Durban-Pietermaritzburg express train

[romanSA]

Seems this proposal is going ahead...

-------------------

Tuesday Oct 18, 2011

KZN business express train on track

A new "Business Express" train service - offering wireless internet and other services as part of an "office on wheels" concept - is expected to be operating between Durban and Pietermaritzburg by April next year.

Targeted at business and government workers, the trains would have guards on board to ensure security and extra staff to assist passengers.

That was the word from Metrorail's KwaZulu-Natal regional manager, Dumisani Dube, yesterday.

He said about R30 million was being invested in upgrading a train for the route and in improvements to the Pietermaritzburg and Rossburgh stations as part of the plan.

The new service was first mooted in August 2009, but Dube said the project was now gaining momentum. Contracts for the upgrades had been awarded and work was set to be completed in the first quarter of next year.

"The service should be up and running by April and will be targeting white collar workers from Durban to Pietermaritzburg... When the project was first announced, we did not have all the approvals. Now we do and are steaming ahead," he said.

"The delay has in fact worked in our favour, because our Business Express service in KZN will be better than the offerings in Gauteng and the Western Cape. We have refined our plan for the Durban-Pietermaritzburg Business Express, which will see a more upmarket service being offered.

"It will wow people and be unique with better facilities and services. We will be offering executive and business class ticket options. Metrorail's Khayelitsha Business Express in Cape Town and Soweto Business Express in Joburg offer only one class, but have been quite successful. We are also looking at offering dining class and conferencing options," said Dube.

"The travelling time will be between 90 minutes to two hours, which will be shorter than a usual train trip because there will only be one stop along the route at Rossburgh. We have come up with the concept of an office on wheels, which will see patrons having access to wireless internet and other office services. This will allow passengers to work on their laptops and do other business on the train.

"The new service targets mainly business and government workers. Safety and quality service would be a priority on the express train with special security guards on board as well as extra cabin staff to assist travellers. We want to get people travelling between Durban and Pietermaritzburg off the N3 and help reduce congestion.

"Rather than sitting in traffic, we want to make Business Express a viable alternative," he added.

Dube said about R11.5 million was being spent to revamp a train for the service while the balance would be used to upgrade the Pietermaritzburg and Rossburgh stations. A new train could be put on the service when Metrorail took delivery of its new rolling stock from its parent company, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).

Prasa was spending about R107 billion on a fleet renewal programme and shelling out another R17bn for new train signalling technology. Dube said he did not know exactly how much of that would be spent in KZN, with the province only contributing about 12 percent of the train commuter market in South Africa.

"Of the R17bn for new signalling technology... more than R1bn is being invested in KZN... One of the other major projects in KZN is the Bridge City Station in KwaMashu, where R900 million is being invested. The station is ready and construction on new rail links to the station is about to start. The station is expected to be opened in March 2013," he said.

The Mercury


http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/...press_train_on

[dysan1]

Only stopping at Rossburgh? Who they targetting??? Port workers? Seems funny

[romanSA]

Here's the answer on why Rossburgh, although I'm still confused about the demand from the South...

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WEDNESDAY NOV 02, 2011
R30m KZN Business Express won't be white elephant assures Metrorail

Metrorail's proposed R30 million Business Express "office on wheels" train will not be a white elephant.

This is according to the project's managers, who are confident that the train linking Durban and Pietermaritzburg will be popular among those who currently make the trip between the cities by road daily - although it is primarily aimed at businessmen and government workers.

"The concept established itself from demand. We have been under pressure to look at a connection between the two cities," said project manager Danny Hattingh. "Metrorail KZN received many queries on the product. It has been available in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and both regions run two services of this nature."

While no full feasibility studies into the project have been conducted Hattingh said focus groups had revealed a strong enough demand for the project to go ahead.

"We've used focus groups to gauge the need for this... focus group meetings determined that a high level of support exists for such a service."

Hattingh said while he was confident the Business Express would be well received, commuters needed time to embrace the idea.

"Any product of this nature does not take off immediately. It will take time. But if you look at how the concept has worked in other parts of the country, there is no reason why it shouldn't work here," he said.

Hattingh added that the high level of road traffic between Durban and Pietermaritzburg had also been an important motivating factor for the project.

The Business Express service is expected to start running in April next year and will offer business and executive-class coaches, boardroom facilities and Wifi internet service to commuters.

The train will make one stop in Rossburgh.

