Port Elizabeth railway station
Encyclopedia
Port Elizabeth railway station is a railway station, located in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
.
Work commenced on connecting Port Elizabeth to the developing national railway network in 1873, resulting in the station complex being located in the historic central district, near the harbour. The prosperity which followed the construction of railways to the interior earned for the port the designation of "the Liverpool
of South Africa."
Passenger services operating from the station include:
The Apple Express narrow-gauge tourist train to Avontuur operates from the separate station in Humewood Road
near King's Beach. It departs regularly for Thornhill Village via a rail bridge over the Van Stadens River
, the highest narrow-gauge rail bridge in the world.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Work commenced on connecting Port Elizabeth to the developing national railway network in 1873, resulting in the station complex being located in the historic central district, near the harbour. The prosperity which followed the construction of railways to the interior earned for the port the designation of "the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
of South Africa."
Passenger services operating from the station include:
- MetrorailMetrorail Eastern CapeMetrorail Eastern Cape is the name given to the commuter rail services operated by Metrorail, a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa...
- operates frequent commuter trains to UitenhageUitenhageUitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
and the surrounding suburbs during weekdays, with a reduced service over weekends - Shosholoza MeylShosholoza MeylShosholoza Meyl is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa that operates long-distance passenger rail services. It operates various train routes across South Africa, carrying approximately 4 million passengers annually...
- operates daily inter-city trains to JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and BloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
. You can also get to Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, KimberleyKimberley, Northern CapeKimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
and DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
(by changing trains in Bloemfontein), to East London (by changing trains in Noupoort, Colesburg or Bloemfontein), to MthathaMthathaMthatha is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town has an airport, previously known by the name K. D. Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima....
(by changing trains in Noupoort and Amabele) or to GrahamstownGrahamstownGrahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
(by changing trains in Alicedale) - Premier Classe - operates twice-weekly luxury trains to Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
via GeorgeGeorge, Western CapeGeorge is a city with 203,253 inhabitants in South Africa's Western Cape province. The city is a popular holiday and conference centre and the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route.- Location :...
and Oudtshoorn.
The Apple Express narrow-gauge tourist train to Avontuur operates from the separate station in Humewood Road
Humewood Road railway station
Humewood Road railway station is a railway station located in Humewood, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.A separate station to the main Port Elizabeth railway station, built in 1899, it is the southern terminus of the narrow gauge Avontuur Railway, which at is the longest 2ft gauge railway in the world...
near King's Beach. It departs regularly for Thornhill Village via a rail bridge over the Van Stadens River
Van Stadens River
Van Stadens River is a river in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The river mouth is located about 30 km west of Port Elizabeth.The Van Stadens Bridge where the N2 national highway crosses the river is known as a suicide location....
, the highest narrow-gauge rail bridge in the world.