While not all of Africa is connected by rail, there are pockets where rail travel is convenient, quick, and often atmospheric. This trip of two halves encapsulates rail travel in Africa: using one of the few international trains shows what most of the continent is missing.
Map of Rail Networks in Africa
Cross-Border Adventures and Luxury Experiences
The Tazara Railway is one of Africa’s few cross-border trains. Developed in 1975 by China to transport copper from landlocked Zambia to Tanzania’s coastal Dar es Salaam, it passes through Nyerere National Park. Our Dar es Salaam to Cape Town vacation uses the Tazara Railway - then travels by road to Victoria Falls and on to Pretoria, South Africa.
Here, the vacation takes a turn for the luxurious: you ride the Blue Train, one of the most luxurious services in the world, to reach Cape Town.
“We’re offering a journey of contrast,” says Jim Louth, founder of Undiscovered Destinations, who run our trip. “We start with the more authentic experience, a train used by the local people." So, too, do the lovely, yet anachronistic, high-end tourist trains point to the fact that there is surprisingly little in the way of standard rail services that cross between countries.
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Everyday Rail Travel and Modern Upgrades
The overnight train in Egypt means travelers can fall asleep in Cairo and crawl towards sunrise in Luxor on a dated, but perfectly comfortable sleeper service. Trains in Morocco bustle with commuters and people traveling between cities to see family. Tourists can enjoy sharing the space.
In Kenya, the Madaraka Express replaced a very slow colonial-era sleeper service with a speedy train. People can travel for work along the line from Mombasa and Nairobi - the train takes four and a half hours end to end. Tourists can use the route as a brilliant way to combine safari and beach.
Jonny May, founder of our partner Wild Paths, recommends giving it a go. “I love train travel in any country, but the Madaraka Express in Kenya has a few extra bonus points which make it so special,” he says. “There can’t be many train journeys where you can look out of the window and see herds of elephant playing and drinking at a waterhole."
Madaraka express train is here, President Uhuru Kenyatta among passengers aboard train
Historical Context and Current Challenges
For many countries, the history of rail in Africa is a history of outside interest - lines built by foreign powers during occupation, or in exchange for minerals. Border-crossing railway networks - such as the Uganda Railway, which linked Uganda with Kenya, were a product of colonialism. In the 19th century, Britain, an occupying colonial power in East Africa, proposed a pan-African railway to link its empire from Cairo to Cape Town - but it was never built.
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Many of the railway lines across Africa are not what they once were - some have fallen into disuse and disrepair, others no longer cross borders. The Covid-19 pandemic halted services - such as those in Botswana - that were never reinstated.
Tazara may be functional, but many of China’s large-scale infrastructure initiatives in Africa, such as its standard gauge railway connecting Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, sit uncompleted with no prospect of being finished.
Success Stories and Future Plans
There are some success stories. High-speed rail arrived on the continent in 2018 with a line between Tangier and Casablanca, Morocco. There are other high-speed networks planned elsewhere in Africa, including Namibia, Egypt and Tunisia.
A new Chinese-built line in Ethiopia replaces old track and creates a faster route between Addis Ababa and into Djibouti, taking an amazing route from the highlands down to the scorching coast.
The Human Element of Rail Travel
Along the lines that do exist, the train presents tourists with a great opportunity to meet and mingle with others. “What makes this journey so special is the interaction with normal Kenyan life,” says Jonny. “In my mind what the train is all about is an opportunity to meet the local people,” says Jim, describing the Tanzania to Zambia journey.
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“You get to eat on the train - there’s a bar car with lounge type seating and a dining car - that is an opportunity to share the experience with fellow passengers. You’ll see people getting on and off, doing relatively short hops. The train links really quite remote communities with limited road access. People are keen to practise a few words of English with you. That’s the beauty of rail travel - it breaks down barriers: everybody’s on the same train.
On the Tazara you leave Friday and arrive Sunday. You’ve got two nights and a whole day on the train on Saturday. While many travelers - particularly those going to east Africa - are shuttled between lodge and airport without ever meeting people outside the tourist industry, a clutch of train trips are connecting more than just cities.
Safari vacations, notes Jim, can be quite a sheltered experience. “You’ll only come into contact with guides, drivers, people working in the lodges,” he says.
Specific Routes and Experiences
Morocco’s Tangiers to Casablanca line is Africa’s first high speed rail. The 323km journey between the two cities is now just two hours long. Moroccan trains connect many of the cities on the tourist trail, making a vacation by rail very feasible. Traveling between Marrakech and Rabat takes four hours, and between Rabat and Fez three and a half. On our vacations you can take a railway tour of Morocco over eight days, traveling on the rails between Fez, Marrakech and Rabat.
