Soweto by train: Hector Pieterson and Vilakazi Street from Phefeni

Trains from Johannesburg to Phefeni take about 31 min.

Issue 1 · 3 August 2026 · Tuesday to Saturday (the museum is closed on Mondays)

Your trains

Johannesburg and Phefeni · about 31 min

Mon to Fri: There: 06:30 to 19:20 · 13 trains Last back: 18:19
Saturday: There: 07:00 to 19:00 · 5 trains Last back: 18:19
Sunday: No trains: PRASA publishes no Sunday timetable

PRASA's published timetable, updated by PRASA 13 March 2026. Scheduled times, not live: service alerts.

The stops

Dotted: the walk from the station. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. North is up.

Phefeni station

Hector Pieterson Memorial

5 min · 412 m · east

The memorial to Hector Pieterson and the students of 16 June 1976.
Hector Pieterson Museum

8 min · 573 m · east

The museum of the 1976 student uprising, next to the memorial.

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00 (City of Johannesburg, May 2024). Closed on Mondays.

Price South Africans R23, international visitors R58. Free on 16 June.

City of Johannesburg: Hector Pieterson Museum (20 May 2024), checked 25 October 2026
Mandela House, Vilakazi Street

11 min · 832 m · south-east

Nelson Mandela's home on Vilakazi Street, now a museum.

Open Not on its website: check before you go. Closed on Good Friday, Family Day, Christmas Day, the Day of Goodwill and New Year's Day.

Price South Africans and African Union visitors: adults R105, over 60 R55, ages 7 to 18 and students R45. International visitors: adults R185, children and students R75. Cashless.

Mandela House, checked 25 October 2026

Walks: OpenStreetMap's walking routes from the station, checked 25 October 2026.

See Phefeni in the 3D train world

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Phefeni is the closest station to Vilakazi Street in Orlando West. The memorial, the museum and Mandela House are all within an 11-minute walk of the platform.

How to do it

Take a train from Johannesburg (Park Station) towards Naledi and get off at Phefeni.
Go from Tuesday to Saturday: the Hector Pieterson Museum is closed on Mondays, and there are no Sunday trains (PRASA publishes no Sunday timetable).
Many visitors see Soweto with a local guide, who can also show you more of it. The UK government’s travel advice recommends going to a township with a responsible, reliable guide.

Travel tips

The UK government’s travel advice lists PRASA’s Metrorail trains among transport with a higher risk of theft, so it is worth a little care:

Travel in daylight and at busier times, and sit in a busy carriage.
Keep your phone and valuables out of sight on the platform and on the train (UK government travel advice).
Wikivoyage notes that Johannesburg’s Park Station itself is quite safe but the streets around it may not be: go straight to your platform.
Times on this page are PRASA’s scheduled times. Trains can be late or cancelled.

Sources

PRASA's published Gauteng timetables (the trains on this page)
OpenStreetMap: places and walking routes (OSM foot router, routing.openstreetmap.de), checked 25 October 2026
Wikivoyage, Johannesburg: getting around and staying safe, checked 25 October 2026
UK government travel advice for South Africa: safety and security, checked 25 October 2026

PRASA ai is independent and not affiliated with PRASA or Metrorail, or with the places in this guide. Opening times and prices can change: check with the place before you go.