Getting around by train South Africa

The Blue Train is one of the most luxurious machines in the world. It makes the round trip between Pretoria and Cape Town eight times a month. The journey takes 28 hours and covers 1,600 km, with a stopover in Kimberley and a visit to the Open Mine Museum in one direction and the town of Matjiesfontein in the other. Another destination is Kruger and Limpopo for a "rail safari" through the country's magnificent national parks. A unique and sumptuous journey through spectacular South African landscapes at a pleasant cruising speed.

This luxury train company, which departs from Pretoria, serves all of southern Africa as far as Victoria Falls. Beautiful old-fashioned locomotive, romantic atmosphere and refined cuisine. From Pretoria, there are only two national routes. The route from Pretoria to Cape Town includes a visit to Matjiesfontein and the Big Hole tour in Kimberley, for history and diamond lovers. Once again, far from the classic train, Rovos Rail is talking about a real hotel travelling through the South African landscape.

The Blue Train is an experience in itself. The luxury train company operates two routes: Pretoria-Cape Town and Pretoria-Kruger Park. The Blue Train is resolutely more modern than the others, with its comfort and design, a far cry from the steam-powered "tchoutchous". It's like a 5-star hotel on wheels, threading its way across plains, weaving between mountain ranges, ploughing through arid landscapes and slowing down to meet the wildlife along the way. It's still a long way from the dream of Cairo, but the foundations have been laid in South Africa.