South Africa By Train
Trains - Tickets - Routes[rank_math_breadcrumb]
A Travel Guide For Train Travel In South Africa.
Here you will find information for South Africa about trains, routes, tours, connections, where to buy train tickets, and more.
Useful Information
Population: 57.78 million
Currency: South African Rand
Language: Afrikaans, English
Capital: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Country Code: +27
Time Zone: South Africa Standard Time
Train Companies
The trains in South Africa are operated by several public rail companies.
Train Tickets
Buy your train tickets for South Africa online at southafricanrailways.co.za.
Rail Passes
There are no rail passes available for South Africa.
TrAIN tYPES
Shosholoza Meyl is a long-distance passenger train that links major cities in South Africa.
Carriages and Classes:
- Tourist class sleeping carriages with 2 & 4-bed compartment
- Economy Class with seats
- Restaurant car
- Hot showers (only in tourist class)
Premier Classe train is a deluxe train that runs between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Carriages and Classes:
- Sleeping carriages with 2 & 4-bed compartments
- Premier Classe Lounge
- Deluxe restaurant car
- Hot showers (only in tourist class)
Gautrain is a suburban train that links Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Suburban Metro Trains
- 1st (Metro Plus) and 3rd class are available
Blue Train
Shongololo Express
Rovos Rail
African Explorer
Umgemi Steam Railway
Atlantic Rail
Ceres Rail Company
African Explorer
Routes
Frequently Travelled Routes In South Africa
National
| From > To |
Duration (h) |
Changes | Transport |
| Cape Town to Johannesburg | 29:50 | 1 | Train |
| Cape Town to Pretoria | 33:25 | 2 | Train |
| Cape Town to Port Elizabeth | 10:50 | Direct | Bus |
| Johannesburg to Durban | 14:30 | Direct | Train |
| Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth | 19:55 | Direct | Train |
| Johannesburg to Bloemfontein | 6:55 | Direct | Train |
International
| From > To |
Duration (h) |
Changes | Transport |
| Cape Town to Windhoek, Namibia | 22:25 | Direct | Bus |
| Pretoria to Gaborone, Botswana | 6:05 | 1 | Train & Bus |
| Bloemfontein to Maseru, Lesotho | 2:19 | Direct | Bus |
| Johannesburg to Mbabane, Eswatini | 5:00 | Direct | Bus |
| Johannesburg to Maputo, Mozambique | 7:35 | Direct | Bus |
South Africa travel routes
Main Train Stations
- Cape Town
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Bloemfontein
- Durban
- Port Elizabeth
Train Tours in South Africa
Good to know
Best Time To Travel To South Africa
South Africa is a year-round destination for anyone and everyone and offers a range of landscapes such as snow-covered mountains, deserts, tropical coasts. Depending on what the priority of the trip is, there may be better times to visit than another.
November to February is the summer season for the country and in the south near Cape Town, offers warm temperatures, busy southern game reserves (book in advance), and escalated prices due to school holidays. In the north, it is rainy but offers perfect bird watching. May to September offers great opportunities to go on a big game safari in the north where it is dry, and animals are in search of water sources.
July to November is great for whale watching and June to July is when scuba divers flock to witness the impressive Sardine Run.
- High Season: November to March
- Low Season: June to August
Accommodation in South Africa
Booking
The best place to find cheap hotels for is to book by www.booking.com. There you will find a large selection of cheap hotels, hostels, and apartments.
Hostelworld
If you are looking for a low budget accommodation, then go on www.hostelworld.com. They have the best choice of cheap hostels for backpackers and low budget travelers.
Guidebooks for South Africa
Travel with a guidebook ease your journey to find best sights and things to do. Buy it on Amazon.
