Swapna Prabhakaran
Whether you are a working Mozambican mamma or a leisured Amex-wielding tourist, there’s only one way to get between KwaZulu-Natal and Maputo in style – take the brand new trans- Lubombo train. The new service was recently launched by Spoornet from Durban station, to make its way over the Lubombo mountains, through Swaziland and into Mozambique.
The route covers just over 600km, but it is uphill almost all the way so it takes takes 22 hours to complete the journey from Durban to Maputo. Before the train service existed, the Mozambican men and women who travelled regularly between the two cities to trade or work had to trust the speedy caprices of the minibus-taxis which make the trip in just under six hours. Foreign tourists usually opt for the expensive and slightly quicker alternative, a two-hour aeroplane trip.
Though it may be slow, the new train brings with it the hope of a safe, relaxing journey that doesn’t cost the earth. And as KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport Sbu Ndebele quipped at the launch: “There are no speed limits, there are no booze busts – in fact they offer you drinks – and this train does not wear down the nation’s roads.” So your holiday begins as soon as you board.
Inside the train, everything is quite luxurious, in a radical new South African way. The seating and compartments are not classified into the old-fashioned divisions of first, second or third class – everyone on the train pays R152 for the trip, and everyone gets treated like they are in first class.
The tracks creep upwards over mountains and wind around rivers, through some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Southern Africa. The train leaves Durban in twilight, to travel through the pristine nature reserves of northern KwaZulu-Natal as the sun sets. To while the night hours away on board, there’s a fully equipped bar in the lounge car with luxurious seating and gentle jazz fusion on the speakers. The lounge car has word and card games to keep passengers occupied and entertained and further up the train, two dining- cars serve generous portions of delicious gourmet meals, snacks, desserts and a selection of fine wines and cheeses.
Warm bedding is provided to keep the cold of the mountains out of your marrow, and it’s remarkably easy to fall asleep to the lullaby of the train on its tracks. At the end of every car, there are spotless ablution facilities and a much appreciated hot shower. During the night the train makes half-a-dozen passenger stops, and an hour after dawn it arrives at Mpaka in Swaziland, a one-street town where passengers can disembark to head inland for Manzini or rural areas by taxi or bus, around mid-morning. For those who remain on board, the train heads steadily north-east into Mozambique, crossing many rivers and passing several lakes.
The train makes two border stops, once at Mpaka and again at Goba in Mozambique, so expect bureaucracy and delays for passport stamping. If you’re going to make this trip all the way to the end of the line, make sure you have the right bits of paper – passports and entry visas – before
you leave Durban. Malaria prevention is also recommended for travel in Mozambique, especially in the summer months.
Other than those, there are no worries at all on this train. It trundles elegantly along its safe, slow way through the Lubombo, giving the mammas and the tourists alike a chance to experience the same pleasant ride.