South Africa: Shosholoza Meyl long-distance mainline passenger train service resumes!

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced that the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance mainline passenger train service from Johannesburg to Durban and Cape Town is set to resume. According to a statement by PRASA, the services, which were both suspended in 2021 due to operational and network infrastructure challenges, are set to resume just in time for the December 2023 holiday period. The service between Park Station in Johannesburg and Cape Town Station in Cape Town will resume on 06 December 2023 and will cost in Economy Class (Sitter) R430/pp one way and in Tourist Class (Sleeper) R690pp one way. The travel time will be between 30 - 34 hours. The service between Johannesburg and Durban Station in Durban will commence on 08 December 2023 and will cost in Economy Class (Sitter) R170pp one way and in Tourist Class (Sleeper) R360pp one way. The travel time will be 18 hours. Safe travels!

South Africa: Shoshloza Meyl long-distance passenger rail services resume operations!

South Africa's Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, announced on twitter that Shoshloza Meyl, the long-distance passenger rail service of the Passenger Rail Service Agency of South Africa (PRASA), resumes operations today (27 November 2020). According to the Minister, the passenger train service will operate as part of the festive season transport alternatives for commuters. Main Line Passenger Services (MLPS), which operates Shosholoza Meyl, announced on twitter that it will offer services between:

• Johannesburg - East London at 14:20
• Economy  - R300/person
• Tourist - R480/person
• Johannesburg – Komatipoort at 18:10
• Economy  - R190/person
• Tourist  – R270/person
• Johannesburg – Durban at 18:30
• Economy  – R170/person
• Tourist  – R360/person
• Johannesburg - Musina at 19:00
• Economy  – R190/person
• Tourist  – R310/person

South Africa: All long distance passenger rail services are terminated until further notice!

Following a directive received from South Africa's Rail Safety Regulator (RSR), Main Line Passenger Services (MLPS), which operates the long distance passenger train services in South Africa (Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe), has with effect from 21 February 2020 temporarily terminated all long distance passenger rail services in the country. Customers in possession of valid train tickets will receive a full refund. No alternative transport will be provided. According to the press release, in which the MLPS announced the termination of services until further notive, the temporary discontinuation will allow the company to:

• focus on the implementation of an improved maintenance and operational plan before the services are reinstated
• offer an uniformed train service on all routes
• improve on MLPS customer service and meet customer expectations
• offer and improved and reliable train service
• live up MLPS' promise of "A Pleasant Experience"

South Africa: Reinstatement of Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe passenger train services!

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) just informed the public that Main Line Passenger Services (MLPS), which operates the Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe long-distance passenger train services in South Africa, is set to reinstate services between Johannesburg - Musina (via Polokwane), Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth and Cape Town - East London.
The service between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth will operate with effect from 11 December 2019 and will run every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The service from Cape Town to East London (Thursdays) will operate with effect from 12 December 2019, and return (Sundays) from 15 December 2019. The service from Johannesburg to Musina via Polokwane (Fridays) will operate from 13 December 2019 and return (Sundays) from 15 December 2019.

South Africa: Temporary termination of Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe passenger train services!

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) just informed the public that Main Line Passenger Services (MLPS), which operates the Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe long-distance passenger train services in South Africa, has temporarily terminated the Johannesburg > Musina, Johannesburg <> Port Elizabeth, Cape Town <> East London and Johannesburg > Komatiport train services. PRASA names "internal challenges" as the reason for the termination. We'll keep you posted!

South Africa: Shosholza Meyl has rationalised its train service operations!

Shosholza Meyl, a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) that operates long-distance passenger rail services in South Africa, just announced that due to the current train service status quo, train service operations have been rationalised in order to enhance service delivery. Effective 01 April 2019, Shosholoza Meyl has suspended passenger train service operations between:

• Johannesburg > Cape Town on Tuesdays (departure date),
• Cape Town > Johannesburg on Thursdays (departure date),
• Johannesburg > Musina on Wednesdays (departure date),
• Musina > Johannesburg on Thursdays (departure date),
• Cape Town > Queenstown on Thursdays (departure date),
• Queenstown > Cape Town on Tuesdays (departure date).

