Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698832262123.pdf (South Africa)
National Assembly Question No: 2216 Mr M S Freitas (DA) to ask the Minister of Transport (a) What has been done in the rail tourism sector in the past three years to date, (b) what are the successes that have been achieved, (c) how are these successes measured, (d) what rail infrastructure has been (i) developed, (ii) upgraded and (iii) maintained in the past three financial years and (e) what additional tourism offers are now available?
REPLY: NW2785E (a) In the past three years to date seven (7) rail routes have been used by tourists as listed below:        Johannesburg to Cape Town Johannesburg to Durban Johannesburg to East London Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth Johannesburg to Musina Johannesburg to Komatipoort Cape Town to Queenstown / East London The number of trains operating over the past three years are: 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Number of trains 1 777 1 837 931 The number of tourists who made use of the trains over the past three years are: 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Occupancy 83 273 65 038 37 490 (b) Successes achieved are the number of locomotives and trailer coaches which has been refurbished by PRASA over the past three years and the increase in capacity as listed below: 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Locomotives 0 Passenger coaches 0 Capacity increase 0 0 47 0 0 56 0 Coach refurbishment consists of upgrades in passenger safety comfort system only.
(c) Successes are measured by planned and actual trains scheduled and on time performance as listed below: Trains scheduled 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Planned Actual 1 838 1 777 1 985 1 837 1 338 931 On time performance 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Planned Actual 60% 20% 60% 12% 50% 9% (d) Mainline Passenger Rail Services, which includes rail tourism services, operates mainly on Transnet rail infrastructure and PRASA pays an access fee to Transnet to access this infrastructure.
(i) Over the past three years there has been no infrastructure developed.

(ii) Infrastructure which has been upgraded and being maintained is the Kroonstad station in 2017/2018 and consisted of the tarred platform area and upgrade of ablution and waiting room areas.

(iii) See (ii) above.
(e) Mainline Passenger Rail Service has closed down during Covid-19 and will resume it services as listed below: Routes and Services planned for roll-out: Train Route Introduction Date 74013 Johannesburg – East London 27 November 2020 47014 East London – Johannesburg 27 November 2020 73011 Johannesburg – Port Elizabeth 4 December 2020 37012 Port Elizabeth – Johannesburg 4 December 2020 76009 Johannesburg – Durban 67010 Durban – Johannesburg 71008 Johannesburg – Cape Town 17007 Cape Town – Johannesburg 78089 Johannesburg – Musina 87090 Musina – Johannesburg 78087 Johannesburg – Polokwane 87088 Polokwane – Johannesburg 27 November 2020 27 November 2020 4 December 2020 4 December 2020 27 November 2020 29 November 2020 2 December 2020 3 December 2020 78091 Johannesburg – Komatipoort 27 November 2020 87092 Komatipoort – Johannesburg 29 November 2020 14255 Cape Town – East London 29 November 2020 41256 East London – Cape Town 14257 Cape Town – Queenstown 41258 Queenstown – Cape Town 1 December 2020 3 December 2020 4 December 2020 The following Covid-19 measures will be implemented to ensure passenger safety:  Compulsory wearing of masks  Sanitization of sales offices and trains prior to departure and at end destinations  Customer sanitization  Temperature checks  Covid-19 customer registration screening process  No catering and bedding services on trains (customers will be requested to provide for themselves)  Social distance markings at stations and on trains  Covid-19 awareness training for employees  Employees that will guide/assist customers with Covid-19 protocols  Introduction if the isolation coach on every train  Emergency protocol to deal with en-route Covid-19 cases