The Blue Train has suspended its services until April 30, 2020, the company revealed in a press statement.
This follows a risk assessment done by the operations team early this week. The Blue Train is one of South Africa’s luxury train experiences.
A press statement sent out states: "The decision to suspend the Blue Train’s services is commensurate with the disaster declaration requirements from the South African Government to ensure the safety of all present in the country.
"The declaration recommends prevention through social distancing, a practice that is not possible to comply with on-board The Blue Train. It is, therefore, safer for the staff and guests at The Blue Train to suspend operations until such a time that it is safer for people to convene without risking community transmission."
It also revealed that earlier this month, The Blue Train had advised its booked, paid and confirmed guests of changes to the cancellation policy to accommodate potential travel disruptions due to covid-19.
The changes allow guests who were due to travel on The Blue Train between March 18 to August 31, 2020, the option to postpone travel to any date that falls within the September 2020 to December 31, 2021 time frame.
Guests could also cancel confirmed bookings and receive a full refund. Both these options will not incur any penalties.
Cancellations of travel after August 31, 2020 will be dealt with using The Blue Train’s standard terms and conditions. Any costs or expenses incurred as a result of the postponement such as flights, accommodation, transfers, excursions and other costs, would be at the customers’ expense.
The duration of the suspension will again be reviewed in mid-April pending new developments and pronouncements by the World Health Organisation and our country’s national health institutions, on the status of the covid-19 pandemic.
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