Chris Hani to Cape Town rail line reopens for commuters

Source: Col André Kritzinger via Wikimedia Commons

“The Central Line is Cape Town’s most important rail corridor. It connects the communities of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the Cape Town CBD and the Bellville CBD [central business district]. At full capacity, the central line contributes 350,000 daily passenger trips of Cape Town’s 685,900 daily passenger trips,” Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy said on Thursday.

She was addressing the launch of the Chris Hani- Cape Town line, which is part of the Presidential Rail Project, aimed at revamping and improving rail infrastructure in South Africa.

The line was opened after extensive repair works on stations, substations, Overhead Traction Electrification (OHTE) systems and more.

“A fully recovered central line has the potential to return a considerable number of commuters to rail, thereby easing the city’s unbearable traffic congestion. The numbers speak for themselves: nearly 700,000 daily passenger trips equate to a substantial number of cars that are taken off Cape Town’s Road network.

“Given the capacity of a full 12-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train to transport some 2400 passengers, the gains in affordable, safe and efficient public transport are considerable.

“The recovery of the Central Line provides residents of Cape Town a safer commuter experience, shorter travel times and a more integrated mobility environment. Due to its affordability and the greater mobility that it enables, passenger rail has the potential to provide the working class with greater economic opportunities,” Creecy explained.

The Central Line is a significant part of PRASA’s rail service in the Western Cape and following a halt in services as a result of theft, vandalism and the occupation of the perways along various parts of the route, the return of the Chris Hani station and service is a reflection of the synergy and collaboration between various tiers of government, law enforcement agencies as well as communities.

“The recovery of the Central Line has not been easy—illegal occupation, vandalism of infrastructure, and a grim security environment all stood in the way. But what we have experienced today on the train ride from Chris Hani Station to Cape Town Station is a safe, reliable, and modern rail corridor that once again connects our people to opportunities, to work and to education,” she said.

Impact

The Minister shared the impact of recovering parts of the Central Line using numbers.

“Cape Town had 53,000 daily passenger trips in April 2024. With the reopening of Philippi and Nolungile stations, this number rose to 104,000. With the targeted July-December 2025 completion of Kapteinsklip’s second line, the number of daily trips is expected to reach 162,400. By April 2026, the number of trips is expected to climb to 342,951 per day.

“This will signal the move towards an optimal service, characterised by improved frequencies, recovered signalling, higher train speeds and enhanced connectivity. This all bodes well for the commuter community, both for peak and off-peak travel,” Creecy said.

The target for 2026-2027 is the delivery of an optimally operating service — fully recovered signalling, 90km/h speeds, digital environment and compliance with every aspect of the regulator’s safety standards.

“The entire process of recovering the central line corridor – replacing and repairing overhead signalling equipment and substations, refurbishing stations and perway, and relocating those occupying the tracks – has so far cost R 1.3bn.

“During the recovery of the central line, over 2,500 direct jobs have been created and 53 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) empowered, contributing to local economic upliftment,” the Minister said.

Prasa recovery project

Prasa has successfully revived 35 out of 40 service lines as part of restoring passenger rail services nationwide.

“At present, there are two trains departing Chris Hani Station per hour on the central line; however, as we increase our signalling capacity, we hope to run an optimal service where we have six trains per hour.

“In Cape Town, the southern line is 98% re-signalled. The focus has now shifted to fully restoring signalling on the central line, with completion scheduled for the end of the 2026/2027 financial year. This will increase service frequency and allow a more regular, punctual passenger service,” the Minister said.

The reopening of these lines has led to a significant increase in passenger trips nationwide, reaching 77 million over the past year.

This figure is projected to reach 123 million in the current year, indicating a clear trajectory towards the goal of 600 million passenger trips by 2030/31.