Egypt’s railway roughly follows the Nile down the length of the country. Trains have had a poor safety record in the past, with a history of derailments and collisions - but going by rail is popular with tourists as the trains connect Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Take a sleeper train between Cairo and Aswan or Luxor, sleeping in a twin berth cabin, on our small group tour of Egypt.
Whilst Algeria doesn’t have a particularly extensive rail network, you can travel along the coast fairly easily, for instance from Algiers to Oran.
Most travelers come to East Africa for safari vacations, choosing private transfers over public transport for getting around, which certainly works for accessing remote wildlife lodges. Some of these safari areas also have good rail links, with the added bonus that you might see wildlife from the train. Take Kenya, where the Nairobi to Mombasa train line goes via Tsavo National Park on its route to the coast. It means you can fly into Nairobi, experience safari in Tsavo (alighting at Voi), and then rejoin the train for a beach break. Our Kenya safari and beach vacation by train shows you how.
Further south, Tanzania and Zambia are connected by the Tazara Railway - a massive infrastructure project built by China in the 1970s, and one of the few lines commonly used by travelers where a service crosses an international border (though for political reasons, it may not always be possible to do the entire route on one train). The line’s most interesting feature for leisure travelers is that the tracks cross Nyerere National Park, and there might be chances to see interesting wildlife from the window.
In Zimbabwe, the Elephant Express is an 80km train journey for tourists who want to get between lodges on safari in Hwange National Park.
Distances between cities in South Africa are too large to make traveling by rail particularly feasible, and most travelers choose internal flights. But there are other reasons to travel by train, aside from convenience: the extraordinary luxury of it. Be whisked from Zimbabwe to South Africa, starting in Victoria Falls and spending four nights traveling to Pretoria via Hwange National Park, alighting for game drives and exploration along the way. See our Hwange National Park and rail vacation for inspiration.
Our vacations occasionally use the train in Central Africa when it is more convenient than the road network, in instances where roads are slow or in poor condition. Gabon has one railway line, the Trans-Gabon Railway, operating between Libreville and Franceville. It’s the country’s only significant public transport.
In Cameroon, the railway can be a more effective mode of transportation than roads, which can be in bad condition, and dangerous.
Luxury Rail Experiences
Cecil John Rhodes once dreamt of traveling from Cairo to Cape Town by train, on a majestic trans-African train safari. Rovos Rail, Africa’s premier luxury rail company, now offers this incredible opportunity and many others within South Africa and Southern Africa.
Luxury train travel is more than transport; it is a journey through Africa experienced in absolute comfort and style. Take your time to absorb the continent's magnificent landscapes, stopping along the way for a Big 5 safari or an overnight stay at a luxury hotel or game lodge. The emphasis is on gracious travel that is reminiscent of a bygone era, with excellent service, food and like-minded travellers enhancing the elegant and sophisticated atmosphere.
Pack away your phone, tablet and laptop, and spend time taking in the untouched wilderness as it passes by.
Rovos Rail is arguably the most luxurious train in the world, offering glamorous journeys throughout Southern Africa, as well as an annual 22-day voyage across Africa from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, stopping over at Madikwe Game Reserve, and the mighty Victoria Falls, among other destinations.
The more contemporary but also very upscale Blue Train runs several times a week between Cape Town and Pretoria. Departing from Pretoria, the first stop is Kimberley, center of one of the world’s famous diamond rushes, where there is an opportunity to savor the 1870s atmosphere of the mine village.
Continue across the untamed beauty of the Kalahari Desert to Namibia’s capital for a tour; Windhoek is a lively, cosmopolitan city with a strong German flavor. Namibia is much more. Namib-Naukluft, Africa’s largest game park, is home to Sossusvlei’s brilliant red dunes.
Luxury Train Interior
Rovos Rail: A Detailed Itinerary Snippet
IRT Report: IRT’s Angela Walker and Rachel Hardy loved their time on Rovos Rail’s Pride of Africa. Gather at Rovos Rail’s private Capital Park station in Pretoria. Board the Pride of Africa for a late morning departure. Arrive in Kimberley this morning. Capital of the Northern Cape, Kimberley is well known for the discovery of diamonds that led to its establishment in 1871.
Back on the train, lunch is served as you travel through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists call the Karoo system.