"The stop in Rossburgh is coupled to a 'park and ride' or 'stop and drop' facility to allow patrons that commute from the south of Durban to Pietermaritzburg to commute by train.

"The idea was to service commuters in the south of Durban where we found, through our research, that a lot of the demand for the service would come from."

While some have expressed fears that the new service will be an added burden for taxpayers, Hattingh insists this is not the case.

"The funding for the train is predominantly sourced from our overhaul and capital programme funding," he said.

A train trip is expected to take between one hour 45 minutes and two hours, almost double the time taken to travel between the two cities by road. Although the schedule is not yet available, there are likely to be several trips during the day.

"It is acknowledged that the trip by train will take longer. But the facilities that are provided en route will allow the user to productively spend his or her time while travelling," said Metrorail's marketing manager Thandi Mkhize.

Tickets are expected to cost from R1 500 a month, depending on the class of travel. While only monthly tickets will be sold at first, Metrorail say it would consider offering single trips at a later stage.

Sunday Tribune

Posted at 08:41AM Nov 02, 2011 by Editor in Cities and Towns


http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/...ss_express_won

[GregPz]

A stop in the Highway area would work well as quite a few people in this area work in Pmb.

[ToxicBunny]

and also a stop in the Pinetown area... as there are quite a few ppl from pmb who work in that area...

But I'm also very confused about the demand from the South.... I would have thought a train running from PMB through to the Ridge would be more in demand.

[dysan1]

They used focus groups? Eish... I do research all the time and focus groups is the complete wrong approach to gauge if this will work. I fear it wont

[Ron2K]

Originally Posted by GregPz

A stop in the Highway area would work well as quite a few people in this area work in Pmb.

Don't think that the line between Pinetown and Cato Ridge is up to standard - and it wouldn't exactly be an "express" service either.

[HigerBigger]

Originally Posted by Ron2K

Don't think that the line between Pinetown and Cato Ridge is up to standard - and it wouldn't exactly be an "express" service either.

Was on the line on Rovos, no problem just not an express line - many turns that slows down the trains.

[musiccity]

Is this done?

[romanSA]

Oct 1 2012 11:59AM

Rapid rail system to link cities
|
Chris Makhaye

Work on a rapid rail system between Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal capital of Pietermaritzburg is to begin later this year or early next year.

This was announced by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) chairperson Sifiso Buthelezi at The New Age/SABC business briefing in Durban on Friday.

The main speaker at the briefing was KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize.

Those in attendance included Ethekwini mayor James Nxumalo, municipal speaker Logie Naidoo, transport, safety and community liaison MEC Willies Mchunu, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal wildlife chief Dr Bandile Mkhize, SABC board member and National Union of Metalworkers president Cedric Gina, former agriculture and environmental affairs MEC Lydia Johnson and business people from various sectors.

Buthelezi said Prasa had seen a need for the rapid train, especially in the mornings and afternoons, to ease congestion on the roads.

“The work will start as soon as possible. What is good is that we will not be starting from scratch because there is a rail link running between and beyond the two cities.”

Buthelezi added that his organisation would be spending more than R1.8bn in expanding the rail system in KwaZulu-Natal and that it was working closely with the provincial government to ensure that job opportunities were created during the building phases of these infrastructural projects and after their completion.

Mkhize said it was such investments in infrastructural projects that his government hoped would spur economic growth.

Gina said the business briefings had grown by leaps and bounds since their inception and the SABC was very proud to be associated with the projects because it enabled top decision makers to interact with people.

chrism@thenewage.co.za


http://www.thenewage.co.za/64089-100...to_link_cities

[ToxicBunny]

Not entirely sure I can see the economic benefit of something like this...

[Hennie]

Running on existing track it would not be rapid.
Unless new track is built it can hardly be called a 'rapid rail' system.
I dont see the passenger volumns of the Gautrain here and it will be much more expensive to build due to the rugged terrain.

[dysan1]

they nt talking rapid rail. its merely a new incarnation of the express train ideal. frankly the line between durban and pmb in its present form cannot offer any form of great speeds and no dreams will change that unless they build a new line, which they will not unless it is part of the durban to gauteng plans

[romanSA]

Plans for KZN express train
01-Mar-2013
Sapa

A business express train linking Pietermaritzburg and Durban is being tested and could be ready for passengers this year, The Witness reported on Friday.

During his state-of-the-province speech on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize said a new customised train, costing R60 million, was complete.

