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Blue Train – Pretoria to Cape Town

2 days, 1 night

+- Overview

Quiet elegance, gracious service, fine dining and luxurious accommodations – these are the words that best describe the Blue Train experience.  The Blue Train thinks of itself as “a window to the soul of South Africa”; a most apt description as you picture yourself watching the country’s scenic beauty unfold from the comfort of your suite or from one of the elegant lounges while enjoying high tea or being served a pre-dinner cocktail.  Travelling from either Pretoria to Cape Town or visa-versa, this will be unlike any train journey you’ve ever experienced.  Covering 1,600 kilometers in 27 hours, each route has one stop for an excursion at either Kimberley, famous for its massive diamond mines or at Matjiesfontein, a Victorian-era town where you’ll step back into the past.  Throughout the day, the train rolls through ever-changing countryside from the rolling plains of the centre of South Africa to the soaring mountains of the Cape.

Route Details

Pretoria › Cape Town

+- Daily Itinerary
+ - Day 1 Pretoria › Kimberley › Cape Town
Arrival

Arrive early this morning at Pretoria Station (7:50 – 8:30am) to register and check-in at The Blue Train Lounge.  Light snacks and drinks will be served before boarding.

Boarding begins at 8:30am. You will be shown to your suite by the train’s butlers who will give you an orientation of your suite’s amenities.  The Blue Train departs from Pretoria at 8:50am on its southwest route towards the Cape.

Spend the morning settling in and relaxing as you watch cities and towns give way to the countryside of the Free State Province.  Then it’s time for a wonderful lunch (two sittings are offered - 12:00pm – 2:00pm and 2:00pm – 4:00pm).  This afternoon, enjoy High tea served in the Lounge Car.

Shortly after 5pm, the Blue Train arrives in Kimberley where you will disembark at the railway museum.  Set off by bus to the centre of Kimberley and board an old tram for a ride down to the world-renown diamond mine.  After a tour of the Open Mine Museum you’ll have the opportunity to see the great Kimberley hole from an enclosed ramp at the digging site’s edge.

Arriving back at the station, enjoy a complimentary glass of sherry. Engraved with the Blue Train logo, the sherry glass is a memento for you to keep.  As the Blue Train sets off again, heading south to Cape Town, there’ll be time to change for dinner (for gentlemen, a jacket and tie are required and ladies are requested to wear elegant evening attire), and to have a pre-dinner drink served at any of train’s lounges.  Dinner is served in the dining car (two sittings are offered – 7.30pm and 9.15pm).

Overnight Accommodations

Blue Train Deluxe Category – Deluxe Suite
Blue Train Luxury Category – Luxury Suite

Included Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

+ - Day 2 Cape Town

Start the day with a wonderful breakfast served throughout the morning or treat yourself to breakfast in your suite.  For the balance of the morning, marvel at the stunning scenery as the Blue Train travels through the mountains of the Western Cape. 

The journey ends on arrival at the station in Cape Town at 12 Noon where you will be assisted by the train’s butlers with disembarkation.

Departure

Included Meals

Breakfast

+- Accommodations

Overnight Accommodations

We offer several packages for this tour. The package price varies by your selected accommodations. The itinerary is the same for each package.

+-Deluxe Suite
+ - Blue Train Deluxe Category

The suites on the Blue Train live up to its reputation for magnificence and splendor.  The finest bed linen, marble tiles and gold fittings in the bathrooms and sheer opulence all ensure that guests will never forget the time they spend on the Blue train

There are nine Deluxe coaches on the first train and eight on the twin with the conference car.  The Deluxe coaches have four suites per coach, one suite with a bath and the others with showers.  The Deluxe suites feature either twin beds with a shower, or double beds with a bathtub and handheld shower.

+-Luxury Suite
+ - Blue Train Luxury Category

The suites on the Blue Train live up to its reputation for magnificence and splendor.  The finest bed linen, marble tiles and gold fittings in the bathrooms and sheer opulence all ensure that guests will never forget the time they spend on the Blue train

There are two luxury coaches which both have three suites with bathrooms fitted with tubs.  Each suite has its own bathroom with either a shower or bath.  The luxury suites (which are larger than the Deluxe Suites) extend your personal domain by more than a metre, and the twin or double bed suites offer deep, long baths for slow, luxuriant soaking.  The suites extend the choice of radio and movie channels even further by including a private digital entertainment centre and an inviting selection of music CDs and big-screen movies on DVD

+- Inclusions

Features & Services

Included

  • 1 Night Accommodation

    We provide you with overnight accommodations for 1 nights with private en-suite facilities, as described in your selected itinerary.

  • Included Meals

    We provide you with all meals on board the train. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions in advance.

  • Included Drinks

    We provide you with all alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages on board the train.

  • Driver & Guides

    Our professional guides are at your service. We guarantee our guides are friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help you. All our local guides and drivers speak English fluently.

  • Local Fees & Taxes

    We cover applicable entrance fees for sightseeing and excursions as described in the itinerary. We cover applicable local government taxes and service charges on accommodations and transportation.

Not Included

  • International & Domestic Airfare, Airport Taxes & Fees

    Our price are inclusive of land arrangements only. See our Air & Land Inclusive collection for packages that include airfare. Airport taxes and security related fees are subject to change with or without notice.

  • Tips & Gratuities

    Tips and gratuities to drivers, guides, hotel/camp and restaurant staff shall be at awarded your discretion.

  • Hotel & Room Services

    We provide overnight accommodations as described in the itinerary.

  • Personal Items & Services

    Items or services of a personal nature, such as gifts, or transportation not described in the itinerary are additional.

  • Optional tours or excursions

    Time permitting, any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary may be enjoyed at your own expense.

+- Booking

Dates & Pricing

We offer several packages for this tour. The package price varies by selected accommodations. The itinerary is the same for each package.

Display prices in Hide this box

+-Deluxe Suite

For Travel Dates Between:

Price:

Single Room Supplement:

 
Per person, based on double twin room occupancy.
For single room occupancy when joining a minimum of 2 passengers.
+-Luxury Suite

For Travel Dates Between:

Price:

Single Room Supplement:

 
Per person, based on double twin room occupancy.
For single room occupancy when joining a minimum of 2 passengers.

Booking Details

Departures

Join in Pretoria on selected Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays listed below. 

Departure Dates 2012

January 9, 16, 23, 30
February 6, 13, 20, 27
March 5, 12, 19, 26
April 9, 16, 23
May 7, 14, 21, 28
June 4, 11, 18, 25
July 2,16, 23, 30
August 6, 13, 20, 27
September 3, 10, 17, 24
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
November 5, 12, 19, 26
December 3, 10, 17

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