[imagesource:here]

Luxury train travel doesn’t come much better than the world-famous Blue Train, which has been running since 1946.

Operations were suspended around mid-March, just before the lockdown began, and the wheels will once again turn from November 1.

One of the more popular routes runs from Cape Town to Pretoria, and vice versa, and it’s that route where a pretty decent discount can be scored through until the end of March next year.

A two-night trip between the cities would previously have cost a cool R25 445 per person sharing in a De Luxe suite, but tickets are now going for R12 715 per person sharing.

A Luxury suite would previously have cost R32 135 per person sharing, but now starts from R16 950 per person sharing.

We never said tickets were cheap, just that they were 50% off.

Bizcommunity below with what that ticket buys you:

The journey features an off-train excursion in Kimberley where guests will visit The Big Hole and the Kimberley Mine Museum.

The experience includes five-course gourmet silver service dinners and lunches; breakfast and high teas; live entertainment and overnight hospitality with full 24-hour butler service. All alcohol consumption on board The Blue Train is inclusive, including Cuban cigars.

All alcohol and cigars inclusive, you say?

Show me to your Blue Label, please. Just make sure you bring along a jacket or waistcoat, gents

You can have a look through the Cape Town – Pretoria itineraries here.

A word of caution for if / when you book:

The rates apply to travel from 1 November 2020 to 31 March 2021, subject to availability. Upon booking, guests, operators and agents need to indicate that they are booking on The Blue Train’s 2020 Re-Opening Special, and the special is applicable to new bookings only.

Vincent Monyake, Executive Manager at the Blue Train, said the reduced rates are an attempt to make local travel more accessible, and I’m sure the business itself is in dire needs of bums on seats after months without taking bookings.

You can find all trip and booking details on the Blue Train’s site.

[source:bizcommunity]