South Africa Suggested Itinerary - The Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria (vice versa) - Board one of the most luxurious trains in the world; The Blue Train for an unbelievably scenic and interesting journey to Cape Town or from Cape Town to Pretoria.
Since its inception in 1946, the Blue Train has become recognized as the epitome of luxury rail travel and an icon of the Southern African tourism, hospitality and leisure experience. Comparable to the world's finest hotels, each suite on board the train offers five star luxury accommodation, with private en-suite bathroom facilities.
The luxury element on the train is accentuated by the personalized butler service, fine cuisine and wide selection of South Africa's finest wines.
So, step aboard and journey into a timeless world of grace, elegance and romance on The Blue Train.
The luxury element on the train is accentuated by the personalized butler service, fine cuisine and wide selection of South Africa's finest wines.
So, step aboard and journey into a timeless world of grace, elegance and romance on The Blue Train.
Itinerary from Pretoria to Cape Town (day 2 is the same on both itineraries):
Day 1:
Day 1:
4pm: Register and check-in at The Pretoria Station Lounge. Guests enjoy pre-departure snacks and drinks.
6pm: Guests are boarded onto the train. The Blue Train departs from Pretoria at 6.30pm.
7:30pm: First sitting dinner.
9:15pm: Second sitting dinner.
6pm: Guests are boarded onto the train. The Blue Train departs from Pretoria at 6.30pm.
7:30pm: First sitting dinner.
9:15pm: Second sitting dinner.
DAY 2:
7:30am - 9am: Breakfast is served on a first come first serve basis. Breakfast can also be served in-suite at the guests’ request.
7:30am - 9am: Breakfast is served on a first come first serve basis. Breakfast can also be served in-suite at the guests’ request.
9.30am: The Blue Train arrives at Kimberley Station. Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape province, is the diamond capital of the world and well-known for its exquisite jewellery. Guests disembark and gather at the railway museum, from where they will be ushered to a bus, which transfers them to the Kimberley Open Mine Museum.
10am: Guests arrive at the Open Mine Museum for a tour of the mine. Guests are first taken to view interesting and historical sites. Guests are also taken onto an enclosed ramp on the edge of the Big Hole.
Right in the middle of the city, a giant 215-metre deep crater serves as a reminder of the diamond rush of the 1870s, where prospectors carved out the largest hand-dug excavation in the world in search of the precious gemstones. In its time, the Big Hole yielded an incredible 2 722 kilograms of diamonds.
Today, the Big Hole and its surrounds have been converted into a museum and tourist attraction.
Visitors can learn about the history of diamond mining in Kimberley, see historic memorabilia and buy diamonds slightly cheaper than usual. There is also a fascinating reconstruction of the ‘Old Town’ at the big hole that gives visitors an idea of what it was like to live there back in the town’s heydays of the late 1800s.
Visitors can learn about the history of diamond mining in Kimberley, see historic memorabilia and buy diamonds slightly cheaper than usual. There is also a fascinating reconstruction of the ‘Old Town’ at the big hole that gives visitors an idea of what it was like to live there back in the town’s heydays of the late 1800s.
12.30pm: Guests depart from the Open Mine Museum for Kimberley Station. At Kimberley Station guests are greeted with a glass of sherry. The sherry glass engraved with The Blue Train logo is a memento for guests to keep.
1pm: The Blue Train departs Kimberley Station for the Southbound journey to Cape Town. After this exciting tour, guests are welcome to refresh themselves and enjoy aperitifs served at any one of our lounges.
1pm - 2.15pm: First sitting for Lunch
2.30pm - 4pm: Second sitting for Lunch
5pm: High Tea is served in the Non-Smoking Lounge Car
7.30pm - 9pm: First sitting for Dinner
9.15pm - 11pm: Second sitting for Dinner
Guests enjoy post-dinner drinks, cognacs and Cuban cigars in the Club Car before retiring to bed.
Day 3:
6am - 9am: Breakfast is served on a first-come- first-served basis.
10.30am: The Blue Train arrives at Cape Town Station. Butlers usher guests to The Blue Train Lounge
Cape Town to Pretoria luxury train itinerary - the above in reverse.
Remember, dinner is an elegant affair and men are requested to wear a jacket and tie and ladies elegant evening wear.
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Pretoria to Cape Town or
Cape Town to Pretoria luxury train
Cabin type
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Low season:
01 January - 31 August 2019 & 16 November - 31 December 2019 |
High season:
01 September 2019 - 15 November 2019
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| Luxury Double rate per person sharing | R23 050 | R28 690 |
| Luxury Single rate including Supplement | R34 575 | R43 035 |
| De Luxe Double per person sharing | R18 405 | R22 715 |
| De Luxe Single rate including Supplement | R27 605 | R34 065 |
Rates are per person, inclusive of all meals, high tea, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and off-the train excursions excluding French champagne, caviar and external telephone calls.
Rates quoted are for a one-way journey and are subject to change without prior notification. Arrival times and off-the train excursions cannot be guaranteed. Reservations for children on request only.
Rates quoted are for a one-way journey and are subject to change without prior notification. Arrival times and off-the train excursions cannot be guaranteed. Reservations for children on request only.
Special requests for meals (e.g. Kosher and Halaal) to be specified at time of reservation.
Bed preference (double or single) to be specified when making a reservation, as double beds are limited.
Bed preference (double or single) to be specified when making a reservation, as double beds are limited.
Guests are requested to check in 1 hour prior to departure at The Blue Train lounges in Pretoria and Cape Town.
Pretoria to Cape Town luxury train:
Departure Time: Pretoria: 6.30pm / Arrival Time: Cape Town: 10.30am
Cape Town to Pretoria luxury train:
Departure Time: Cape Town: 4pm / Arrival Time: Pretoria: 10.30am
| 2019 | Pretoria to Cape Town 2019 dates | Cape Town to Pretoria 2019 dates |
| January | 7, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 | 10, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31 |
| February | 4, 13, 18, 25, 27 | 7, 16, 21, 28 |
| March | 4, 11, 13, 18, 25 | 2, 7, 14, 16, 21, 28 |
| April | 1, 8, 12, 22, 29 | 4, 11, 15, 25 |
| May | 6, 13, 20, 27 | 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 |
| June | 3, 10, 17, 24 | 6, 13, 20, 27 |
| July | 3, 10, 22, 24, 29 | 6, 13, 25, 27 |
| August | 5, 12, 19, 21, 26, 28 | 1, 8, 15, 22, 24, 29, 31 |
| September | 2, 9, 11, 18, 23 | 5, 12, 14, 21, 26 |
| October | 7, 9, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 | 10, 12, 19, 24, 26, 31 |
| November | 6, 13, 20, 27 | 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 |
| December | 4, 11, 16, 18 | 7, 14, 19, 21 |
One of the differences between Rovos Rail and The Blue Train is that some of the Blue Train suites have baths (albeit, small tubs).
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