Transport on Saint Helena#Rail

The island of Saint Helena has a {{convert|138|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} road network, consisting of {{convert|118|km|mi}} of paved and {{convert|20|km|mi}} of unpaved road.{{cite web |url = https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/saint-helena-ascension-and-tristan-da-cunha/ |title = St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |work = CIA World Factbook |year = 2015 |access-date = 1 February 2016 }} Most roads are single-lane, and uphill traffic has a right of way. A general speed limit of {{convert|30|mph|km/h}} applies to the entire island. On Saint Helena there is a public bus network that in January 2015 served five routes,{{cite web |url = http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Public-Transport-Timetable-from-January-2015.pdf |title = Public Transport Timetable – from January 2015 |publisher = St Helena Government |access-date = 1 February 2016 }} but was expanded in September 2015,{{cite news |url = http://www.sams.sh/sentinel/Sentinel_160121.pdf |title = SHG Breaks Public Transport Promises Again |work = The Sentinel |date = 21 January 2016 |page = 11 }} March 2016{{cite news |url = http://www.sams.sh/sentinel/Sentinel_160211.pdf |title = Finally Here! – Bus Contract Arrives Behind Schedule |work = The Sentinel |date = 11 February 2016 |at = S. 11 |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 16 February 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160216082552/http://www.sams.sh/sentinel/Sentinel_160211.pdf |url-status = dead }} and October 2017.{{cite web |url = http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/transport-and-infrastructure-division/ |title = Public Transport Timetables – Effective from 1 Oct 2017 |publisher = St Helena Government |date = 1 October 2017 |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 1 February 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160201081711/http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/transport-and-infrastructure-division/ |url-status = dead }}

The M/V Helena serves the island from Cape Town on a monthly basis.{{cite news |url = http://www.sams.sh/sentinel/Sentinel_160317.pdf |title = AW Ship Management Release Cargo Ship Schedule |work = The Sentinel |date = 17 March 2016 |page = 12 |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 25 March 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160325155254/http://www.sams.sh/sentinel/Sentinel_160317.pdf |url-status = dead }}{{Cite web |url = http://sthelenashipping.com/ |title = Home - St Helena Shipping and Marine Cargo Service |last = Shipping |first = St Helena |website = St Helena Shipping |language = en |access-date = 2019-01-11 |archive-date = 7 June 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220607234827/https://sthelenashipping.com/ |url-status = dead }} The ship was built in 1998 in China and can take {{convert|4924|t}} of cargo, or 218 TEU.

Saint Helena has a feeder and a harbour:

• Jamestown (feeder)
• Rupert's Wharf in the Rupert's Valley (harbour)

File:St Helena Airport Terminal (16331626258).jpg

With the opening of Saint Helena Airport, scheduled flights have been operated since 14 October 2017, twelve years after the British government agreed to fund it in order to encourage tourism to the island.{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Julia |date=2017-12-17 |title=How it feels to fly into the 'world's most useless airport' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/st-helena-flights-how-to-get-there-airport-wind-shear-airlink-ticket-price-is-it-dangerous-a8130011.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}

The new airport is served weekly from Johannesburg (South Africa).{{Cite news |last=Cropley |first=Ed |date=2017-10-15 |title=Tears and joy on Britain's St. Helena as 'world's most useless airport' finally opens |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/tears-and-joy-on-britains-st-helena-as-worlds-most-useless-airport-finally-idUSKBN1CJ0QF/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=Reuters}} During the pandemic 2020-2021 this service were temporarily cancelled and instead monthly flights operated from London (UK), but from 2022 there were flights from Johannesburg again, and by 2023 the flights came twice weekly in the summer season.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-17 |title=St Helena Air Services |url=https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/2023/press-releases/st-helena-air-services/ |website=Saint Helena Government}}

