The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced that routes along its central line in Cape Town have been extended.
The Cape Town to Mandalay line on the central line has been extended to Nolungile train station in Khayelitsha.
Commuters can now access the services at the Philippi and Nolungile train stations as it was announced stops will now be made at those stations as of Monday, September 2.
“This reinstated service aims to improve public transportation in the region, providing more convenient and accessible travel options for commuters. The inclusion of Philippi station will further enhance connectivity and reduce travel times for our customers. Customers will be able to travel in style with the ‘People’s Train’, that comes with on-board safety features,” the rail agency said.
It has also deployed security and customer services officials within the rail space to ensure a safe, comfortable and convenient journey.
Some of the train’s safety features include:
- CCTV cameras
- Emergency alarm
- Priority Seating
- Smoke Detectors
- Open Gangway for visibility
- Automated doors that ensure nobody enters nor exits whilst the train is in transit.
Single tickets when using rail transportation has proven to be the most affordable as ticket pricing starts from R9, Prasa said further discounts of up to 50% are applicable off-peak (9.30am to 2.30pm).
Acting Regional Manager for Prasa, Raymond Maseko said they were committed to continually improving their services and expanding its reach to better serve communities.
“This reinstated service is a significant step towards enhancing public transportation in the region. Commuters on the central line can also look forward to the re-introduction of the Chris Hani and Kapteinsklip corridors in the coming months, where infrastructure repairs of the OverHead Traction Equipment (OHTE), perway (rail tracks), signalling and station upgrades are underway,” Maseko said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL