Central Line (Cape Town)

Central Line
Overview
Type	Commuter rail
System	Metrorail Western Cape
Status	Operational
Locale	Cape Town, South Africa
Termini	Cape Town Kapteinsklip Chris Hani Bellville
Stations	33
Services	3
Operation
Owner	PRASA
Operator(s)	Metrorail
Rolling stock	Class 5M2, Class 8M
Technical
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Overhead catenary
Route map Legend 0:00 Cape Town Eastern Boulevard (N2) 0:03 Woodstock 0:04 Esplanade 0:06 Salt River ( Southern Line ) 0:07 Paarden Eiland 0:09 Ysterplaat Salt River Black River Parkway (M5) 0:09 Koeberg Road 0:11 Maitland ( Northern Line, Monte Vista branch ) 0:14 Ndabeni 0:15 Mutual ( Northern Line ) 0:16 Pinelands ( Cape Flats Line ) Elsieskraal River 0:20 Langa 0:23 0:00 Bonteheuwel 0:03 Netreg 0:05 Lavistown Settler's Way (N2) 0:06 Heideveld 0:09 Belhar 0:10 Nyanga 0:12 Unibell 0:14 Philippi 0:15 Pentech Cape Flats Freeway (R300) 0:18 Sarepta 0:18 Stock Road 0:19 Lentegeur 0:21 Mandalay 0:23 Mitchell's Plain ( Northern Line ) 0:24 Bellville ( Northern Line, Wellington branch ) 0:25 Nolungile ( Northern Line, Stellenbosch branch ) 0:26 Kapteinsklip 0:28 Nonkqubela 0:32 Khayelitsha 0:38 Kuyasa 0:44 Chris Hani

The Central Line is a commuter rail service in Cape Town, South Africa, operated by Metrorail Western Cape. Central Line services operate along two routes from central Cape Town to Langa, and then along three branches from Langa to various areas in the south-east of the city. The first branch runs to Mitchell's Plain, the second to Khayelitsha, and the third passes through Belhar to terminate in Bellville.^[1]

Route

Central Line trains depart from Cape Town station on one of two routes. The first route runs along the original Cape Town–Bellville main line through Salt River to Maitland, and then branches south to pass around the western and southern edge of Pinelands to Langa station. The other route runs along the relief main line past Paarden Eiland and then branches south through Kensington to Mutual station; from Mutual it runs along the eastern edge of Pinelands to Langa.^[2]

From Langa station all trains pass through Bonteheuwel station; some continue east through Bishop Lavis and Belhar, passing the University of the Western Cape before turning north and then west to terminate at Bellville. Other trains branch south after Bonteheuwel, passing Manenberg and Gugulethu to Philippi station. From Philippi, one branch passes south through Mitchell's Plain to terminate at Kapteinsklip station, while the other passes south-east through Khayelitsha to terminate at Chris Hani station.^[2] This line was recently extended from Khayelitsha station to two new stations serving eastern areas of Khayelitsha.^[3]

Most trains to Mitchell's Plain use the Salt River route from Cape Town to Langa, while most trains to Bellville or Khayelitsha use the Mutual route, but there are some exceptions.^[1]

Station listing

The Central Line serves the following stations:^[1]

Cape Town
Woodstock		Esplanade
Salt River		Paarden Eiland
Koeberg Road		Ysterplaat
Maitland		Mutual
Ndabeni
Pinelands
Langa
Bonteheuwel
Netreg			Lavistown
Heideveld			Belhar
Nyanga			Unibell
Philippi			Pentech
Lentegeur	Stock Road		Sarepta
Mitchell's Plain	Mandalay		Bellville
Kapteinsklip	Nolungile
	Nonkqubela
	Khayelitsha
	Kuyasa
	Chris Hani

Operation

The line is made up of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) track, electrified with 3,000 V DC overhead catenary; all parts of the line are at least double track. Services are operated mostly by electric multiple units of Class 5M2 and (on the Khayelitsha line) Class 8M.

References

1. "Timetable: Cape Town to Langa - Lavistown - Kapteinsklip - Khayelitsha" (PDF). Metrorail Western Cape. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
2. "2010 Local passenger rail routes of South Africa: Western Cape: Cape Town" (PDF). Metrorail. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
3. "New trains for Khayelitsha residents". West Cape News. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2010.