According to Shosholoza Meyl's official announcement, affected customers who have already paid to travel between Cape Town <> Queenstown will get fully refunded. Customers how have paid for train rides between Johannesburg <> Cape Town and Johannesburg <> Musina on the affected departure days are urged to change the travelling date. Alternatively, refunds will be issued by Shosholoza Meyl.

Shosholza Meyl: Temporary suspension of the main line passenger service between Johannesburg <> Durban in May 2018!

Shosholza Meyl just announced that due to rail line maintenance the main line passenger service between Johannesburg <> Durban will be suspended on 09 May 2018 (Wednesday) and 11 May 2018 (Friday). Booked passengers travelling on 09 May 2018 or 11 May 2018 on the Durban line will be transported by bus to their various destinations. For more information contact Shosholoza Meyl.



Shosholoza Meyl, a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), operates long-distance (intercity) passenger rail services in South Africa.

Shosholoza Meyl operates the following routes in South Africa:

• Johannesburg <> Komatipoort
• Johannesburg <> Cape Town
• Johannesburg <> Durban
• Johannesburg <> Port Elizabeth
• Johannesburg <> East London
• Cape Town <> Queenstown
• Cape Town <> East London

PRASA re-introduces passenger train service between Cape Town <> East London!

According to Bush Radio 89.5 fm, a community radio station from Cape Town, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) will re-introduce its train service between Cape Town in the Western Cape and East London in the Eastern Cape on 03 May 2015. South Africa's long-distance passenger rail operator Shosholoza Meyl, a division of PRASA, will run a train from Cape Town to East London every Sunday (departure time: 10:25) and from East London to Cape Town every Tuesday (departure time: 14:22).

Shosholoza Meyl: Online reservation available again!

Great news for all who want to travel by train in South Africa. The long-distance passenger rail service in South Africa, Shosholoza Meyl, now offers an option (again) to make reservations online. To make an online reservation travellers must fill in an online form on Shosholoza Meyl's website, which is then emailed to a sales consultant of the rail service who processes the request and sends the reservation reference number to the traveller via email. Payment for the tickets must be made by EFT (electronic fund transfer) four days prior to departure or in cash at any railway station. Bookings can alternativley still be made by phone (Central Reservations & Enquiries: 086 000 8888). As of 01 July 2014, fares on Shosholoza Meyl (and Premier Classe) long-distrance trains increased on 01 July 2014.

Shosholoza Meyl operates the following services:

• Johannesburg - Cape Town - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - Cape Town - Johannesburg (E)
• Johannesburg - Durban - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - East London - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - Komatipoort - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - Musina - Johannesburg (T&E)
• Johannesburg - Bloemfontein - Johannesburg (E)
• Cape Town - East London - Cape Town (T&E)
• Cape Town - Queenstown - Cape Town (T&E)

Shosholoza Meyl operates two classes on board most of its trains: 

• Tourist Class (consists of sleeper accommodation; T)
  Passengers have a choice between a coupe that can accommodate two people and a compartment that can take-up to four people. During the day the compartment/ coupe are suites and at night they are converted into bedrooms, with both having hot and cold water. In addition both have a basin beneath a fold-up table.
• Economy Class (consists of sitting accommodation; E)
  The comfortable seats all have head and back rests, and offer lots of legroom and overhead luggage facility.

Shosholoza Meyl drops daily Johannesburg <> Cape Town tourist class service

update (01 Sept 2011): The Premier Classe train connection Johannesburg <> Durban will be scaled down to the last Friday of the month from October 2011.

@SouthAfricaRail (www.shosholoza-meyl.co.za) just tweeted that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has changed the time table of the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance train service connecting Johannesburg <> Cape Town. The tourist class will with immediate effect from 01 October 2011 only travel on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sunday and not daily as it used to be.
Shosholoza Meyl 's tourist class offers the traveller two person coupés and four person compartments with bunk beds. The fare is currently R450/pax oneway.
During the day, the sleeper compartments are getting converted into suites with hot and cold water from a basin stowed underneath the fold-up table. Communal toilets and showers are available at the end of each coach.
It is advised to bring your own bedding, but it can also be purchased on board (R40/pax)
Food and Snacks can be taken on board or purchased in the dining car and from the compartment trolley service.
To book your train tickets, visit www.shosholoza-meyl.co.za.

