South Africa Railways
The initial recorded railway in South Africa was a quarry line at The Bluff, close to Durban, which operated from 1856. Just under 1 mile (1.5km) in length, it was unusual in being built with plain wooden rails on which wagons with flanged wheels ran, thus distinguishing it from earlier wooden railways in England which utilized flanged rails. The gauge was 4ft (1220mm). Wagons were drawn by oxen.
The initial public railway started in 1860 between Durban and The Point. This short railway was built to standard (1435mm) gauge and was subsequently extended as far as the mining areas of Witwatersrand. However, later railway growth in South Africa was mainly at a gauge of 3ft 6in (1067mm). This choice of gauge was in part conditioned by a grandiose plan sponsored by the prominent entreprenuer and politician Cecil Rhodes for a transcontinental railway from the Cape of Good Hope all the way to Cairo in Egypt. Although the scheme was never realized, a quantum of other countries in East Africa adopted the same gauge, a decision which greatly facilitated international traffic.
The present day network covers most of the country, although passenger services are notably absent from the area west of the main line from Cape Town to Kimberley and Vryburg. The majority of lines are 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge, although around 314km of 2ft (610mm) gauge line remain in operation. The main network has international connections with Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. All the connections carry at least few freight. The connection with Namibia is utilized by the Namibian rail passenger operator StarLine to reach Upington, around 150km inside South African territory, although there are no other rail passenger services in the area. None of the other international connections have regular passenger services, though all are traversed by one or more of the various luxury cruise trains.
Main Line and Commuter Railways
Transnet national transport provider with subsidiaries:
o Spoornet national railway network, main freight carrier, and itself having subsidiaries:
+ Shosholoza Meyl long distance passenger services
+ Premiere Classe luxury passenger between Cape Town and Tshwane (Pretoria)
+ COALlink dedicated 580km coal carrying railway from Mpumalanga to Richard’s Bay (No website located at present)
+ Orex dedicated 861km iron ore carrying railway from Sishen to the port of Saldanha (No website located at present)
o Metrorail commuter railway networks in the main cities
• Gautrain fresh passenger rail link under construction between Tshwane (Pretoria), Johannesburg and Johannesburg International Airport.
• StarLine Namibian passenger train operator providing services between Upington and the Namibian border.
• Luxury Cruise Trains
• The Blue Train
• Bushveld Train Safaris
• Khokha Moya Tours offers day trips as well as cruises
• Rovos Rail
• Shongololo Express
• Tourist Railways
Umgeni Steam Railway Kloof to Inchanga, standard gauge, usually steam hauled. Runs two or three Sundays in each month. Occasional excursions also operate from Pietermaritzburg to Baynesfield and Wartburg.
Kimberley Trams historic 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge electric street tramway running between City Hall and the Kimberley Mine Museum (No website located at present)
• Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe 67km line from George to Knysna, usually steam hauled
• Scottburgh Miniature Railway close to the main beach at Scottburgh (No website locared at present)
• Two Foot Preservation Trust a group of 2 ft (610mm) gauge lines offering these regular tourist train services:
o Apple Express Port Elizabeth to Thornhill (53km)
o Banana Express Port Shepstone to Paddock (39km)
o Paton Express Ixopo to Umzimkulu
as well as occasional services on other routes.
Metros and Trams
Durban proposed tram system (No website located at present)

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