How to Book a Trip on South Africa's Blue Train

The Blue Train is a luxury train that runs from Cape Town, South Africa, to Pretoria, South Africa. With three runs per week, the Blue Train offers a beautiful tour of South Africa's natural landscape. Tourists who want to see the African countryside with all of the modern amenities should consider the Blue Train.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with Internet access
• Passport

Book Train Travel on the Blue Train

1. Call Blue Train at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources below).

2. Book tickets early. Travelers must pay their entire train fare 60 days in advance of their journeys.

3. Prepare to open the purse strings for your trip aboard the Blue Train. Trips booked aboard the Blue Train can range from R 8,875 to 12,320 depending on the time of year. Blue Train tickets include three meals per day plus excursions.

Ride the Rails on the Blue Train

4. Relax in the Blue Train's lounge and club cars during your trip. Travelers can enjoy the train's library, big screen television and comfortable chairs. The lounge car is the perfect place for friends and family to get together for a drink or snack.

5. Enhance your Blue Train traveling experience with the suite's luxury amenities. Individual suites have temperature controls so you can create that perfect environment for sleep and leisure. Suites also feature individual bathrooms and television sets.

6. Make the most of your Blue Train experience by using luxury services. Suites features safes, telephones and laundry amenities.

7. Explore the historical towns of South Africa at Blue Train's various stops. A planned excursion to the diamond mines of Kimberley comes standard with suite fare. The return trip to Pretoria features a stop in the rustic town of Matijiesfontein.

Learn the Rules of the Blue Train

8. Arrive at the station in Pretoria and Cape Town at least one hour ahead of your departure. Passengers need to check their baggage and travel documents with the Blue Train staff before heading to the next destination.

9. Confirm your travel plans aboard the Blue Train before purchasing tickets. Travelers need to submit a 10 percent non-refundable deposit to reserve a suite. Travelers who cancel within 60 days of their trip will not receive a refund.

Tips & Warnings

• All phone numbers include the United States international prefix "011." When calling internationally from outside the United States, check which prefix to use. All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.