Metrorail tested the train over the last two months.

Initial plans aimed to have the service up and running by April last year.

Mkhize said the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) indicated its willingness to build three similiar trains in the 2013/2014 financial year if the service proved successful.

This would help to promote the use of public transport.

The Pietermaritzburg Station would be revamped this year when the station is transferred from Transnet to Prasa.

As part of the project, which would cost R500 million over three years, thirty stations were being modernised.

Durban's Berea Station would receive an R220 million upgrade.

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/20...-express-train

[ToxicBunny]

Originally Posted by romanSA

Plans for KZN express train
01-Mar-2013
Sapa

A business express train linking Pietermaritzburg and Durban is being tested and could be ready for passengers this year, The Witness reported on Friday.

During his state-of-the-province speech on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize said a new customised train, costing R60 million, was complete.

Metrorail tested the train over the last two months.

Initial plans aimed to have the service up and running by April last year.

Mkhize said the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) indicated its willingness to build three similiar trains in the 2013/2014 financial year if the service proved successful.

This would help to promote the use of public transport.

The Pietermaritzburg Station would be revamped this year when the station is transferred from Transnet to Prasa.

As part of the project, which would cost R500 million over three years, thirty stations were being modernised.

Durban's Berea Station would receive an R220 million upgrade.

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/20...-express-train

Very cool news... I'm a bit undecided about the economic viability of it, but its still cool none-the-less...

I still want the IRPTN in Durbs to start showing some progress cos I want to use it to get to work.

[romanSA]

Apr 10 2013 11:44PM

Speeding up train project

CHRIS Makhaye

It's all systems go for the business express train between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize said he was impressed by the transport solutions offered during one of the sessions at the Brics summit and has now committed the provincial government to speed up the express train between the two cities.

The premier’s spokesperson, Ndabe Sibiya, said the launch of the train would be within the next few weeks.

“This is one of the biggest infrastructure programmes the premier spoke about during the state of the province address and now it will be launched within the next few weeks.”

Already Metrorail engineers and Prasa officials have been on several trial runs from Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

The focus of the trial run was to see whether the train can move from the two cities within an hour. There will be more tests ahead of the launch.

The move to introduce the express train has been touted for more than two years but Mkhize made the big commitment during his address last week.

He said the first phase of the had been completed at the cost of R60m and the train would be running before June.

“Government policy seeks to promote public transport over private car use and get as many car users to shift to a more affordable, safe, convenient and faster public transport system,” Sibiya said.

Opposition parties say it is yet another waste of taxpayers’ money. The money could be used to upgrade the whole rail system, they say.

But would-be beneficiaries of this initiative have other views. Tina Zulu, assistant manager at the KZN Human Settlement Department, has been travelling daily from Durban to Pietermaritzburg since 2006.

She is one of thousands of office workers, business people and others who drive or join lift clubs commuting daily between the two cities.

Apart from the congestion and the stress on the road, there are also serious accidents. Just two months ago, the car that Zulu and five fellow lift club members, overturned. They were all injured.

She said the express train would be a relief to many city-to-city office workers like her.

The CEO of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Sifiso Buthelezi, said the express train would target government officials, businesspeople and even politicians. “We could have launched the train much earlier but the problem has been the terrain between the two cities. Unlike, Tswane or Soweto to Johannesburg, KZN one has many mountains.

“This has posed a challenge for us because we had to engage engineers and experts to ensure that the train runs within an hour between the cities.”

Buthelezi said the KZN train was scheduled to leave Durban at around 7am, stop at Rossburg and reach Pietermarizburg at 8am.

“This train will have a lounge and a boardroom to hold meetings. Passengers will have plugs for laptops and access to the internet through Wi-Fi for internet connections.”

chrism@thenewage.co.za


http://www.thenewage.co.za/91250-101..._train_project

[shacky]

Internal photos of train?

http://sarconnecta.blogspot.co.uk/20...ew-durban.html

[Leftfoot]

Originally Posted by shacky

Internal photos of train?

http://sarconnecta.blogspot.co.uk/20...ew-durban.html

Hmmm, I dont like it one bit. It seems like such a waste of space with all the fixed tables.

[GregPz]

Very dated, unattractive and uncomfortable looking. Seriously hope it doesn't end up like that!

[ToxicBunny]

Looks very dated, and cheap.

Hope they catch a wake up and make it better.