Durban train usage down 41% in one year
GroundUp rode a near-empty train past mounds of uncollected rubbish
The number of passengers using Durban's Metrorail has plummeted by 41% within a single year, according to figures released by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Last year, the average daily passenger count fell to around 33,000, a significant decline from the 56,000 passengers who used the service in 2024/25. The financial year runs from April to March, and the average number of daily passengers in 2018 was about 281,000.
A decline in infrastructure and vandalism during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a steep drop in ridership, with numbers reaching a low of approximately 9,700 in 2021/22. Despite millions invested in rehabilitation, passenger numbers began to increase year on year until 2025/26. PRASA spokesperson Andiswa Makanda attributes the decrease to challenges in repairing damaged and vandalized infrastructure.
Monthly data from April to July 2026 shows some improvement, with an average of about 982,000 passengers per month, up from around 850,000 during the entire 2025/26 financial year. However, the accuracy of PRASA's passenger data is questionable, as ticket offices are often closed, and passengers' tickets are rarely checked. The agency does not count passengers who travel without paying.
Durban Metrorail trains made an average of 124 trips per day in 2024/25, but this has since increased to 170 trips daily. Makanda acknowledged that PRASA's rehabilitation efforts have slowed and that some lines still operate with only one track between certain stations. The Southern Coast line, which previously terminated at Isipingo, has been extended to Winklespruit, but repairs to the rest of the line are on hold pending the reconstruction of the Illovo bridge, destroyed by floods in 2022.
Only sections of the Northern Coast and KwaMashu lines are currently operating. GroundUp journalist visited Durban and Reunion stations on the KwaMashu-Umlazi line, which runs 17 return trips daily. The once-busy line was largely empty, with only about five passengers on board when the journalist arrived in Reunion. Stations appeared unkempt, with litter and broken fences.
While some improvements have been made, such as fixed digital boards at Durban station, escalators remain non-functional.
Written by urgent.news from GroundUp's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
