Johannesburg, says: “That glorious era of the Trans Karoo Express and the other milk trains that linked the county’s major cities has been allowed to waste away. These passenger trains were, in fact, milk trains and part of the magic was stopping at all the little stations, the clink of the milk urns as full ones were off-loaded and empties taken on-board.”
The heyday of these inter-city overnight passenger trains was, sadly, at a time when the people of South Africa were divided and, while Whites travelled in comfort and were fed fines food and wine, Black people did not have it nearly as good in ‘Third Class’ coaches and compartments.
Remote stations lose traffic
The stations along the major routes – Johannesburg to Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein – were all carefully tended. Many were in remote areas consisting of little more than the station and a house for the stationmaster whose wife generally cared for the gardens around the station. The then South African Railways used to run an annual competition for the most beautiful.
Travel on these trains was relatively inexpensive – the most famous of all South African trains, The Blue Train, a five-star experience achievable only the really well-heeled.
Spoornet, which now runs the rail service, has made some effort to re-introduce the passenger routes and its passenger division, Shosholoza Meyl has the Premier Classe running from Johannesburg to Cape Town, to Durban and from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.
Comfortable compartments, good food
Significantly more affordable than the Blue Train, this recalls elegant train travel with comfortable compartments and fine dining. A single journey out of season from Johannesburg to Durban costs around R870.
“That makes it worth the cost of hiring a car at your destination,” says Andrews. “The holiday also starts immediately and without the stress of having to drive several hundred kilometres before you can start to relax.”
Modern technology means the milk runs will never be re-introduced and those wonderful old station buildings will continue to reduce slowly to dust, but at least the trains are beginning to run again.
"The Government is committed to trying to get people to use more public transport. Much has to be done for the urban network and commuter trains systems," says Andrews. "This is a good start to giving people confidence in the railways and it is still the best way to see the country in a short time."
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