Ten refurbished train stations have officially reopened in the Eastern Cape following a R115 million investment by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).
Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy reopened the stations during an oversight visit to the East London Rail Corridor on Tuesday.
Seven stations are located along the KuGompo (East London) corridor, while three are situated in Gqeberha.
The upgrades form part of PRASA’s National Station Improvement Programme, aimed at restoring passenger rail infrastructure damaged by vandalism during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Improvements included refurbished buildings, waiting shelters and platforms, restored water and sanitation systems, lighting, CCTV surveillance, access control and additional security measures.
According to Creecy, the construction phase created 171 direct jobs and involved 27 local small businesses. Five local cooperatives have also been contracted to provide station cleaning and maintenance services.
Passenger numbers in the Eastern Cape increased from just over 630,000 in 2024/25 to more than 1.2 million in 2025/26.
PRASA also reported an on-time performance rate of 94.2%, while improved safety conditions allowed the Railway Safety Regulator to approve an increase in maximum train speeds between Berlin and East London from 30 km/h to 60 km/h.
Creecy confirmed that another 18 stations across the province still require refurbishment.
She urged communities to protect the restored infrastructure and report theft and vandalism, emphasising that government aims to restore passenger rail services to pre-pandemic levels.
