Prasa puts Shosholoza Meyl back on track: All aboard…or not?

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) announced on Friday that long-distance passenger train services between Johannesburg and Durban and Johannesburg and Cape Town will resume this coming week following a two-year hiatus. 

The intercity services were suspended in 2021 due to operational and infrastructure problems. 

Prasa, however, assured prospective travellers that it has made “significant strides in rebuilding rail infrastructure”, restoring 27 commuter rail lines.

“The resumption of the Johannesburg to Durban and Cape Town services marks another milestone in the revival of long-distance passenger rail services,” the company stated. 

Shosholoza Meyl: What are the ticket prices?

The trains – operated by Prasa’s Mainline Passenger Services (MLPS) – will run once a week.

Prasa unpacked the range of fares for the train trips on its website:

• A single one-way economy ticket (sitter) between Johannesburg and Cape Town is R430, and a sleeper ticket R690.
• Between Johannesburg and Durban fares range between R170 (one-way economy) and R360 for a sleeper. 

📣UPDATE TRAIN SCHADULE FOR DURBAN.
As you plan your December/January travel please note the changes on the departure times.
See flyer below:👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/aXnZ8OkNnP

— Main Line Passenger Services (@ServicesMain) November 30, 2023

Take your car for a train ride…

“Furthermore, Prasa is also pleased to announce that, for added convenience, Shosholoza Meyl will be offering an affordable private car transportation service at an additional cost for passengers travelling to Durban. This service is also open to the public, providing a convenient option for those who wish to transport their vehicles.”

Eastern Cape…for now

Long-distance passenger rail services are currently running from Johannesburg to Queenstown and Musina. 

Worry not, we do have train services to Musina and Queenstown, since last year pic.twitter.com/x0EBK6DeD3

— PRASA Group (@PRASA_Group) December 2, 2023

2021’s epic Shosholoza Meyl fail

In 2021, Prasa signed a deal amounting to a whopping R130 million to lease locomotives for Shosholoza Meyl trains.

This despite several warnings that its railways were too dilapidated, according to a Sunday Times report at the time.

The long-distance service resumed on 15 December 2021 in an attempt for Prasa to capitalise on festive season travellers, after being suspended for almost two years since March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What followed, turned out to be a disaster of note: Travellers suffered a cumulative 90 hours of delays across 22 trips, due to cable theft and vandalism of railway infrastructure, with more than 600 passengers left stranded…in some cases for days.

Mzansi reacts: From nostalgia to ‘long-distance relationships do not work’

Prasa’s announcement was met by some X users’ trip down memory lane of when the intercity service was in its heyday:

I used to enjoy trips from Pretoria to Kimberly with this trains. My best night was when someone boarded the train with a hi-fi playing vuli ndlela by Brenda Fassie. That was an epic trip to remember as the song was repeated numerous times. We were happily dancing like crazy

— Elchapopitori (@lepedilapitori) December 2, 2023

While some rejoiced at the news of the return of a cost-effective long-distance travel option, others expressed their reservations.

Kego Mogoro: “South Africans are celebrating these developments, Prasa. Thank you. Hoping you extend the network to the rest of the country in the near future. And please, let the same standards be maintained for future generations to also enjoy.”

@dracosrevenge: “Long-distance relationships are a thing of the past…”

Beverley Hurter: “These routes should never have collapsed in the first place. But like with everything in SA, the ANC allowed everything to collapse.”

Simphiwe Mtambo: “How will the train travel with shacks on the railway lines?”

Ian Trautman: “In the 80s you could catch a train to all major city centres almost daily.”

Christina Dookran: “If true, then thank you. Families love train travelling like the old days. Please refer to the previous successful management of this system, include worthy railway police for safety and security. I would travel the Meyl in a heartbeat if safe and reliable. Tourist boost too.”