South Africa: Sosholoza Meyl train service almost back to normal

What happend in August 2010? Due to a financial dispute and a dispute over certain maintenance certifications for the trains between the newly-established Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), which is now running South Africa's Shosholoza Meyl long-distance train service and Premier Classe, and Transnet, which used to operate the trains, all Shosholoza Meyl tourist & economy trains and all Premier Classe trains were cancelled untill further notice. Some trains were reinstated in September/October 2010, and a full but revised train service was reinstated from 1 December 2010 onwards.

Current situation in April 2011: A new permanent timetable for the Shosholoza-Meyl service was implemented from 01 Dec 2010 (also valid for 2011), but there have already been certain temporary changes. If you are looking for the current timetable, visit www.shosholoza-meyl.co.za. There you can find regulary updated timetables and additional info, including fares, booking etc., regarding the train service. The official website of the Shosholoza-Meyl service (old > Spoornet/Transnet) seems currently no to be kept updated very well or might even be offline.
The Premier Classe services Cape Town <> Johannesburg and Durban <> Johannesburg are running, all other services, such as Cape Town <> Port Elizabeth, Cape Town <> George, Port Elizabeth <> George and Johannesburg <> Hoedspruit, are currently discontinued. Up-to-date info on the service can be found on www.shosholoza-meyl.co.za.

South Africa: reduced Shosholoza Meyl passenger train service

Due to a ongoing financial dispute between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and Transnet, the Shosholoza Meyl passenger train service in South Africa is currently running at only about 50% of their "normal" service" supplemented by City to City and Translux bus services.

Shosholoza Meyl is currently running the following routes:

• Johannesburg to Durban (Sun - Fri)
• Johannesburg to East London (Sun - Fri)
• Johannesburg to Komatipoort (Sun - Fri)
• East London to Cape Town (4 trips per week on alternate days)
• Johannesburg to Cape Town (weekly economy service on alternative days & premier class service running twice a week)

The website of the Shosholoza Meyl passenger train service does not seem to very updated at the momnet, so the best way to get any info about trains, timetables etc is probably to

• call them - General Enquiries, Reservations & Fares, Central Reservations: 086 000 888 / +27 11 774 4555, or 
• email them - info_shosholozameyl@prasa.com

South Africa: Shosholoza Meyl train service currently disrupted

UPDATE (18 Oct 2010): Some long-distance train services suspended by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in August are still not running, the United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) said on Sunday. [more...]

UPDATE (21 Sept 2010): The service is still disrupted. Several long distance routes had been suspended for over a month now because of operational difficulties with Transnet in servicing the trains [more...]

UPDATE (25 Aug 2010): Current operational routes are:
• JHB-DNB-JHB (the Trans Natal and Premier Classe); and
• JHB-CPT-JHB (Premier Classe only).

UPDATE (18 Aug 2010): PRASA has already started running the Johannesburg <> Durban service again, Johannesburg <> Cape Town will start on Thursday (19 Aug 2010). Buses were being used to transport passengers on other routes. [more...]

UPDATE (16 Aug 2010): The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) and Transnet are in "high-level talks" today to try and resolve an impasse that has seen the suspension of Shosholoza Meyl's long-distance service. [more...] 

UPDATE (12 Aug 2010): The Shosholoza Meyl train service is going to run a limited long-distance service nationally for around two weeks! People should call the Shosholoza Meyl call centre on 0860-008888 for further information.

Due to a financial dispute between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and Transnet, which is running the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance train service, thousands of train passengers were left stranded yesterday (11 Aug 2010).
Trains in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Durban, Musina and Komatiepoort are currently affected. Buses had been arranged as alternative transport to ferry passengers from stations throughout the regions. A normal service will operate on the Cape Town-Durban route, though.
Stations will continue to make announcements to keep passengers informed of the service disruption and alternative transport arrangements. If you don't have a valid train ticket already, take the bus (Intercape, Greyhound, Translux) or board a plane.
According to PRASA spokeswoman Lillian Mofokeng technical and operations teams were working to re-instate a full service in due course. We'll keep you posted!