Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager and the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Company have entered a 25-year concession agreement to operate and manage the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe heritage railway line.
The agreement, signed recently in George, marks a significant step in the revival of the steam train, which last operated in 2006. The partnership will enable the restoration, operation and development of the line between George and Knysna, reintroducing a tourism attraction along the Garden Route.
Transnet Group Chief Executive Michelle Phillips described the agreement as a model for public-private collaboration in the preservation and activation of strategic heritage infrastructure.