Blue Train

In its 60 years of service, The Blue Train has earned its reputation as one of the world's leaders in luxury Africa train travel. When you board, you really do feeling you're stepping back into old world elegance with white-glove service, fine cuisine and luxurious accommodation.

There are two Blue trains, both recently redesigned and renovated, with carriages decorated in rich gold, deep blues and warm birch wood panelling. The Blue trains travel three times weekly between Pretoria and Cape Town, and can be chartered along their standard routes, or on custom trips combined with a round of golf, or wildlife viewing at a game reserve.

Each coach has a butler on call, so you can simply sit back and relax in your Blue Train suite as South Africa's scenery flashes past your window, or while away the miles in the club carriage with a drink from the well-stocked bar.

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Attractions

Comparable in standard to most five-star hotels, the Blue Train combines the latest technology with the elegance and romance of luxury train journeys.

By day your Blue Train luxury suite is a sitting area, where you can relax in comfortable lounge chairs and enjoy the changing views. In the evening your butler pulls out the custom-designed bed from the wall, cleverly converting the suite into a bedroom. Goosedown duvets and white cotton sheets are standard linen throughout the Blue Train.

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Activities

Life on board the Blue Train flows by at a leisurely pace. Relax in one of the wood-panelled lounges, play a game of chess or backgammon, tune in to the big-screen tv or browse a book from the library. There is also a boutique which sells beautiful gold and diamond jewellery from some of South Africa's top designers.

The most popular route is the 27-hour journey between Pretoria and Cape Town. The train stops at Kimberly on the southbound trip, and Matjiesfontein on its return journey.

In Kimberly guests ride an old tram down to the "Big Hole”, which dates back to South Africa's diamond rush days, and visit a number of interesting historic sites. Matjiesfontein is a pretty town stuck in a colonial time warp, and here guests have the chance to visit the famous Lord Milner Hotel and the old car museum.

The Durban route takes guests from Pretoria to Zimbali Lodge in Durban. Zimbali is known for its challenging 18-hole golf course, if golf doesn't do it for you, you can enjoy leisurely days of pampering spa treatments.

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Services

The Blue Train prides itself on personalised service. Each coach has a butler who serves a maximum of four Blue Train suites, and is always on hand to attend to guests' individual needs.

Every detail has been carefully planned to ensure a smooth and memorable luxury train journey; from the private departure lounge for Blue Train guests to special branded gifts when you disembark at your final destination.

Read our luxury train holiday FAQs for more information on luxury Blue Train holidays.

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Food and Wine

Luxury Blue Train Holidays are typified by fine luxury dining, and guests tend to dress for meals. Menus feature a selection of local cuisine from Karoo lamb and ostrich fillet to Knysna oysters, all carefully chosen to reflect the landscape through which you are travelling.

To accompany your meal, choose a bottle of South African wine from the award-winning winelist.

High tea is served in the main Blue Train lounge every afternoon, and in the evenings you can retire to the wood-panelled club car for after-dinner conversation over coffee, Cognac, and Cuban cigars.