The Ceres Rail Company's vintage steam train resumed services between Cape Town and Elgin on November 28 – after 20 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trips resumed every Saturday and Sunday - the train departs Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites on Dockrail Road in Foreshore, Cape Town at 07h45 and makes a three-to-four-hour journey to the Elgin Railway Market through Sir Lowry’s Pass.
Passengers can then browse and enjoy the market, which offers live music, a play area for children, and a variety of stalls offering food, wine, cider, gin, bespoke crafts, jewellery, and a collection of art.
If passengers have a return ticket, they board the train again to leave the Overberg for Cape Town at 14h15, arriving home at approximately 18h00.
One-way tickets are R400 per adult and R250 per child aged 3–12. Lunch is an extra R50–R150.
For return tickets, day seating and bar lounge seating are R625 per person. The Family Coupe option is suited to private groups of three adults or two adults with two children, at R1 500 per unit.
The Family Compartment is slightly larger, accommodating six adults or four adults with two children, at R2 900 per unit. Finally, the Observation Car costs up to R850 per person for a group of 15–28 people.
The train does not currently have accessibility for prams or those in wheelchairs.
