Train travel in:
How to travel by train in
South Africa . . .
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Train travel in: |
How to travel by train inSouth Africa . . . |
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Country information |
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Train operator in South Africa: |
Shosholoza Meyl trains: www.shosholozameyl.co.za. (for reservations from overseas call + 27 11 774 4555) Luxury Blue Train, Cape Town-Pretoria: www.bluetrain.co.za. Premier Classe trains, Cape Town/Durban-Johannesburg: www.premierclasse.co.za |
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£1 = approx 11.3 Rand. $1 = approx 7.4 Rand Currency converter |
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UK citizens do not need a visa to visit South Africa. |
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Page last updated: |
27 August 2010 |
Contrary to what you may have heard and to what many middle-class South Africans may tell you, taking the train is a remarkably safe, civilised & enjoyable way to travel between cities in South Africa. In fact, you'd be crazy not to consider it. There are several completely different train services:
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These long-distance passenger trains are perhaps South Africa's best-kept travel secret. Comfortable, cheap & safe, they link major cities. They are run by Shosholoza Meyl (www.shosholozameyl.co.za), originally part of South African Railways (Spoornet) and now a division of the new Passenger Rail Authority of South Africa (PRASA, www.sarcc.co.za). These trains are a great way to travel, as they let you see South Africa comfortably & affordably at ground level, without spending whole days & nights in a bus seat. In 2006, Shosholoza Meyl split its trains into two separate types: Tourist class trains consist exclusively of sleeping cars (2- & 4-berth compartments) and a restaurant car serving meals, snacks, beer and wine. The sleepers even have hot showers at the end of the corridor! Economy class trains consist of sitter class seats and sometimes a restaurant car. In this section: Routes & times Fares How to buy tickets What are Shosholoza Meyl trains like? Safety on Shosholoza Meyl trains Travellers' reports
Train Times:Johannesburg - Pretoria - Louis Trichardt - Messina Johannesburg - Pretoria - Nelspruit (for Kruger Park) - Komatipoort - Maputo (Mozambique) Kimberley - Mafeking service withdrawn. You can check Shosholoza Meyl train times (though not usually fares) at www.shosholozameyl.co.za. 1. Cape Town - Johannesburg
* Pretoria: Shosholoza Meyl & Premier Classe trains no longer run through to/from Pretoria, since May 2006 they start/finish their journey at Johannesburg. Remember that Johannesburg city centre isn't safe for visitors, although the station itself has security and is well-patrolled & secure. Be very careful if you walk outside the station. It's recommended that you pre-book a car or taxi to pick you up at Jo'burg station when you arrive, and when leaving again, take a taxi or car to the station entrance. Pretoria is a safer city to use as a base when visiting the Jo'burg area. ** It's reported that from 1 August 2010 the economy class train on this particular route will once again offer sleepers, probably in 3 berth & 6-berth compartments. No further information is yet available, if you know more please email me. Fares How to buy tickets What are the trains like? Safety on board these trains
Fares How to buy tickets What are the trains like? Safety on board these trains 2. Johannesburg - Durban
Fares How to buy tickets What are the trains like? Safety on board (* Originally there was a second mid-week service too, but this was suspended as of March 2010) ** It's reported that from 1 August 2010 the economy class train on this route will once again offer sleepers, probably in 3 berth & 6-berth compartments. No further information is yet available, if you know more please email me.
3. Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth
Fares How to buy tickets What are the trains like? Safety on board these trains 4. Cape Town - Durban
Fares How to buy tickets What are the trains like? Safety on board these trains Train times for other Shosholoza Meyl routes, including Johannesburg to East London, Messina and Komatipoort (for Maputo in Mozambique). Shosholoza Meyl fares...
What are Shosholoza Meyl Tourist Class trains like?Sleeping-cars: The sleeping-cars have 4-berth rooms known as 'compartments' and smaller 2-berth rooms known as 'coupés'. The berths convert to seating for daytime use. There's a cut-away 3-D picture of the tourist class coach layout at spoornet.co.za. Each compartment has basic leatherette bench seats which convert to bunks at night, and a washbasin with hot and cold water. Bedding is provided for a small extra charge (20 Rand, about £1.70) and expertly made up for you in the evening by the train attendant. Each sleeping-car has a hot shower at the end of the corridor, with lockable shower cubicle & changing area - bring your own soap & towel. The coaches are not air-conditioned, so the windows open for a superb view of the countryside. A metal / mesh screen is provided for use at night to allow cool air in. Two passengers travelling together will normally be booked into a 2-berth coupé, a solo traveller will normally be booked into a 4-berth compartment with passengers of the same sex. The price is the same. If you pay for two tickets (quite affordable, given the fare) you can have sole occupancy of a coupé. The whole train is all non-smoking. Restaurant car: There's a restaurant car serving snacks, drinks and affordable complete meals. Catering was originally sub-contracted to caterers such as BJ's, the South African equivalent of Wimpy, though is now back in-house. A full English 'Farmhouse breakfast' hits the spot in the morning, and beer and a wine list is available for something to go with you lunch or dinner. The food is not expensive, even by South African standards. Restaurant car staff also come down the train to sell tea and coffee to you at your seat. . Watch the video: Although taken in 1995, well before the trains' refurbishment and re-branding as 'Shosholoza Meyl', this video gives a good idea of the excellent scenery you'll see and the on-train sleeping-car and restaurant car facilities, on the Shosholoza Meyl tourist class train from Cape Town to Johannesburg (the Trans Karoo). A real South African travel experience! Recent video of dining in Shosholoza Meyl restaurant car. What are Shosholoza Meyl Economy Class Trains like?
'Sitter' class seating: Economy trains have basic seating, which does not convert to berths. Fine for daytime journeys, but not generally recommended for visitors on overnight trips unless you're prepared to rough it. Sitter class coach layout. Sleepers: There are no sleepers on economy class trains, except on the Johannesburg to East London route, which also has a sleeping-car with 3 & 6 berth compartments. How to buy tickets: When in South Africa call 086 000 8888Call Shosholoza Meyl reservations on 086 000 8888 or book in person at any station reservation office. Bookings open 90 days before departure, you can't book before reservations open. Reservations are computerised, so any reservation office can book any journey in South Africa. When booking by phone, you will be given a booking reference number, which you quote at the station when you pick up and pay for your tickets. Your ticket will not show your coach or berth number, but a passenger list showing which berth is allocated to which passenger is posted in a glass case at the station about an hour before departure. You should reserve as many days in advance as you can, rather than leaving it to the last minute - some trains regularly leave with all sleeper berths fully booked, especially the tourist class train from Cape Town to Johannesburg. How to buy tickets: From overseas call + 27 11 7744 555Shosholoza Meyl have now implemented an online booking facility at www.shosholozameyl.co.za, but blowed if I can get it to work (let me know if you succeed!). From outside South Africa, just call the Shosholoza Meyl reservations service on + 27 11 774 4555. Bookings open 90 days before departure, you can't book before reservations open. You will be given a reference number, and can pick up and pay for your tickets at any station reservation office when you get to South Africa. Your ticket will not show your coach or berth number, but a passenger list showing which berth is allocated to which passenger is posted in a glass case at the station about an hour before departure. You may also be able to book by email, as there are contact details including email addresses for reservations staff, at www.shosholozameyl.co.za. Travellers' reports...Traveller Matthew Dowling travelled with Shosholoza Meyl tourist class: "As for the south African Shosholoza Meyl train from cape town to Kimberly – only good things to say. Excellent service, comfortable and efficient. Surprisingly empty, though, which allowed us a six sleeper compartment all to ourselves. The dining car was well kept and reasonably priced - a real pleasure sliding through the Karoo desert sunset and having a lasagne and a glass of wine." Traveller Maranda reports from a trip on Shosholoza Meyl's Johannesburg-Cape Town train: "I met fascinating people (there were no non-South Africans visible on the trains I was on) and saw the country in a spectacular way. My parents and husband were happy because it was clearly safe. And I even stayed within my budget. I was greatly blessed to meet wonderful people and to see a slice of South African life that's not on the tourist maps. On the Trans-Karoo, the food I had at dinner in the restaurant car was really good. I had fried fish and yellow rice with some onion/tomato topping. Quite scrumpy, and at Rand 30, a very good deal. It was obviously freshly made. You still need to take a bar of soap, as soap provision in toilets was a bit spotty. Overall, have to say that the 1st class travel on Shosholoza Meyl is one of the best bargains I've ever encountered. As you said, the train staff are lovely, the bedding is comfy, the views are unbelievably spectacular, and the whole experience is great. Plus you just get a window onto so many different aspects of South African life, just in terms of whom you meet. " Security on Shosholoza Meyl trains: Not a problem!Shosholoza Meyl tourist class trains are perfectly safe to travel on, and can even be recommended for families and women travelling alone. Sleeping compartments have both a normal lock and a security lock which cannot be opened from the outside, and the train manager and his assistants do a good job looking after their passengers. People who tell you that 'trains in South Africa are unsafe' have probably never been on one, and are confusing these excellent and safe Shosholoza Meyl trains with the suburban Metro trains around the big cities which they see adversely reported on South African TV. It goes without saying that the high-end Premier Classe and Blue Train services are very safe, too. Safety at Johannesburg's Park Station...Although the trains are very safe, you should take advice before walking out of Jo'burg station into Johannesburg city centre. Johannesburg's Park Station itself is fairly safe and well-patrolled with security guards & CCTV, but surrounding streets are definitely not safe, so arrange a car to pick you up right at the station entrance or ask the driver to meet you inside the station. Traveller Trish Jones says this about arriving by car at Johannesburg Park station to catch the Premier Classe train to Cape Town: "With regards to Johannesburg's Park Station, it was one of the things I was concerned about as I haven’t been there for ages, and I’m super cautious. We had a friend collect us, drove into the car park from the Rissik Street side, and much to my amazement it was spotless and well organized. Once inside, it’s a case of down the escalator, turn left, and straight into the Premier Classe Lounge (also used for The Blue Train) for check in. It’s totally separate and is available only to Premier Classe [and Blue Train] passengers. No hassles and I didn’t feel uncomfortable or threatened at all. The rest of the station isn't great, but it doesn't matter because you don’t go there.
Deluxe train travel on a budget...Cape Town - Johannesburg (twice a week)Johannesburg - Durban (once a week)Cape Town - Port Elizabeth (once a week)Johannesburg - Hoedspruit (for Kruger National Park) New from 9 July 2009, initially weekly
The new Premier Classe trains (www.premierclasse.co.za) are an affordable deluxe service on key routes aimed at both budget-conscious tourists and South Africans themselves. They are another of South-Africa's well-kept travel secrets, and they are already getting great reports from travellers who try them. If you can't afford the famous Blue Train, but still want safe, civilised deluxe train travel at ground level through superb South African scenery that you can't see from 30,000 feet, take a Premier Classe train. Premier Classe started out in 1998 as an affordable deluxe service from Cape Town to Johannesburg, originally running once a week attached to the regular Shosholoza Meyl 'Trans-Karoo' train. But in May 2006 it was made into a completely separate train and increased to twice a week. In October 2008 they introduced a twice-weekly Durban-Johannesburg train (though reduced to once-weekly as of March 2010), then a weekly Cape Town-Port Elizabeth train in December 2008, and from July 2009 there's a weekly overnight Premier Classe train from Jo'burg to Hoedspruit in the Kruger National Park, easily the best way to reach the Kruger game reserve. See advice on using Johannesburg Park Station. Premier Classe trains are hotels on rails. They use standard South African railways sleeping-cars (in fact, the same 1960s-1970s type used by Shosholoza Meyl) which have been refurbished to deluxe standards, and passengers are given twice the normal amount of space per passenger: Solo passengers get sole occupancy of what would have been a 2-berth coupé, two passengers get sole use of what would have been a 4-berth compartment and so get two lower berths. The sleeping-cars aren't air-conditioned, a big advantage for photographers as the windows open! There's a deluxe Premier Classe restaurant car serving 3-5 course meals and a Premier Classe lounge car with armchairs, sofas and a bar. The fare includes all your meals and complimentary tea/coffee, although alcoholic drinks cost extra. Premier Classe passengers can use the luxury 'Blue Train' VIP lounges at Cape Town and Johannesburg stations. Premier Classe is now a division of the new Passenger Rail Authority of South Africa (PRASA, www.sarcc.co.za). This amateur video gives a good idea of what to expect on board the Premier Classe train and in terms of scenery, and you may also find this account helps convince you to try out this excellent train service! Car transport: Cars can also be transported on these trains between Cape Town or Durban & Jo'burg, R 1,100 per car to/from Durban or R 1,780- R 3,700 per car to/from Cape Town. Cars are also carried between Cape Town & Port Elizabeth. Premier Classe train timetable... You can check train times & fares at www.premierclasse.co.za.
How much does Premier Classe cost?
How to buy tickets: +27 11 774 4555 or + 27 12 334 8039 (086 000 8888 from within SA), info_premierclasse@transnet.netYou cannot book online, only by phone or email. To book or to ask for more information, call +27 11 774 4555 or + 27 12 334 8039 (lines open Monday-Friday 09:00-16:30, GMT+2) or e-mail your request to info_premierclasse@transnet.net. There is more information at the Premier Classe website, www.premierclasse.co.za. You can also try booking through a tour agency www.satravelbooking.co.za. Traveller's reports...Traveller Trish Jones travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town by Premier Classe in late 2009: My husband and I have just travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town on the Premier Classe Train – and what an experience! Although it's in a different class (and price range) to the Blue Train, it offers a truly amazing, comfortable, relaxing trip. Why on earth have I been driving or flying to Cape Town for all these years? With regards to Johannesburg's Park Station, it was one of the things I was concerned about as I haven’t been there for ages, and I’m super cautious. We had a friend collect us, drove into the car park from the Rissik Street side, and much to my amazement it was spotless and well organized. Once inside, it’s a case of down the escalator, turn left, and straight into the Premier Classe Lounge for check in – it’s totally separate and is available only to Premier Classe passengers. No hassle and I didn’t feel uncomfortable or threatened at all. The rest of the station isn't great, but it doesn't matter because you don’t go there. One is checked in, your baggage taken for loading into your compartment, and there’s free tea, coffee and soft drinks on hand before you are asked to board. And boarding is a breeze too – the platform the train was on was somewhat removed from the rest. The onboard staff were truly outstanding, nothing was too much trouble. We were served complimentary bubbly & snacks in an elegant and comfortable lounge car shortly after leaving in Johannesburg at 3.00pm, and we were introduced to the various members of staff who explained their roles, told us about the facilities on the train and made us feel very welcome indeed. We had books and magazines to read en route but only looked at them when we were tucked up comfortably in crisp white sheets and duvets for the night. There was no time to read, we were too busy gazing at the scenery, without having to worry about bad drivers, huge trucks or anything at all to do with road travel – sheer bliss!! Dinner was a 5 course meal of excellent standard, and there’s a good wine list to choose from too. We were asked whether we would like tea or coffee delivered to our compartment in the morning. We chose tea for a 6.30am ‘wake-up’ up call, opened the curtains and blinds in our compartment and watched the sun come up across the Karoo – truly awesome!! A hearty breakfast at 7.00am followed by a head-shoulders-and back massage in the spa compartment (I understand this is one of just three trains in the world that offer this luxury!). A hot shower in an exceptionally clean bathroom then back to the compartment for more sightseeing.….through a 12.km tunnel which brings you to the beginning of the Hex River Valley. Some snow on the mountain peaks completed the perfect picture!! A three course lunch, again delightfully prepared and presented, some more excellent South African wine before arriving in Cape Town at 4.00pm. I was almost sorry to have arrived. Train travel in South Africa is horribly under-utilised and if I can persuade anyone to give it a try perhaps we could have more trains operating, more people off the roads, and more people discovering the joy of rail travel. The routes offered are Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, Johannesburg to Durban, Johannesburg to Cape Town, and Cape Town to Port Elizabeth – I intend to do the latter as soon as I possibly can – it just has to be fantastic. Traveller Ros Shaw travelled from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit (Kruger Park) by Premier Classe in summer 2009: I had a fabulous trip on the Premier Classe to Hoedspruit. The service on the train was first class - 5 course dinner, friendly service, comfy cabins, tea/coffee wakeup service in your cabin. I even managed to do some game spotting from the train as it passed along the edge of Kruger Park for an hour or so - 1 rhino, 2 giraffe, buffalo, kudu, hippo, impala. We picked up a hire car at Hoedspruit which was delivered to the station at no extra cost. The only downside was getting to Joburg station for the start of the trip. There was a garbage strike on in the Joburg CBD so it was pretty disgusting, even the amount of rubbish along the tracks for the first little bit was pretty gross. Once at the parking lot of the station it wasn't too bad at all. I was surprised how modern and clean the station was. There were a few passengers who joined the train in Pretoria too. The train was practically empty (less than 25 passenger) and all the guests were locals. I guess its a bit too early to get many foreign bookings yet. We spoke to the Marketing Manager who said that they have lots of forward booking from overseas and are already sold out for the World Cup next year. Overall - highly recommended. Traveller Andrew Darwin travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town by Premier Classe in February 2008: I discovered the existence of the ‘Premier Classe’ train from Johannesburg to Cape Town through seat61. I have just returned from there a few days ago, having taken this train in both directions. What a treat! It was probably the longest and most enjoyable railway journey I’ve ever made, immensely enjoyable. The train is modern and well designed. 18 carriages long including 2 lounges, 2 dining cars and 2 enclosed trucks at the back for carrying people’s cars or motorbikes. On our trip there were 4 Harley Davidsons in one of these trucks, while the burly middle-aged bikers (and their molls) enjoyed the comfort of the Premier Classe to Cape Town before going back by road. The staff were all brilliant, very keen to be of service and clearly with great pride in their job. At stations, some of them would get out and clean the train windows! There was a hot shower in each coach, which meant that one arrived the other end fresh and clean, as well as rested and fed and watered. The drinks on board are refreshingly cheap – a bottle of perfectly decent wine in the dining car can be had for as little as £2.00. The return ticket cost about £250, including all meals. What a contrast to the flight back from Jo'burg to London: squashed into a cramped seat, nowhere to go and nothing to see, plastic food, limited drink, no chance of rest, no shower. Totally uncivilised: 12 hours of torture! Traveller Michael Schaffer travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town by Premier Classe in July 2007: "Oddly, few of the local travel agents in Pretoria knew about the Premier Classe train, instead they all reflexively warned us against taking trains. I suspect this is part of the odd feeling in that country, where large segments of the population live in fear and also assume anything "public" will be bad. Finally, a friend cued us in to what we'd learned on your website: A weekly [now twice-weekly], first-class-only train designed as kind of a middle-class approximation of the Blue Train. The train itself is comfortable and pleasant, albeit a triumph of style over substance. They have attractively printed menus and solicitous dining-car service, but the food is so-so, although still great for a knockabout traveller. The 4-bed sleepers have been converted to accommodate just a couple, and they put your name on the door. The views from the train are both astonishing (the Karoo, and table mountain from the rear) and telling (the often invisible shantytowns of South Africa’s poor). At the front end, in Jo’burg, you have access to a first-class lounge where they take your bag and offer you tea and coffee, etc., but you still have to get there by walking through the public portions of a station that has about the worst reputation in the country. We were fine, although we saw two different people being taken off by police. At the far end, in Cape Town, the station is pleasant and quiet, although for us this meant there were no taxis to hail. Eventually, the train’s purser got his son to give us a lift to our hotel! Still need convincing to try Premier Classe? See this video...
Metro trains around Johannesburg & Pretoria...Although long-distance Shosholoza Meyl trains are perfectly safe, 'Metro Rail' suburban trains around Johannesburg and Pretoria are different matter. Unless you are particularly foolhardy or adventurous, they are probably best avoided completely. Metro trains around Cape Town...Metro Rail suburban trains around Cape Town are less of a problem and providing you take care, leave your valuables at your hotel and don't travel after dark, they can be a good way to get from central Cape Town to the seaside town of Simonstown (a scenic run along the coast), or to the wine regions at Stellenbosch or Paarl. Indeed, there is a new initiative for tourists using the Cape Town to Simonstown train service to tour the coast. Two classes are available, 1st ('Metro Plus') and 3rd. Outside the rush hours, there is a train from Cape Town to Simonstown or Stellenbosch every hour or two, taking about an hour. Make sure you sit in a carriage with other travellers. To reach the wineries, bicycles can be hired in Stellenbosch, for about £4 a day.
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On board The Blue Train...The Blue Train offers two types of room: 'Deluxe' compartments have either a double bed or two single beds and en suite shower or small bath. 'Luxury' compartments cost a bit more and are almost identical, but have a full size bath (yes, really) and a video. The train has a dining car and two lounge cars (one smoking, one non-smoking) and one of the two trainsets has an observation car at the rear, allowing you to look back along the line. Meals and drinks (and even Montecristo Havana cigars!) are included in the fare, and there is an extensive list of South African wines available. You probably won't be able to drink £800-worth before you reach Pretoria, but you can have a dam' good try...
The Blue Train timetable...
The northbound journey includes a one-hour stop at the 19th century health resort of Matjiesfontein in the heart of the Karoo. The Southbound trip includes a stop at Kimberley for a tour of the Kimberley 'big hole' mining museum. The train no longer serves Johannesburg in either direction, as few tourists want to go there because of its security problems. The train ran 2 or 3 times a week before the collision in late 2005 which damaged one of the two sets of coaches used to run the service. The Blue Train rolling stock is also used to run irregular rail cruises, usually monthly from Pretoria to Victoria Falls, and also on a couple of other scenic routes within South Africa. See here for a timetable for all passenger trains between Cape Town & Jo'burg/Pretoria. How much does it cost?
