The Blue Train Pretoria-cape Town

 

The Blue Train owes its origins to the Union Express, which started journeys between Cape Town and Johannesburg in 1923. In 1946 it first bore the Blue Train name and now offers luxury travel from Cape Town to Pretoria.

DAY 1 - PRETORIA
Your journey will start at around 9am in South Africa's capital. As you head south you will view spectacular ever changing scenery from the goldfields of the Witwatersrand to the rolling farmlands of the North West Province. Your train will stop in the diamond town of Kimberley - an excursion is included. You will then rejoin the train and continue south. Overnight you will pass through the vast semi-arid desert of the Karoo. (l,d)

DAY 2 - CAPE TOWN
In the morning you will pass through the mountains into the Hex River Valley. You will then pass through Paarl and the Western Cape's winelands before arriving into Cape Town around midday. (b) The journey is also available in reverse. Northbound trains stop at Matjiesfontein rather than at Kimberley.

TRAIN DETAILS
The train usually operates with 8 or 9 sleeping carriages, one dining carriage, two lounge carriages and an observation carriage, on certain departures. Prices include all meals, snacks and drinks. Dining is a real feature of the journey and dinner is served table d'hôte style, lunch and dinner are usually served in two sittings. Guests are requested to dress smartly for dinner, with gentlemen required to wear a jacket and tie. Dress is more casual during the daytime. Each carriage has a butler, who is on call 24-hours to assist you.

The Blue Train has two suite types, both are air-conditioned and elegantly furnished. The deluxe suites (2 adults) have twin beds and private shower or a double bed with 3/4 bath. The larger luxury suites (2 adults) offers a full size bath and a DVD player. By day the train's elegantly furnished private suites provide a generously comfortable lounge. As night falls they become subtly lit, en suite bedrooms.