Cape Town rail passenger trips to climb to 343 000 a day by April next year, says Creecy

Passenger numbers in Cape Town reached 53 000 people a day in April last year, says Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.

With the reopening of Philippi and Nolungile stations, this number has now almost doubled to 104 000 passenger trips a day.

With the targeted completion of the Kapteinsklip’s second line towards the end of the year, the number of daily trips is expected to reach 162 400.

By April next year, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) aims for this number to climb to 342 951 a day, notes Creecy.

The numbers are set to rise further as the Central Line – a principal artery – increasingly swings back into action.

This line connects Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the Cape Town and Bellville central business districts.

There are currently 30 000 passenger trips a day on this line, says PRASA.

At full capacity, the artery should, however,