Book Now

Picnic Train to Darling Cellars

Pack a picnic and join us on a leisurely adventure to laid back Darling Cellars.

Quick Details

Duration:
Approximately 9 hours 30 minutes (08h00 to 17h30). Check-in opens at 07h00.
Adults
age 18-59
R799
Pensioners
age 60+
R650
Children
age 4-17
R550
Infants
age 0-3
Free

Cape Rail Company Train to Darling Cellars

People wait beside a red train at a platform with large planters.
Smiling person leaning out of a red train on a countryside track.
Four smiling people inside a wooden train carriage.

Climb aboard for a relaxed day out to the Cape’s countryside as we travel from Cape Town to Mamre Weg (about 10 km outside Darling) for a memorable picnic stop at Darling Cellars.

Onboard, the Darling Cellars team will host informal wine chats and tastings, with wines available to purchase by the glass from the bar.
At Darling Cellars, guests can enjoy a lively yet laid-back atmosphere with entertainment/DJ, kiddies activities, and a fully branded Darling Cellars experience.

Guests are encouraged to pack their own picnic for the journey, as very limited food sales will be available at the venue and delivery times cannot be guaranteed. All drinks are required to be purchased onboard or at the venue.

Spa services will be available onboard, offering guests the option to add an extra touch of relaxation to their journey.

This experience is ideal for friends, families, and wine lovers looking for a social escape—without the hassle of driving.

Itinerary

08:00 – Check-in opens at the platform

09:00 – Depart Cape Town

11:30 – Arrive Darling Cellars (Mamre Weg) for picnic lunch (bring your own), wine, live entertainment, and activities.

14:00 – Depart Mamre Weg

16:30 – Arrive Cape Town (Harbor Bridge)

What’s Included

  • Return train journey from Cape Town to Darling Cellars at Mamre Weg (10 km before Darling)
  • Welcome drink on departure
  • Complimentary Darling Cellars wine sampling onboard
  • Braai fires at Darling Cellars, with grids and tongs provided
  • Access to the jumping castle and water slides
  • Live performance by Nic Stevens

What to Bring

  • Your own picnic, and meat for the braai if you plan to use the fires
  • Your own cutlery, plates and a sharp knife if you are braaiing
  • Debit/Credit Card for purchases (the train is cashless)
  • A picnic blanket
  • Swimming clothes and a towel for the children
  • Comfortable clothing and closed walking shoes for the gravel walk to the venue
  • Insect repellent, as the miggies are usually about in September
  • Sunscreen and a hat
  • A light jacket or warm layer, as the coaches are not air-conditioned
  • A power bank, as charging points onboard are limited
  • Any chronic medication, in case of operational delays
  • A cooler box for your food is welcome. No drinks may be brought along

What’s Not Included

  • Food. Guests pack their own picnic, or pre-order a braai pack or picnic box
  • All drinks, which are purchased onboard and at the venue
  • Onboard spa treatments
  • Transfers to and from the departure point
  • Parking at the departure point

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Darling Cellars?

+−

Darling Cellars is at Mamre Weg, about 10 km before the town of Darling. The train stops at the cellar itself. It does not travel into Darling town, so please do not plan around visiting the village.

Can I bring my own drinks?

+−

No. No drinks of any kind may be brought along, including soft drinks and juice for children. All drinks are purchased onboard the train and at Darling Cellars. You are welcome to bring a cooler box for your picnic food and braai meat.

What do I need to bring for the braai?

+−

Braai fires, grids and tongs are provided at Darling Cellars. Bring your meat, your own cutlery and plates, and a sharp knife. If you have pre-ordered a braai pack, you still need to bring your own cutlery.

How do I pre-order a braai pack or picnic box?

+−

Select them as add-ons when you make your booking. To add them to a booking you have already made, email bookings@ceresrail.co.za with your booking number. Pre-orders close on 20 September 2026 and are paid for at the time of booking. Only very limited other food is available at Darling Cellars and the wait can be long, so pre-ordering or packing your own picnic is strongly recommended.

Is the train hauled by a steam locomotive?

+−

No. This journey is hauled by diesel locomotives, unless operational circumstances change. Our steam locomotive Clare (Class 19D number 3322) is currently in for repairs, with a return to service expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. That return date is not yet confirmed.

We are booking separately. Can we sit together?

+−

Seating is pre-allocated and there is one seating type, Day Seating. Guests who book together in one transaction are automatically seated together. If you have booked separately and want to sit with another party, email bookings@ceresrail.co.za with your booking number and the name or reference of the other booking, and we will arrange it.

Is there anything for children to do?

+−

Yes. There is a jumping castle and there are water slides at Darling Cellars, both free to use. Please pack swimming clothes and a towel. Parents are responsible for supervising their own children and these activities are used at own risk. Children aged 3 and under travel free.

Do I need to bring camping chairs or a gazebo?

+−

No. There is seating and shade at Darling Cellars. A picnic blanket is all you need. Insect repellent is worth packing, as the miggies are usually about at this time of year.

Is the train wheelchair accessible?

+−

Unfortunately not. There are no wheelchair facilities onboard. There is no platform at Darling Cellars, so guests board and disembark via ramps and then walk 100 to 150 m over gravel to the venue. Guests also need to be able to move between vintage carriages.

Are there toilets?

+−

Yes. Toilets are available onboard the train and at Darling Cellars.

Can I buy wine to take home?

+−

Yes. Darling Cellars sells wine by the glass and by the bottle, the tasting room is open, and you are welcome to buy wine to take home with you on the train. Darling Breweries will also have a beer stand at the venue.

What happens during the journey itself?

+−

About five and a half of the nine and a half hours are on the train. There is a welcome drink on departure, complimentary Darling Cellars wine sampling onboard, a bar, snack sales, and our baristas making coffee. Spa treatments are available onboard for your own account, booked on the day. It is a slow day with the people you came with.

What time should I arrive for check-in?

+−

Check-in opens at 07h00 and the train departs at 08h00 sharp. Please allow the full hour between check-in opening and departure for parking, check-in and boarding. The train departs on schedule and late arrivals cannot be accommodated.

Is there Wi-Fi onboard?

+−

No, there is no Wi-Fi on the train, and mobile signal comes and goes along rural sections of the line. Charging points onboard are limited, so a power bank is worth packing.

What happens if the weather is bad?

+−

The decision to run or cancel a journey in adverse weather rests with the Transnet Track Inspectors, who assess the line. Ceres Rail Company does not make that call. If a journey is cancelled we contact you as early as we can and arrange a transfer or refund.

Related Items

Red train at Botrivier station with sign to Cape Town.

The Overberg Explorer

Travel from Bot River to Elgin Railway Market on this half-day trip through the stunning Overberg.

Journey length: 5 hours

Price from:

R320

Book Now Learn More
Two people enjoy drinks in a train cabin with a window view.

Vintage Train to Elgin Railway Market

Travel through the Cape landscape aboard a vintage train to the lively Elgin Railway Market.

Journey length: 10 hours

Price from:

R799

Book Now Learn More
Two women in sunglasses enjoying drinks on a train with a scenic view outside the window.
Three people waving from windows of a red train at a station, plants in the foreground.
Smiling person leaning out of a red train on a countryside track.
Four smiling people inside a wooden train carriage.
People wait beside a red train at a platform with large planters.
Book Now Buy a Gift Card
Adults
age 18-59
R799
Pensioners
age 60+
R650
Children
age 4-17
R550
Infants
age 0-3
Free
Book Picnic Train to Darling Cellars
Powered by FareHarbor
Privacy & Cookie Statement