Northern Line (Cape Town)

Last updated

Northern Line
Overview
StatusOperational
Owner PRASA
Locale Cape Town, South Africa
Termini
Stations48
Service
Type Commuter rail
System Metrorail Western Cape
Services4
Operator(s) Metrorail
Depot(s)Salt River
Rolling stock Class 5M2
Class 10M5
X'Trapolis Mega
Technical
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification Overhead catenary
Route map

Contents

Cape Town
0:00
BSicon KBHFa.svg
0:00
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
SA road N2.svg
N2
Eastern Blvd
BSicon KRWgl.svg
BSicon KRW+r.svg
Woodstock
0:03
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:03
Esplanade
Salt River
0:07
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon ABZgr.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:09
Ysterplaat
BSicon WBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon WBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
M5 ZAF jct.svg
M5
Black River Pkwy
Koeberg Road
0:09
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Maitland
0:12
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon vSHI2gl-.svg
BSicon dSTR.svg
Cape Flats Line &
Central Line via Pinelands
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon cSTRq.svg
BSicon vSTR-STRro.svg
BSicon cdSTRc2.svg
BSicon ABZg3.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon KRZ3+1o.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:13
Kentemade
Woltemade
0:15
BSicon STR+1.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:15
Century City
Mutual
0:17
BSicon BHF-L.svg
BSicon BHF-R.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:18
Acacia Park
BSicon LSTR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Thornton
0:20
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:21
Monte Vista
Goodwood
0:22
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Vasco
0:24
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:25
De Grendel
Elsies River
0:27
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:27
Avondale
Parow
0:30
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:30
Oosterzee
Tygerberg
0:32
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR3.svg
BSicon ABZg+1.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
Bellville
0:33
0:00
BSicon BHF.svg
Central Line
Lavistown branch
BSicon LSTR.svg
BSicon ABZg2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon STRl.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon ABZgr.svg
BSicon HST+4.svg
0:04
Stikland
SA road R300.svg
R300
Kuils River Fwy
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
Kuils River
0:06
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:08
Brackenfell
Blackheath
0:11
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:13
Eikenfontein
Melton Rose
0:15
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon HST.svg
0:16
Kraaifontein
Eerste Rivier
0:18
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon KRWgl.svg
BSicon KRW+r.svg
BSicon KRW+l.svg
BSicon KRWgr.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Fisantkraal
Faure
0:24
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Mellish
Firgrove
0:30
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Mikpunt
Somerset West
0:36
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Klipheuwel
Van der Stel
0:39
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Wintevogel
SA road N2.svg
N2
Settler's Way
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Kalbaskraal
Strand
0:44
BSicon KHSTe.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Abbotsdale
Lynedoch
0:25
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon KHSTe.svg
Malmesbury
Vlottenburg
0:29
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Stellenbosch
0:35
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Du Toit
0:44
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Koelenhof
0:50
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
0:56
BSicon KBHFe-L.svg
BSicon BHF-R.svg
0:27
Muldersvlei
BSicon HST.svg
0:33
Klapmuts
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
SA road N1.svg N1
BSicon HST.svg
0:42
Paarl
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
0:47
Huguenot
BSicon HST.svg
0:50
Dal Josafat
BSicon HST.svg
0:54
Mbekweni
BSicon BHF.svg
0:59
Wellington
BSicon HST.svg
Malan
BSicon HST.svg
Soetendal
BSicon HST.svg
Hermon
BSicon HST.svg
Voelvlei
BSicon HST.svg
Gouda
BSicon HST.svg
Tulbaghweg
BSicon HST.svg
Artois
BSicon HST.svg
Wolesley
BSicon HST.svg
Romans River
BSicon HST.svg
Breë River
BSicon HST.svg
Botha
BSicon HST.svg
Goudini Road
BSicon BHF.svg
Worcester
BSicon CONTf.svg

The Northern Line is a commuter rail service in South Africa that in the Cape Town metropolitan area and its surroundings and is operated by Metrorail Western Cape. Northern Line services operate from central Cape Town to Bellville, and then from Bellville along three different routes. The first route runs along the main Cape Town De Aar railway line to Paarl and Wellington. The second route passes through Stellenbosch to terminate at Muldersvlei station on the main line, while the third also passes through Somerset West to terminate in Strand. [1]

Operations on the Northern Line halted in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Operations resumed in late 2021 with trains on the relief main line past Century City and Monte Vista terminating at Kraaifontein. In early 2022, operations on the old main line through Salt River and Maitland as well as operations to Wellington resumed. In November 2023, operations to Strand resumed. In 2024, operations on the line to Muldersvlei station through Stellenbosch resumed. As of September 2024, all segments of the Northern Line are operational.

Route

Most Northern Line trains travel from Cape Town station along the old main line through Salt River, Maitland, Goodwood and Parow to Bellville station. Trains on the Wellington route continue from Bellville along the main line through Brackenfell and Kraaifontein, and then through the farmland outside the metropolitan area to reach the towns of Paarl and Wellington. [2]

Other trains branch south-east after Bellville, passing through Kuils River to Eerste River; From there, some turn north to pass through Stellenbosch and terminate at Muldersvlei station on the main line, while others continue south-east through Somerset West along the line towards Caledon. Shortly after Somerset West they branch from this line to terminate at Strand on the False Bay coast. [2]

The Northern Line also includes a service along the relief main line from Cape Town past Century City and Monte Vista to Bellville. [2]

Station listing

The Northern line serves the following stations: [1]

Cape Town
Woodstock Esplanade
Salt River Ysterplaat
Koeberg Road Kentemade
Maitland Century City
Woltemade (no longer in use) Akasia Park
Mutual Monte Vista
Thornton De Grendel
Goodwood Avondale
Vasco Oosterzee
Elsies River
Parow
Tygerberg
Bellville
Kuils River Stikland
Blackheath Brackenfell
Melton Rose Eikefontein
Eerste River Kraaifontein
Faure Lynedoch Muldersvlei
Firgrove Vlottenburg Klapmuts
Somerset West Stellenbosch Paarl
Van der Stel Du Toit Huguenot
Strand Koelenhof Dal Josafat
Muldersvlei Mbekweni
Wellington

Northern Line (Cape Town)

Operation

The line is made up of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) track, electrified with 3,000 V DC overhead catenary; most of the routes are at least double track, except for the Strand and Stellenbosch lines beyond Eerste River. Services are operated mostly by electric multiple units of Class 5M2.

References

  1. 1 2 "Timetables". Metrorail Western Cape. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 "2010 Local passenger rail routes of South Africa: Western Cape: Cape Town" (PDF). Metrorail. Retrieved 13 July 2010.