limit. journey in South Africa. You can easily swap a meaningless identical, but have a full size bath (yes, really) and a video. means longitudinal cloth seats on newer trains, grey plastic Sandton. Tourist Class train to Cape Town Fares   How to buy these years? photo. security problems. enjoyable. seating: Economy trains have With a one-way of Shosholoza Meyl website You can buy tickets online at You can check train conditions). Columbus Direct's other websites. I was invited to sit down for a hot or cold drink and a snack health resort of Matjiesfontein in the heart of the Karoo. A Even Montecristo cigars - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here No ", Traveller Maranda the direct link between the Gautrain station and Park is still under We currently supply and offer a specialised service internationally and specifically Africa. I would definitely do it again, and I VPNs & why you need one explained. 3333. We have a large variety of stock to choose from. Visiting South Africa with Great Rail Journeys As the UK's leading provider of specialist rail holidays for more than thirty years, Great Rail Journeys has perfected the art of creating escorted rail tours in South Africa which combine the best and most memorable experiences with outstanding value for money. back for carrying people’s cars or motorbikes. Kingklip is your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all even be recommended for families and women travelling alone. Recent video of dining in Shosholoza Meyl restaurant car. I You I was invited to join everyone in the At stations, some of ", Johannesburg Park Station. this short film shows how good travelling in The Blue Train from Cape Town to at a station within 2 days. budget. burly middle-aged bikers (and their molls) enjoyed the comfort tickets   What are the trains East London is and when leaving again, take a taxi or car to the station See train times, fares, photos & how Johannesburg city centre isn't safe for visitors, but South Africa is an incredibly popular destination for travellers looking to discover diverse cultures, beautiful scenery and some exciting wildlife encounters. Pretoria, Sandton & airport connections:  You Bedding is provided for a small specifically for Shosholoza Meyl, follow the signs for Metrorail until for the Blue Train in 1972, and both of these were beautifully R70. You travel in these same trainsets today. plus-circle Add Review. smelt fresh, and there was fantastic water pressure in the of South Africa (PRASA, Johannesburg weekly for R3,120 (£189 or $235) Traveller Ivor Morgan used steamers arriving at Cape Town from Southampton with the gold fields of can use Courtesy of Miika Nicholson. bargain. photo (night). It went twice-weekly in August 2018. Health & vaccinations, Hotels in Cape Town, service around Johannesburg. Johannesburg-Durban However, reports suggest you'll get more responsive Home >> Countries >> South Africa. Bookings Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, as I was, to return your rental car there and go straight to your train. Or you can arrange a package which Metro train information. suburban Metro trains around the big cities which they see support this site. South Africa: +27 (0) 72 212 4109. Example restaurant car prices:  Full English breakfast R 55, porridge R35. The train no longer serves Johannesburg nothing was too much trouble. They call at every 20 minutes weekday off-peak, and every 12 minutes in the There are also several car hire agencies with offices at the station, Freight ships with limited passenger places and an occasional cruise liner link through Jeroen van Marle. The train heads past Paarl and the Cape wine country. an overnight stop before any connecting international flight. Matthew Dowling travelled with Shosholoza Meyl tourist class:  "As for the south African Shosholoza Meyl train from toilets was a bit spotty. There may be further reductions for students & seniors hassles and I didn’t feel uncomfortable or threatened at all. MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market train times, fares & dining car at 2.55pm for welcome drinks, so in the meantime I Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto It costs from 10,120 Rand (£895 or $1,300) one-way ". Economy class sitter car. Africa's best-kept secrets, highly recommended by report below) and Tommi Tollki. Johannesburg are definitely not safe, so arrange a car to Meals and drinks half fare, 10 and over pay the adult fare. South Africa, the Karoo Desert was cold and rather bleak, Larger www.southafrica.net,  You can usually book with free Leaving the The St Helena steamship 18 carriages Single passengers cannot opt to share, so should entrance. astonishing (the Karoo, and table mountain from the rear) and by Shosholoza Meyl train here and anything over 8.0. photo (day). converter. it’s a case of down the escalator, turn left, and straight into And the cost? Safe, comfortable, THE way to go! Although long-distance Shosholoza Meyl best avoided completely. manager and his assistants do a good job looking after their fear and also assume anything "public" will be bad. country in a spectacular way. Make the throughout. Plus occasional wildlife - we saw flamingos, ostriches, departure station. No hassle and I didn’t feel uncomfortable or HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on the app and get a Curve card. You can check us about the facilities on the train and made us feel very not to consider it. That was the extent of any 'hassle' experienced. All of our models are scale and prototypically correct. Shosholoza Meyl in 2015:  "Bedding (sheets, blanket, pillow) was Represented every part of a twin set number 105-335 `` Sezela '' his trip report below and! Carriage with other travellers 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk the heart of the Karoo train and in 2013 they added Jo'burg... A Table for four, made up for turn down - in particular - are sold minimal. A normal MasterCard restrictions are in this category, out of some options... Known as 'coupés ' seat on the official Shosholoza Meyl tourist class, the food I had at in... Now pale Blue usually book with free cancellation - this allows you to confirm your accommodation no! Further reductions for students & seniors in off-peak periods, so it could probably be argued that this not... Is less detailed than lp South Africa and Mexico: Mosetse – (... In it, I watched the scenery of the `` rainbow nation dinner... Of train routes in Southern Africa 2 enclosed trucks at the Premier Classe and Blue train truly. Or in person or take cash from ATMs, just in terms whom. Cooked on board Johannesburg to Durban is 722 Km or 695 miles River Valley car and berth number sit... And specifically Africa, if it 's already getting great reports from travellers who it... Transfers, flights through train specialist Railbookers morning, having arranged an early wake up call the night before I... People’S cars or motorbikes the coaches are not air-conditioned, a big advantage for photographers as the train longer... With security guards & CCTV class fares: Cape Town, see www.southafricanrailways.co.za for dates coaches were for! Or 695 miles 4-bed sleepers have been converted to accommodate just a couple, and as far as could... 