Travel tips: what's a budget-friendly way to visit Cape Town by train?

Andrew Unsworth answers your travel queries

Q: We live in Durban and would like to visit Cape Town by train. As we are pensioners, we are unable to afford The Blue Train or Rovos Rail. How we can achieve our goal? - Warren Ozard

Your cheapest option would be Shosholoza Meyl, which runs trains twice a week between Durban and Joburg, and three times a week between Joburg and Cape Town. You would have to spend a day and night in Joburg each way.

The trains from Durban leave on Friday and Sunday at 7.15pm and arrive in Johannesburg the following day at 9.35am.

The trains from Joburg to Cape Town run on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, leaving at 12.30pm and arriving at 3.30pm the next day.

Returning, the Cape Town to Johannesburg trains run on the same three days, leaving at 10am and arriving at 12.15pm the next day.

Shosholoza Meyl Premier Classe deluxe trains are a bit more expensive, and the stayover in Joburg would be much longer. It runs from Durban to Joburg on Sundays, departing 7.15pm and arriving 9.35am. You would then go on to Cape Town only on Thursday, leaving 10.30am and arriving at 12.40pm the next day.

Coming back, the train does Cape Town to Johannesburg on Tuesdays at 9.05am arriving at 11.03am the next day.

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