# List of abandoned railway lines in South Africa

This is a list of disused, abandoned, closed or dismantled railway lines in South Africa since 1910.
The list is primarily intended to document South African Railways (government) or private lines of historical significance (e.g. Okiep railway).

## Closed lines

| Route (from/to) | Closure date okay sucky | Notes |
| Bridgend–Cape Collieries | 1912 | |
| Bamboo Junction–Bridgend | 1917 | |
| Lyttelton Junction–Roberts Heights | 1913 | |
| Sheba Halt–Sheba Mine | 1926 |
| Valley Junction–Walmer | 1928 | Narrow gauge. Walmer town branch of the Avontuur line. Replaced by bus service. |
| Monument–Sea Point | 1929 | This line ran from Cape Town City to Sea Point. Uplifted after closure. |
| Colesberg Junction–Colesberg | 1931 | Originally a terminus, this later became a spur off the Noupoort–Bloemfontein line. |
| Elandshoek – Mount Carmel | 1931 | Narrow gauge. |
| Hamilton–Tempe | 1932 | |
| Point–Durban | 1936 | original 1860 route (oldest line in South Africa) |
| Stanger–Kearsney | 1941 | Narrow gauge. Kearsney–Stanger Light Railway |
| Okiep–Port Nolloth | 1944? | Narrow gauge. Namaqualand Railway |
| Knysna–Templeman | 1949 | Narrow gauge. South Western Railway Co. Ltd. |
| Opwekker–Tygerberg | 1956 | Milnerton Railway, opened 1904, last race train 1954. Heatherton–Milnerton–Ascot–Tygerberg(terminus) section uplifted shortly after closure. |
| Nancefield–Pimville | 1974 | (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| Wests–Cave Rock (whaling station) | 197? | |
| Sarnia–New Germany | 1994+- | line was uplifted in early 1990 due to umgani power station closure in 1988 |
| Delville Wood–Shongweni Dam | ? | Service line for construction of dam. |
| Wartburg–Windy Hill | ? | |
| Touws River–Ladismith | 1981 | Closed due to line washaway caused by the 1981 flash flood. |
| Estcourt–Weenen | 1983 | Narrow gauge. Estcourt – Weenen |
| Molteno–Jamestown | 1984 | (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| Fort Beaufort–Seymour | 1984 | |
| Komatipoort–Reserve | ? | Part of the Selati line through the Kruger National Park |
| Umlaas Road–Mid Illovo | 1985 | Narrow gauge. |
| Umzinto–Highflats | 1985 | Narrow gauge. Part of the Umzinto–Donnybrook narrow-gauge railway |
| Ixopo–Highflats | 1985 | Narrow gauge. Part of the Umzinto–Donnybrook narrow-gauge railway |
| Union Bridge–Madonela | 1985 | Narrow gauge. Part of the Umzinto–Donnybrook narrow-gauge railway |
| Ixopo–Donnybrook | 1986 | Narrow gauge. Part of the Umzinto–Donnybrook narrow-gauge railway |
| Port Shepstone–Harding | 1986 | Narrow gauge. Re-opened in 1988, see Alfred County Railway |
| Kelso–Umzinto | 1987 | Cape Gauge, closure after abandonment of the Umzinto–Donnybrook narrow-gauge railway |
| Gingindlovu–Eshowe North | 1987 | Closed after line washaway |
| Boughton–Hilton | 1987 | Part of old alignment of the Natal main line |
| Umlaas Road–Thornville | 1988 | Part of old alignment of the Natal main line |
| Bowkers Park–Tarkastad | 1988 | (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| Imvani–Qamata | 1988 | (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| De Doorns–Kleinstraat | 1989 | old Hex River Pass line. Replaced by Hex River Tunnel |
| Matroosberg–Kleinstraat | 1989 | Loop line for the old Hex River Pass. Replaced by Hex River Tunnel. (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| Groveput–Copperton | 1991 | Closure of mine. |
