Last Updated on October 5, 2024 by Hannah Stephenson
The Franschhoek wine tram is an iconic thing to do in Cape Town! Set in the Franschhoek Valley, this series of trams and tram buses transports wine lovers between wine farms all day long.
Does life really get better than that? For me, the short answer is no! I’ve done the Franschhoek wine tram multiple times and have absolutely loved it.
But if you’re on the fence about Franschhoek, or just don’t know a ton about it, allow me to convince you that doing the Franschhoek wine tram is totally worth it, whether you’re staying out in the winelands or day tripping from the city.
1. It’s Got the Novelty Factor
As far as I’m aware, the Franschhoek wine tram is the only wine tram in the world. It really is a unique activity, and something that you can only do here!
The trams and buses are old-school, too. I really love the fact that you get a tasting glass of wine as soon as you board the wine tram.
And sometimes, when you arrive at a wine farm, you’ll then be transferred to a tractor which will take you up to the tasting room. If that’s not novel, then I don’t know what is!
2. It’s Convenient
Not only does the Franschhoek wine tram have the novelty factor, it’s also an incredibly convenient way to hop between wine farms! You can visit up to 5 in a single day, although personally I like to stick to 4 and enjoy a longer lunch stop.
The trams usually stop at the wineries about once an hour, and the staff always let you know when the next one’s coming so that you don’t miss it. It’s a hop-on hop-off situation, and it’s so easy, even when you’re a few glasses deep!
The wine tram is also really easy to do from Cape Town. This wine tram tour is basically a package deal that includes bus transport out to Franschhoek, and your tram ticket!
I loved this tour because it made everything super easy. All I had to worry about was enjoying my wine!
3. It’s Affordable
Wine tram tickets cost R300, which I think is great value for money given that you get all-day transport between wine farms.
And if you’re coming from Cape Town, the wine tram tour costs R750, so it’s definitely cheaper than hiring a private driver!
The tasting fees at the wine farms are very reasonable, too. Prices vary between wineries and there are often a few different tasting options available.
The last time I did the wine tram, the cheapest tasting I did was R55 and the most expensive was R145.
4. It’s Flexible
The Franschhoek wine tram is a hop on, hop off experience, which means it offers a lot of flexibility. Trams stop at the farms roughly once per hour. It’s totally up to you which wineries you visit, and how long to stay at each one for.
Most tram routes pass about eight wineries, and it’s possible to visit up to five of them in a single day on the wine tram. However, I like to stick to four wineries myself. This means I can stay in one place for two hours and enjoy a nice, relaxed lunch.
But of course, you can take it even slower and just hit up 2 or 3 wineries. The choice is yours!
5. There Are Multiple Wine Tram Routes to Choose From
The Franschhoek wine tram has five different lines you can follow: Blue, Navy, Orange, Pink, and Red.
I have done the Blue and Navy lines. Personally, I preferred the Navy line, as I felt it had more beautiful wine farms. However, I’ll be honest with you, it really doesn’t matter too much which route you choose. All of them are home to some gorgeous wineries and the tram is just so much fun!
If you do the wine tram explorer tour from Cape Town that I mentioned earlier, you will usually end up doing the Navy Line. Between mid-December and early January, they do offer you the choice between a few different routes, as this is such a busy time of year. I loved the Navy line, though.
6. It’s Easy to Visit from Cape Town
Franschhoek is about an hour’s drive from Cape Town, but obviously driving is a big no-no when you’re drinking lots of wine. There are plenty of great hotels to stay at in Franschhoek, but if you don’t want to stay overnight, you can just book the wine tram tour from Cape Town!
I did this tour and it made doing the wine tram so easy. You can read my full review here, but it made travelling between Cape Town and Franschhoek an absolute breeze, and we had a fantastic day out.
I would definitely recommend doing the tour rather than Ubering to and from Franschhoek, just FYI. You’d probably be okay Ubering out to Franschhoek, but finding one to bring you back to the city might be a bit of a nightmare, so why risk it? The wine tram explorer tour is definitely a cheaper and more reliable option.
You can grab your spot on the wine tram explorer tour here!
7. Franschhoek is Beautiful!
The wine tram is not only a great way to taste a ton of different wines, it’s also perfect for soaking in the beauty of the Franschhoek Valley.
The lush green valley is covered in vineyards and surrounded by towering, craggy mountains. It’s absolutely stunning, and there really is nothing like sitting in the sunshine with a glass of wine in your hand and soaking up all of the views.
And I won’t lie, it’s a pretty great place to take some lovely photos and make everybody back home very jealous of your wine-related escapades!