Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) is a South African freight rail transport company, and an operating division of major state-owned transport and logistics company Transnet. Founded in 2007, the company is based in Johannesburg, Gauteng, and provides rail services to domestic and specific export markets.
As of 2026, TFR has a total of 30,400 km of track under management.
History
Rail network of the Central South African Railways in 1910, immediately before the creation of the Union of South Africa
Railways were first developed in the area surrounding Cape Town and later in Durban around the 1840s. The first line opened in Durban on 27 June 1850. The initial network was created to serve the agricultural production area between Cape Town and Wellington.
The news that there were gold deposits in the Transvaal Republic moved the Cape Colony Government (supported by British Government) to link Kimberley as soon as possible by rail to Cape Town as part of the colonial dream.
After the war had ended, the Imperial Military Railways became the Central South African Railways in July 1902, with Thomas Rees Price as general manager. With the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the CSAR was merged with the Cape Government Railways and the Natal Government Railways to form the South African Railways, which is now Transnet Freight Rail.
As part of a project to reform the rail freight sector, Transnet's rail infrastructure manager responsibilities were separated from Transnet Freight Rail and placed under the control of Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TIMM).
TIMM signed operating agreements in May 2026 with 11 private sector companies to access the national rail network. The selected operators are ARC South Africa, Barberry, Grindrod Rail, Interlinks, IRACEMA, Menar Ports & Rail, Minrail, Motheo Logistics, The Railway Corporation, Sharp Logistics and TLD Marine.
Operations
Transnet Freight Rail is a freight logistics and passenger transport railway. It is the largest freight hauler in Africa. The company comprises several businesses:
GFB Commercial (General Freight Business) – Transnet's largest division; handles over 50% of its freight;
Coal Line, serving coal exporters on the Mpumalanga – Richards Bay line; second largest coal railway in the world, delivering 62 million tonnes of coal (also known as "Black Gold") in the year ending on 31 March 2010;
In May 2010, Transnet revealed a five-year-plan involving rail projects costing R52Bn. Most of this would be spent on new rolling stock, including 304 locomotives and 7,231 wagons. R4Bn would be spent on infrastructure connecting Majuba coal-fired power station with the Richards Bay freight railway.
Transnet is upgrading the rail corridor which connect the Port of Ngqura with manganese mines around Hotazel in the Northern Cape. The corridor would be 1,003 kilometres (623mi) long, and would mostly involve upgrades of existing lines; capacity is expected to increase from 5·5 million tonnes / year to 16 mpta.
Swazilink is expected to connect from Lothair to Sidvokodvo in Eswatini, at a cost of R17 billion.
R45.8 billion (2025/26)