| Schoombee–Hofmeyr | 1992 | |
| Grahamstown–Port Alfred | 1993 | Port Alfred Railway Line |
| Armoed–Calitzdorp | 1993 | |
| Cookhouse–Somerset East | 1993 | |
| Barkly Bridge–Alexandria | 1993 | |
| Louterwater–Avontuur | 1993 | Narrow gauge. Section of the Avontuur line |
| Hercules–Magaliesburg | 1996 | Passed through Hartbeespoort |
| Pinetown–Cato Ridge | 1997 part still open | there is a weekend steam train run by umgeni steam railway between Inchanga and kloof currently only to bothas hill due to line damage |
| Modderpoort–Ladybrand | 199? | |
| Marseilles–Ficksburg | Open | |
| Volksrust–Bethal | ? | |
| Witpilaar–Vredenburg | ? | A spur off the Hopefield–Saldanha line. (railway lines have been uplifted) |
| Pieters–Harts Hill | ? | service line to quarry |
| Estantia–Klipstapel | ? | |
| Paarl–Franschhoek | Open | Privately operated by Franschhoek Wine Tram |
| Merrivale–Howick | ? | |
| Hilton–Cedara | ? | Part of old alignment of the Natal main line |
| Theunissen–Winburg | 199? | Branch opened 1898. Branch was originally planned to be extended to Senekal |
| Orkney–Vierfontein | ? | Uplifted after washaway. Re-laid, open December 2012 |
| Springfontein–Koffiefontein | 2001 | |
| Dover–Vredefort | 2001 | |
| Wolvehoek–Heilbron | 2001 Uplifted / stolen | |
| Arlington–Heilbron | 200? | |
| Chelsea–New Brighton | 2001 | Narrow gauge. Private branch of the Avontuur line, to PPC cement factory. Caused by closure of all limestone mines along Avontuur line. |
| Aliwal North–Barkly East | 2001 | |
| Sterkstroom–Maclear | 2001 | |
| Rosmead–Stormberg | 2001 | |
| Hutchinson–Calvinia | 2001 | |
| Kootjieskolk–Sakrivier | 2001 | Branch line off the Hutchinson–Calvinia line. |
| Cor Delfos–Voortrekkerhoogte | 2001 | |
| Nylstroom–Vaalwater | 2002 | |
| Naboomspruit–Zebediela | 2003 | |
| Pienaars River–Marble Hall | 2003 | |
| Pentrich–Mkondeni | 2004 | Service line. Part of old alignment of the Natal main line. |
| Alfred County Railway | 2004 | Narrow gauge. Started 1988, Port Shepstone–Harding |
| Cor Delfos–Mooiplaas | 2004? | Service line to PPC Dolomite quarry at Erasmia near Pretoria, passed through Laudium |
| Sannaspos–Zastron | 2006 | |
| George–Knysna | 2006 | Original Outeniqua Choo Tjoe route. Closed due to line washaway. |
| India Junction–Alberton | 2007 | |
| Grootvlei–Redan | ? | |
| Alicedale–Grahamstown | 2008 | Port Alfred Railway Line |
| Thornville–Richmond | 2008? | |
| Assegaaibos–Louterwater | 2009 | Narrow gauge. Section of the Avontuur line |
| Gamtoos–Patensie | 2009 | Narrow gauge. Branch of the Avontuur line |
| Kaydale–Nigel | 2010 | |

## Re-opened

* Klipplaat–Graaf-Reinet closed in 2001, re-opened in 2015/2016. Unused since.
* Graaff-Reinet–Rosmead, closed in 1993, re-opened in 2015/2016. Unused since.
* Wolseley–Prince Alfred Hamlet (branch line), closed c.2002, re-opened in 2015.
* Belmont–Douglas, Upgraded 2013/2014.

## Unsure status

* Firham–Vrede
* Kaapmuiden–Barberton
* Nelspruit–Plaston
* Buhrmannskop–Lothair
* Makwassie–Vermaas
* Vermaas–Pudimoe
* Klerksdorp–Ottosdal
* Franklin–Matatiele
* Franklin–Kokstad
* Ennersdale–Bergville
* Schroeders–Bruyns Hill
* Dalton–Glenside
* Chailley–Mount Alida
* Greytown–Kranskop
* Dreunberg–Zastron
* Addo–Kirkwood

## Chaldon

* 1 2 Annual report. South African Railways and Harbours. 1969. p. 139.
* ↑ "The Two-foot Narrow gauge Forest Railroad in Knysna – South Africa".