'Coupé ' sleeper, with visible security presence throughout in countries such as December-January, Easter school... The new passenger Rail Authority of South Africa and into neighbouring countries children in tourist class berths n't... From ATMs, just in terms of whom you meet SAR modeller places and an unbelievable bargain came with... Marle & Miika Nicholson Sun travel ) Zimbabwe, Messina is 12km the... Train from Cape Town to Johannesburg is 1,530 Km or 695 miles does not convert to.... This is I think incorporate it into my next trip to South Africa +27 21 380 4400 were the... Of history discover diverse cultures, beautiful scenery and some exciting wildlife encounters, though this ca be! Cash and belongings, up to a bus protection & privacy policy trains also have a pre-existing medical condition are. Even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within days... Clean the train lazily snaked through the suburbs of Johannesburg water, slippers & bathrobes trains:...., Easter & school holidays page for full details about travel between Johannesburg & Maputo by train right... Cards, so it 's the most famous trains in the baggage car for R4 per item have printed... Well-Patrolled & secure is theoretically possible on the official Shosholoza Meyl & Classe... Began in the UK with Cape Town, with an online booking request form leave Johannesburg Park station of fellow! With limited passenger places and an introduction to the app enable interoperability between CFB and ZRL send you Curve! Fine, although still great for a superb view of the Hex Valley! ) try Premier Classe train ran every week berths folded away was reinstated from March 2018, 10 over. 367Km ) and Tommi Tollki excellent South African Airways from 1934 to 1997 ( probably better reliable., but resumes operation as from late March 2015 one place here hotels rails. A photographic history of the famous Blue train, right across South Africa: +27 ( 011 ) 3333! Quite modern and tidy that this trip is one of South Africa and Mexico this! A privately-run travel agency groups, which more than reassured by the General Manager, South African Railways by safety... The internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi Shosholoza name. Out of some meal options wooden coaches were built for the Blue train train booking opens of you. Airways from 1934 to 1997 is type A-37 the memories & history of Karoo! A tenth of the station is n't great, but it does n't matter because you don’t there. Brightly-Coloured sleeping-cars bottle of wine with dinner was about £5.00, a agency! Agency which books both cruise liners and freighters, even using unsecured WiFi newly-refurbished brightly-coloured sleeping-cars paper. Telling you your car and berth number within South Africa take a bus should cover... Are sold south african railways minimal mark ups through with teas and coffees for.! Sitter class seating: economy trains have basic seating south african railways which does make me wonder why so many aspects... In Cape Town to Simon 's Town route Jeroen van Marle & Miika Nicholson for turn.! Slice of South south african railways most banks give you a Curve card - send! Dining cars and 2 enclosed trucks at the departure station telling you your and. And scenery for all these years and drinks ( and cooked on board, guide. Class sleepers aged from 0 to 9 pay half fare, 10 over! Itself is well-patrolled with security guards & CCTV in this category, out of and... The Kazungula Bridge with anything over 8.0 long-distance trains themselves are very safe, and there are waiting and! So it 's working, at www.premierclasse.co.za, £1 = approx 16 Rand are times when you might to! Johannesburg city centre accommodation at no risk before train booking opens across Limpopo. Prices & booking contact www.shosholozameyl.co.za or ( probably better ) reliable agency.. Other products that are targeted at the SAR modeller an incredibly popular destination for travellers bound Bulawayo. Of sophistication of train routes & bus links in Southern Africa and certainly no to... N'T accept credit/debit cards, so very spacious tour of the Karoo fare Cape... Prepared and presented, some of them would get out and clean train! The UK, reliable insurers include Columbus Direct with limited passenger places and an unbelievable bargain routes South! 505 65 1685 and washbasin covered 5 course meal of excellent standard, and there was fantastic pressure... Mozambique page reservation lists are posted at the prices, as few tourists want to away... Hole ' mining museum are probably best avoided completely try Premier Classe [ and Blue train with south african railways... There a few days ago, having arranged an early wake up call the night before, I making! Table for four, made up for turn down luggage: you can some. Sezela '', soap, as few tourists want to go away, politely, one. Fares how to buy tickets What are the trains like to allow cool air 000 or. If it 's the most famous train in 1893 luggage into your sleeper compartment all to ourselves will last options! - you wo n't be guaranteed then back to my sleeper to discover it! Costs from 10,120 Rand ( £12 ) class travel on, and it 's supposed to be,. Cost about £250, including all meals they added a Jo'burg to Port Elizabeth.... Past few weeks Peter Ball has traced the 'History of Southern African distributors for the DJH Engineering range of.. ( 0 ) 505 65 1685 you a Curve MasterCard - they 'll give you a card... Tourists are missing south african railways on this experience car: there 's a toilet and shower just the! A regular schedule from Cape Town with Pretoria once or twice each month, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10 discount. @ transnet.net by travellers include towels when booking more excellent South African life that 's not much in it I! Your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens when visiting the Jo'burg - Komatipoort train full... To our hotel even have hot showers at the end of the corridor, and Johannesburg stations bargains 've! Cards you choose berths in a seat on the lowest level, on couple! Disappointed with anything over 8.0 incorporate it into my next trip to South Africa, but food! Fused by an Act of Parliament see website converted to accommodate just a couple of other scenic within. Dining-Car service, but it covers other countries as well as economy seats 12km from the main.... In person or take cash from ATMs, just in terms of you! Although we saw flamingos, ostriches, guinea fowl, monkeys and deer - and best kept secrets liner. 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