How to buy tickets: www.bluetrain.co.zaFor more information about travelling on the Blue Train, to check specific departure dates and to make reservations by e-mail, see www.bluetrain.co.za. UK flight booking companies such as Travelbag or Trailfinders can also organise The Blue Train for you.
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Several companies run all-inclusive tours using special 'cruise' trains. Rovos Rail (www.rovos.co.za) runs a cruise train to a regular schedule from Cape Town to Pretoria and on to Victoria Falls. The train consists of beautifully restored South African coaches with all the usual tourist facilities - lounge, restaurant, private sleeping compartments and showers. Meals are included in the tour price. For times, dates of running and prices see www.rovos.co.za. Another 'cruise' train operating on various routes in Southern Africa and into neighbouring countries is www.shongololo.com. Also try www.jbtours.co.za. |
The trains don't go everywhere in South Africa, and there are times when you might need to take a bus. There are several long-distance bus operators. Useful internet addresses are: TransLux, www.translux.co.za. Call 011 774 3333 or from outside South Africa +27 (011) 774 3333 Greyhound, www.greyhound.co.za. Call 083 915 9000. InterCape, www.intercape.co.za. Call 0861 287 287 or from outside South Africa +27 21 380 4400. |
It's probably the most adventurous timetable ever produced... The famous Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable has train, bus and ferry time for all of Africa, Asia, America and Australasia. It is published every two months. No serious overland traveller should be without it..! It costs £13.99 from the bureau de change in any branch of Thomas Cook, or it can be ordered by phone on 01733 416477 (+44 1733 416477 from outside the UK). Buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.Alternatively, you can buy the twice-yearly Independent Traveller's edition at Amazon.co.uk also with shipping worldwide. |
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Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide. LP Southern Africa is less detailed than LP South Africa, but it covers other countries as well as SA. |
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Finding hotels in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban or anywhere in South Africa...A good guidebook like the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides will point you at some good hotels in each town or city when you get there. Alternatively, you can pre-book hotels (budget, mid-range and upmarket) in almost any South African city through www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below. It's not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net. Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.
Personal recommendations...The Tudor Hotel in Cape Town is inexpensive and central, a good budget choice, from 440 Rand (£33 or $65) per night. Pretoria is a better place to stay than Johannesburg itself. Try the Victoria Hotel, the oldest hotel in Pretoria, about 450 Rand per night.
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Get insured...Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself). Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
Get a pre-paid currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a Caxton FX currency card, available in euros, dollars or the multi-currency 'Global Traveller' card. Find out about these cards & sign up here.
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You can't beat trains for travel around South Africa. But if you need a flight to get there in the first place, try the excellent Virgin Atlantic Airlines from London to Cape Town or Johannesburg, they're great on both price and (above all) service. To search many airlines, www.opodo.com & www.e-bookers.com are good places to look. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
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These trains have economy seats ('sitter class') and Tourist class sleepers (3-bed & 6-bed compartments). Economy is OK for daytime journeys but not recommended for overnight trips. Tourist class sleepers are quite safe for foreign travellers.
"The Amatola". This train has Economy class seats, and also has a sleeping-car, as of April 2007 the only economy class train that still has sleepers. The tourist class sleeper train only runs at the end of the month - call Shosholoza Meyl to confirm.
"The Bosvelder". This train has Economy class seats only (it used to have sleepers, but now doesn't). For travellers bound for Bulawayo or Harare in Zimbabwe, Messina is 12km from the Zimbabwe frontier across the Limpopo River at Beitbridge.
"The Komati". This train has This train has Economy class seats only (it used to have sleepers, but no longer has). * See the Mozambique page for information on travel between Johannesburg & Maputo by train.
"The Taxi". Economy seating. Take your own food and drink. Sadly, the Mafeking-Kimberley train is reported as no longer running as of early 2008. Now no train service.
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It's
the most famous train in South Africa, and one of the most famous trains
in the world. South Africa's 'Blue Train' links Cape Town with
Pretoria once or twice a week, year round. With a one-way
fare of about R10,120 (£890 or $1,300) per person for two people travelling together
even in the low season, it's
now aimed squarely at foreign visitors. Single passengers cannot opt
to share, so should reckon on paying R15,175 (£1,330 or $2,030) one-way for
sole use of a 2-berth compartment. However, The Blue Train is
definitely the most luxurious way to travel between these two cities,
and if you do choose to splurge, you will not be disappointed!
If you live in the UK, get quotes from
If
you're resident in
Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try
If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try