File:Jamestown Jacobs Ladder.jpg

In 1829, the Saint Helena Railway Company opened a horse-drawn railway from Jamestown to Half Tree Hollow,{{cite web |url = http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FY30482B |title = Views of St Helena |publisher = Cambridge University Library; Royal Commonwealth Society Library |access-date = 1 February 2016 }} which was also known as Ladder Hill Railway, or Jacob's Ladder. The main purpose was to transport goods from the port of Jamestown to the higher houses. The service was discontinued in 1871 because it was damaged by termites.{{cite web |url = http://sainthelenaisland.info/jacobsladder.htm |title = Jacob's Ladder |work = Saint Helena Island Info |access-date = 1 February 2016 }}

Another small rail network was built for the seawater desalination plant in Ruperts. Details of the track are not known.{{cite web |url = http://sainthelenaisland.info/railway.htm |title = Our (other) Railway |work = Saint Helena Island Info |access-date = 1 February 2016 }}

On Ascension there is a road network of {{convert|40|km|mi}}, which is continuously paved. The public bus transport network has four stops (as of 2014).{{cite web |url = http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Weekend-bus-service-from-3-January-2014.pdf |title = Weekend Bus Service |publisher = Ascension Island Government |date = January 2014 |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 2 August 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140802160420/http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Weekend-bus-service-from-3-January-2014.pdf |url-status = dead }}

Ascension has a feeder in the island's capital Georgetown. The port was modernized in 2011 with a new crane, among other things.{{cite web |url = http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Public-Notice-Crane.pdf |title = New Harbour Crane for Ascension Island |publisher = Ascension Island Government |access-date = 15 March 2011 |archive-date = 1 February 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160201081703/http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Public-Notice-Crane.pdf |url-status = dead }}

File:Ascension Island, Wideawake Airfield (1).JPG

With Wideawake Airfield, Ascension has had an airport since 1943. It is primarily used for military purposes, but is also served by monthly scheduled services from Saint Helena.{{cite web |url=https://www.ascension.gov.ac/travel-and-shipping/travel-by-air/ |title=Travel by Air – Ascension Island Government |website=www.ascension.gov.ac |access-date=9 August 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ascension.gov.ac/further-st-helena-charter-flights-confirmed |title=Further St Helena Charter Flights Confirmed – Ascension Island Government |website=www.ascension.gov.ac |access-date=9 August 2020}}

Tristan da Cunha has a road network of {{convert|20|km|mi}}, half of which is paved or half unpaved. The island has probably the smallest public bus network in the world. The fleet of minibuses is available to pensioners free of charge.{{cite web |url = http://www.tristandc.com/newstransport.php |title = Tristan da Cunha Land Transport |work = The Tristan da Cunha Website |access-date = 1 February 2016 }}

File:Edinburgh of the Seven Seas 02.jpg

The shipping traffic is of outstanding importance for Tristan da Cunha, which has no airfield. All goods and travellers can only reach the island by sea. Tristan da Cunha is approached irregularly from Cape Town by MFV Edinburgh, M/V Baltic Trader, and S. A. Agulhas II.{{cite web |url = http://www.tristandc.com/shipping.php |title = Tristan da Cunha Shipping Schedule |publisher = Tristan da Cunha Government |access-date = 17 February 2016 }}

Tristan da Cunha has with the Calshot Harbour{{cite web |url = http://www.tristandc.com/harbour.php |title = Tristan da Cunha's Calshot Harbour |work = The Tristan da Cunha Website |access-date = 1 February 2016 }} a port in Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The port was comprehensively renovated at the beginning of 2017. It is 2 meters deep and takes only smaller boats. All larger ships have to stay offshore and both passengers and cargo have to be transferred to small boats.

Tristan da Cunha has no airport or airstrip of any kind.https://www.tristandc.com/visits.php | Tristan da Cunha Visiting Tristan. Retrieved 9 August 2020

The S.A Agulhas II has a helicopter which is used for transport between the ship and land.{{cite web| url = https://www.tristandc.com/newsagulhas2018.php| title = 2018 SA Agulhas II Visit}} The other ships regularly visiting Tristan da Cunha don't have that, and transport ashore is done with small boats which requires waves not to be too large.

• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha#Communications
• Communications in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Transport in Saint Helena}}

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4350605.stm BBC News- "Saint Helena to get first airport"]

Saint Helena