Franschhoek Wine Tram, Complete Hop-off Route Guide

The Franschhoek wine tram is a classic double-decker tram that runs through the vineyards of the Franschhoek wine valley on an old railway line. Ride on this beautiful, fun train all day tasting wine and eating exquisite food, getting on and off at some of the best wine estates in the Cape Winelands. This is one of the most popular things to do in Franschhoek.  

The classic tram combines with open-air tram buses to explore 30 wine farms in the picturesque Franschhoek Valley. You can get on and off where you want. We love riding the Wine Tram! It is such a fun way to go wine tasting in the food and wine capital of South Africa. Explore the vineyards and distinguished wine estates with breathtaking scenery, fantastic wines, and world-class cuisine with warm hospitality in a very relaxed way.  Don´t miss our Complete Guide to Wine Tasting in Cape Town.

Full-Day Franschhoek Hop On Hop Off Wine Tram Tour from Cape Town 

Wine Tram tour from Cape Town – This day trip is a unique wine-tasting experience at a fantastic price. Convenient pickup and drop-off at Cape Town hotels and the Franschhoek Wine Tram terminal, so no driving is required. This is one of the best things to do in Cape Town. 

How does the Franschhoek Wine Tram work?

This is a hop-on, hop-off wine tasting tram. The tram runs on a circular route you can hop off at wine farms that you would like to visit and hop on when you’re ready to move on to the next wine estate. A tram comes past every hour. 

At the time of writing (December 2023) the Franschhoek Wine Tram and connected open-air tram buses operate on 5 different hop-on and hop-off tram lines that run through the Franschhoek Wine Valley, stopping at 30 different wineries.  The tram lines are color-coded, each stopping at 8 or 9 wine estates.

So decide which wine farms you want to visit, pick the line with these farms on the wine route, and start your hop-off experience.  All wine farms are not connected to the railway line, so all lines are a combination of traveling by tram and open-air tram-bus. The tram takes an hour to complete the full circuit so a tram will come past every stop every hour. Each line has a tram first or bus first option, Depending on which you choose you will visit the same wine farms, but in a different order.  A big advantage of the tram is that you can drink wine without driving. We have found that visiting 3 farms on a day worked very well for us. A one-hour stop at each farm wine tasting was a good time frame, we did spend two hours at the farms where we had food wine pairings or something to eat. 

Where do you board the Franschhoek Wine Tram?

There are two terminals The Franschhoek terminal and the Groot Drakenstein terminal. The red, pink, or blue lines depart from the Franschhoek terminal and the orange line and navy lines depart from the Groot Drakenstein terminal. Your tour begins and ends at the same terminal. The Franschhoek terminal located in town is the more popular terminal. Coffee and pastries are available to purchase at the stations. In summer it is advised to buy tickets ahead. A free bus travels between the Franschhoek Terminal and the Groot Drakenstein Terminal, so you can park at the Franschhoek terminal in town and take the bus to the Drakenstein terminal. Remember to add 30 minutes to your departure time. 

Where do you buy your Franschhoek Wine Tram tickets?

Tickets can be bought at the Wine Tram online or at the central station (GPS Pin), where your tour will start. For the standard hop-on hop-off lines experience the current price is R300 per ticket (2024). A Wine Tram ticket office in town also sells tickets, but you have to depart from one of the stations. Wine tastings are not included in the ticket price, this is the price for the transport on the wine tram. Book here for a Wine Tram Tour from Cape Town with pick-up and drop-off. 

Which Franschhoek Wine Tram Route to Choose?

There are five different lines, how do you know which line to choose? First look at which wine farms you would like to visit, then pick a line going to your farms of choice. Check if the departing time suits you. We often go wine tasting in Franschhoek, you can see all about our favorite wine farms in Franschhoek here. Franschhoek is widely known as the gourmet capital of South Africa, the tram is the best way to taste fine wines, learn about wine cultivation, and eat delicious food while enjoying breath-taking scenery in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Here are some of our favorite things about different wine estates on each tram line. 

Some Highlights on the Different Tram Lines

Blue Line

• La Bri – Chocolate Pairing, Turkish Delight Pairing, Biltong Experience
• Rickety Bridge – Family friendly with a playground, restaurant, pizza oven, and fun activities
• Grande Provence – Beautiful garden, excellent space for fine dining and wine tasting. Fantastic fine dining restaurant, Wine & Nougat Pairing, Oyster & MCC Pairing

Orange Line

• Babylonstoren – Beautiful fruit and vegetable garden, nice to explore. Greenhouse Restaurant is something magical to experience.
• Vrede en Lust – Garden Walk, Lindt Chocolate Pairing (pre-booked), Dalewood Cheese Pairing (pre-booked)

Pink Line

• Dieu Donné – Some of our favorite views in the Franschhoek Valley. Excellent cheese platter. Love the wooded Chardonnay
• Chamonix – excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, Cellar tour (pre-booked)
• Rickety Bridge – Family friendly with a playground, restaurant, pizza oven, and fun activities
• Grande Provence – Beautiful garden, excellent space for fine dining and wine tasting. Fantastic fine dining restaurant, Wine & Nougat Pairing, Oyster & MCC Pairing

Red Line

• Chamonix – excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, Cellar tour (pre-booked)
• Dieu Donné – Some of our favorite views in the Franschhoek Valley. Excellent cheese platter. Love the wooded Chardonnay
• Haute Cabrière – beautiful farm with unreal views of the valley. Excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Cap Classique range (Champagne).
• Rickety Bridge – Family friendly with a playground, restaurant, pizza oven, and fun activities
• Grande Provence – Beautiful garden, excellent space for fine dining and wine tasting. Fantastic fine dining restaurant, Wine & Nougat Pairing, Oyster & MCC Pairing

Navy Line

• Boschendal – Wine Tasting & Pairings, Werf Restaurant & Bar, Deli Restaurant, Picnic, Kids Playground, Farm shop & butchery, and more.
• Vrede en Lust – Garden Walk, Lindt Chocolate Pairing (pre-booked), Dalewood Cheese Pairing (pre-booked)

Franschhoek Wine Tram Experiences

Several different wine-tasting experiences are available on the Wine Tram according to the tasting and dining requirements of your group.

Hop-on Hop-off Wine Experience

The most popular option is the Hop-on Hop-off Experience. This is the standard self-guided circuit that allows you to hop on and off as you like. Experience the different activities on offer at the wine estates on your line of choice, wine tasting, a cellar tour, lunch, or just walking through the vineyards. When you’re ready, simply hop on to continue your journey.

The Curated Wine Experience 

Designed for the serious food and wine enthusiast. A knowledgeable wine ambassador accompanies you to premium tastings and pairings at a selection of wine estates. Also enjoy a cellar & vineyard tour, and a specially curated three-course lunch. Learn about the tastes of terroir, local grape varieties, cultivars, and unique aspects of viticulture in Southern Africa. Price R1800 pp (2024)

Exceptional Wine & Cuisine Experience

this day is all about enjoying the experience. A great breakfast, exceptional lunch, and sipping champagne on the tram in between. During this wine-tasting experience, you will learn about the history, culture, and wines of Franschhoek. Enjoy unique food and wine pairings, including breakfast, lunch, dessert, and a unique Sabrage experience.

Group Experience

This experience is a dedicated tour for groups of 20 or more guests. Visit up to three renowned wine estates in Franschhoek over the day by double-decker tram and open-air tram bus. The perfect way to celebrate, connect, or reunite with friends, family, or colleagues.

More Wine Tasting in the Cape Winelands Resources