The Blue Train announced it will resume services for private charters from September 2020 and leisure travel with a full schedule consisting of select local destinations from November 1, 2020.
Private charters are group bookings for business and leisure travel that allows for ample social distancing.
The available routes for private charters are unlimited, and The Blue Train can travel to any destination in the country that falls within the working railway network.
Ready experiences include a lunch or dinner charter using the Pretoria Circle route, an Overnight “Trip to Nowhere” based in Pretoria or a return two-night trip from Pretoria to Sun City. There's also the option of return two-night trip from Pretoria to Durban, Pretoria to Kruger National Park and Pretoria to Magaliesberg.
Executive Manager at The Blue Train Vincent Monyake said they are ensuring that all guests have a luxury train experience while still feeling safe amid Covid-19 pandemic.
"While we are excited that tourism is opening up, we are cautious about how we are proceeding. We have implemented a stringent hygiene protocol that ensures that guests are screened before their departure. We want our guests to know that they are safe with us, to have the confidence to step on board The Blue Train and let go of any anxieties, and truly surrender to the luxury of slow.
“The move to alert level 2 means that our operations will have to resume gradually. Resuming of our full operations is set to be from 1st November 2020, and will be dependent on further pronouncements from the government of South Africa," said Monyake.