The train to and from Stellenbosch is back on track.
On Monday 11 March Metrorail services resumed, after not operating since Covid lockdown started in March 2020.
Now, four years later, on the line to Eerste River/Stellenbosch 60 000 monthly commuters who made use of the line before can use this form of public transport again.
Repair work to the line started month ago after service in the greater Stellenbosch area was suspended due to vandalism, which included damage to overhead traction equipment, rail tracks, substations and station facilities.
According to Raymond Maseko, acting regional manager at Western Cape Metrorail, although services are back up and running it is limited, with trains less frequent than before.
Commuters travelling between Stellenbosch and Cape Town’s northern suburbs will have to travel via Eerste River.
From there they can travel via train to their desired destination.
During the repair work the 14 km railway between Eerste River and Stellenbosch were restored as well as the 14 km between Stellenbosch and the Muldersvlei Station.
Maseko after the hard lockdown took affect in March 2020 by July of that year only 14 of the province’s 121 train station were operational.
Aside from the vandalism, floods last September also meant much of Metrorail’s infrastructure was damaged or simply washed away. Twenty of the province’s stations are still under repair, Maseko said.
Metrorail is now urging locals to use its services again, as it’s not just a more budget-friendly option, but it also aims to be a reliable alternative to other modes of transport. According to Maseko a single trip from Stellenbosch to Cape Town will cost R13,50.
Despite being a more cost-effective option many commuters are still concerned about safety on the trains, but Metrorail has assured commuters steps are being taken to have “effective security deployment at stations and hot-spot areas.”
The company is looking at ways to communicate better with locals who use the service, and is looking at a website and apps, like others Cape Town commuters have access to, to share information and provide timetables.
