Riding Cape Town's Southern Line: A Practical Guide for Sightseers

How to use Metrorail's coastal commuter route between the city centre and Simon's Town, with driving alternatives for each stop.

What the Southern Line actually is

Metrorail's Southern Line leaves Cape Town station and runs southeast through Woodstock, Salt River, Observatory and Mowbray before curving along the False Bay coast at Muizenberg. From there it continues through Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Glencairn and Simon's Town. Trains are frequent on weekdays, roughly every 20 to 40 minutes depending on the section and time of day, with a thinner service on weekends. A single adult ticket for the full run is inexpensive by European standards, though fares are set by distance and change periodically, so check the current price at the ticket window rather than relying on older figures.

For a visitor, the appeal is straightforward: it is the only public transport that puts you within walking distance of the Muizenberg beach huts, the Kalk Bay harbour and the Boulders penguin colony in a single day. The catch is equally straightforward. This is a commuter network, not a sightseeing train, and the outer stations are quiet outside peak hours. Travel in daylight, keep bags on your lap rather than the seat beside you, and use a carriage with other passengers in it. Book a hotel in the City Bowl or along the Atlantic Seaboard, where most visitors stay, and treat the Southern Line as a day out rather than a daily commute.

The stops worth getting off at

Muizenberg is the natural first break, about 35 minutes from the city centre, and the walk from the station to Surfers' Corner takes under ten minutes. The coloured bathing boxes date from the early twentieth century and are best photographed before 10am when the light is soft and the beach is quiet. Kalk Bay, two stops further and ten minutes on, rewards a longer stop: the working harbour, the Brass Bell, and a compact strip of bookshops and galleries along Main Road. Fish Hoek, five minutes beyond, has the calmest swimming beach on this stretch and a town centre that feels genuinely lived-in rather than touristic.

Simon's Town is the end of the useful line for sightseers, around 70 minutes from Cape Town station. Boulders Beach, with its African penguin colony, is a 25 to 30 minute walk from the station along the coast road, or a short rideshare. Entry to the beach is ticketed and capacity is limited in December and January, so arrive early or book ahead through SANParks. If you only have one coastal day, I would ride to Muizenberg in the morning, spend two hours in Kalk Bay over lunchtime, and finish at Simon's Town, returning on a late-afternoon train before the evening service thins out.

When the train is the wrong choice

The Southern Line does not serve the Atlantic Seaboard at all, so Camps Bay, Bakoven, Clifton and Llandudno require a car, a rideshare or the occasional minibus taxi. The same applies to Kirstenbosch, Constantia's wine estates and the Cape Point reserve beyond Simon's Town, where public transport is effectively absent. If your itinerary leans toward beaches on the west side and gardens in the south, a rental car for two or three days will save you more time than the train saves money. Driving from the City Bowl to Simon's Town via Ou Kaapse Weg takes around 45 to 55 minutes outside peak traffic, against roughly 70 minutes on the train plus the walk to Boulders.

Where the train wins is the coastal strip itself. Parking in Kalk Bay on a Saturday is genuinely difficult, and the Main Road backs up through Fish Hoek in the late afternoon. The line also beats driving on the days when the south-easter is blowing, since you arrive without hunting for a space. Plan the train day for a weekday if you can, avoid the 7am to 8.30am inbound crush, and check the Metrorail Cape Town service updates the evening before, because engineering work occasionally closes a section at weekends. For the rest of the trip, stay somewhere central and book a hotel with parking if you plan to hire a car.

Practical timing and where to base yourself

The Southern Line is at its best from October to April, when the south-easter is manageable in the mornings and the water at Fish Hoek is swimmable without a wetsuit. February and March are the sweet spot: school holidays are over, the beaches are quieter and the light is still long into the evening. June to August brings rain and wind, and while the train runs regardless, a coastal day is far less pleasant. Whatever the month, buy a return ticket at the start, keep change for the ticket window, and note that the last comfortable return from Simon's Town is mid-afternoon rather than at dusk.

Most visitors are best served by a base in the City Bowl, De Waterkant or Green Point, all within a short rideshare of Cape Town station and walking distance from restaurants on Bree and Kloof Streets. Stay in Muizenberg or Kalk Bay only if the coastal villages are the point of the trip; the trade-off is a 40-minute train ride to the city's museums and galleries. For a first visit covering both the city and the peninsula, I would book four or five nights centrally and one or two nights in Kalk Bay, using the Southern Line for the transfer between them rather than driving it.

Questions, answered

Do I need to book Southern Line tickets in advance?

No. Tickets are bought at the station window or from ticket staff on the day, and advance booking is not offered for this commuter service. Arrive ten minutes early, pay in rand, and keep the ticket for the return journey.

Is the train safe for tourists during the day?

Daytime travel between the city and Simon's Town is commonly used by commuters and visitors. Stay in occupied carriages, keep valuables out of sight, avoid empty platforms after dark and travel in a group where possible, as you would on any city rail network.

Can I reach Boulders Beach from Simon's Town station on foot?

Yes, it is roughly a 25 to 30 minute walk along the coast road, mostly flat. Rideshares are available from the station forecourt. Entry to the penguin viewing area is ticketed, and December and January slots fill early.

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