The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has reintroduced the Main Line Passenger Service between Johannesburg and Musina.

The service, which was withdrawn in 2014 due to the rationalisation of train services, will resume from Wednesday, 28 February 2018 following continued calls from the public for the service to be reinstated.

Speaking at the introduction of the train service at Johannesburg Park Station, Acting Prasa Group CEO, Cromet Molepo, said they evaluated the request thoroughly and reached a decision to reinstate the service.

“This comes in light of supporting the Prasa corporate plan in transporting our customers at an affordable cost.”

Stimulating inter-regional growth

Molepo said apart from passengers travelling between Gauteng and Limpopo, this train will be attractive to thousands of cross-border traders crossing the border at Musina coming from or going to Zimbabwe.

“This will increase inter-region travel and people-to-people contact, and inevitably contribute to inter-regional and inter-city tourism growth at a fraction of the price,” said Molepo, who called on the people to take good care of the trains and not vandalise them.

Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said the service will stimulate regional integration he also urged other stakeholders like the bus and taxi industries not to see the re-introduction as a threat but as a means of integrating a public transport system, whose different modes complement one another.