The lines that no longer run

Which wine tram lines no longer run?

Purple, Grey, Yellow and Burgundy. The FAQ also lists Green as discontinued, although a Green line still appears on the homepage.

According to the FAQ, these lines were dropped as part of route updates, and the lines currently available are listed on the official website. Its answer to "can I still book them?" is a plain no.

The five lines on the operator's homepage today are Red, Blue and Pink, which start at the Franschhoek Terminal on the corner of Main Road and Cabrière Street, and Orange and Green, which start at the Groot Drakenstein Terminal on the corner of the R310 and the R45. If you use an old name at the ticket office, the FAQ says staff will help you find the current line that visits the estates you want.

Where did the Purple line estates go?

Most of them are on the Orange line now, and several are also on the Green line. Two of its stops are not on any current line list.

The FAQ remembers the Purple line as a popular route with stops at Anura, Babylonstoren, Boschendal, Noble Hill, Plaisir, Solms-Delta and Vrede en Lust. Compare that with the current lists on the homepage and five of the seven are still on the tram, all in the Groot Drakenstein cluster.

Babylonstoren is the one to plan around. It is on the Orange line, it is the only estate where the FAQ mentions an entrance fee, and a farm vehicle takes 10 to 20 minutes from the platform to the tasting area. Give it two hours or more.

Vrede en Lust from the saddle: an hour through the vineyards with a guide, from 8 years old.

★ 4.8 · 1 hour

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Where did the Grey line estates go?

All eight Grey line estates are still on the tram, spread over the Red, Blue and Pink lines from the Franschhoek Terminal.

The FAQ lists the Grey line stops as Chamonix, Dieu Donné, Franschhoek Cellar, Grande Provence, Haute Cabrière, Klein Goederust, Leopard's Leap and Rickety Bridge. Every one of them appears on a current line. Three of them, Rickety Bridge, Grande Provence and Franschhoek Cellar, are shared by Red, Blue and Pink; these are the stops near the village that the tram reaches on rails.

The rest split up. If you loved the old Grey route for Chamonix, Dieu Donné and Leopard's Leap, the Pink line is the closest match today. Haute Cabrière went to Red, and Klein Goederust to Blue.

What happened to the Yellow and Burgundy lines?

Both are discontinued. The FAQ does not say which estates they served, only that many of them can still be reached on other lines.

The FAQ calls the Burgundy line a legacy route that is no longer in operation, and says the Yellow line is no longer part of the active route selection. It names no estates for either, and we won't guess them.

If an old article sends you to the Yellow or Burgundy line, write down the estates it mentions and match them against today's lists. The FAQ says most wineries from the discontinued lines are still on the tram, on different lines. Our best wineries in Franschhoek guide sorts the current stops by line.

Is it the Green line or the Navy line?

The same Groot Drakenstein loop, under two names. The homepage calls it Green; parts of the operator's site, the FAQ among them, call it Navy.

This is the confusing one. The homepage lists a Green line with Plaisir, Vrede en Lust, Boschendal, Allée Bleue, Camberley, Bartinney, Le Pommier and Zorgvliet, but the link behind it points to a Navy line page. The FAQ lists Green among the discontinued names, then recommends the Navy line Tram First departures for families and names the Groot Drakenstein Terminal as the start for Orange and Navy.

In practice, treat Green and Navy as one loop from Groot Drakenstein and book by its estates. Guests' own accounts on GetYourGuide mention both names. One more name to know: the half-day tram and cheese tour calls its tram ride the Silver Line, which is not among the five lines on the operator's homepage. That listing pairs the ride with Fairview and a tasting at Rickety Bridge; ask the tour operator what the ride covers if it matters to you.

How do you plan a day with the current lines?

Pick three or four estates, find the line that stops at them, then decide between a Tram First and a Bus First departure.

The lines run one way, so you get one chance to get off at each estate, and there is about an hour between vehicles. That is why the colour matters less than the estate list. On the Red, Blue and Pink lines you can book either a Bus First or a Tram First departure; the FAQ suggests Tram First for families with small children.

Start with the estates you care about, check the line on the official site, and only then book. Our guide to the best wine tram line lays out the five lines side by side, and our new-season post covers what changes from 1 November 2026.

Coach from Cape Town and a one-day hop-on hop-off ticket. Pick the line for your estates; tastings are paid at each stop.

★ 4.6 · 8.5 hours

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