After breakfast, disembark for a walking tour of Upington, oasis town on the Orange River, surrounded by the Kalahari Desert and famous for its wine. Back on board, lunch is served and Namibian border formalities will take place.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and lunch on the train this morning. This afternoon, explore the gigantic Fish River Canyon, largest canyon in Africa. The vast rocky landscape breaks up into a series of spectacular cliffs.
After breakfast, transfer to the ghost town of Kolmanskop, followed by lunch in Lüderitz. museum, colonial architecture and wildlife including seals, penguins, flamingos and ostriches.
After breakfast, visit Keetmanshoop and Garas Park, home to the famous Quiver Trees, and roughly 300 specimens of the Aloe dichotomy. Return to the train for a relaxing day on board.
Enjoy an early morning desert drive with breakfast in the vlei (dry marsh). The dunes of the Namib were created by sand carried by the wind from the coast. The sand here is over 5-million years old and is red due to its iron-oxide content. As the light changes during the day, so does the appearance of the dunes’ characteristic color, allowing for interesting photographs at any time.
Depart Sossusvlei on the one-hour flight back to Windhoek. Have lunch at Windhoek Country Club, followed by a city tour.
After breakfast, transfer to Mokuti Lodge in Etosha National Park, home to 114 mammal species, including the rare and endangered black rhino and black-faced impala. Early morning game drive in the Etosha National Park, where blue wildebeest, mountain and plains zebra, giraffe, hyena, lion, cheetah, leopard as well as 340 species of birds may be spotted.
South African Rail Vacations
Embarking on rail vacations in South Africa is a journey that transcends the ordinary. It's an enchanting blend of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cultures, and rich histories that unfurl as your train glides smoothly along the tracks. Whether you're a nature lover, a culture enthusiast, or an adventurer at heart, South Africa train trips offer a perfectly curated experience that promises to leave you spellbound.
Discover the Scenic Wonders of South Africa
Stepping aboard a train in South Africa feels like stepping into a world where time slows down, and the journey itself becomes as rewarding as the destination. Imagine traversing the sweeping savannahs of the Eastern Cape, where herds of elephants and rhinos roam freely. Marvel at the majestic views as you pass through the verdant valleys and towering peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains. Every turn of the tracks reveals a new awe-inspiring vista, each more beautiful than the last.
A Fusion of Cultures
South Africa's rich cultural tapestry is best explored on a train trip that takes you across regions each with its own distinct identity. From the diverse culinary experiences in Cape Town's vibrant Malay Quarter to the historic townships of Johannesburg that echo with stories of resilience and triumph, each stop is an opportunity to delve deeper into the nation's soul. Engage with locals and taste exotic dishes that reflect the myriad cultures calling South Africa home.
A Myriad of Adventures Await
For those seeking a thrill, rail vacations in South Africa provide not just a means of transport but a gateway to adventure. Imagine halting at Kimberley, where the Big Hole gives insight into South Africa's diamond-rush era. Or stopping at Tsitsikamma for a zipline tour through ancient forests that reverberate with the call of native birds. The rails connect you to the nation's heartland-inviting exploration at every turn.
Travelling in Comfort and Style
Travelling by train in South Africa offers a range of experiences from vintage steam trains, reminiscent of a bygone era, to luxury trains that redefine opulence on wheels. Picture yourself savouring a gourmet meal, with a view of the savannah generously spread outside your window, as the train sways gently. These trains promise an extraordinary experience, blending comfort with the charm of slow travel.
Preserving the Past, Captivating the Present
Each journey on South Africa's railways is steeped in history, with routes that trace the rise of ancient kingdoms and the aspirations of nations. It's a mode of travel that respects the environment, allowing passengers to lessen their carbon footprint while enjoying unrivalled access to landscapes that are as untouched as they are stunning.
A Call to Adventure
There is no better way to soak in the splendour of South African vacations than from the viewpoint of a train. As you plan your next getaway, consider the allure of the rails. Embark on one of these trips, where your only task is to sit back, relax, and let the rhythm of the tracks carry you through one of the world's most captivating countries. With every kilometre travelled, let the magic of South Africa's landscapes and cultures leave an indelible mark on your heart.
| Train Service | Route | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Tazara Railway | Dar es Salaam to Zambia | Cross-border, passes through Nyerere National Park |
| The Blue Train | Pretoria to Cape Town | Luxury service |
| Madaraka Express | Mombasa to Nairobi | Speedy train, wildlife viewing opportunities |
| Rovos Rail | Various routes in Southern Africa | Luxury, offers long voyages across Africa |
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