Introduction

The Blue Train, in its charisma and majesty has been synonymous with the ultimate in luxury travel since 1946.It offers a unique way of traversing some of Southern Africa’s magnificent landscapes and landmarks. The word “luxury” is often inaccurately tossed around. However on this train luxury assumes a new dimension. On board, guests indulge in fine cuisine accompanied by some of the best wines South Africa, if not the world, has to offer. Personal butlers are at the guests’ beck-and-call, to see to the guests’ every need; be it in the comfort of their private suites or at any one of the exquisite lounges.

SO WHY CHOOSE THE BLUE TRAIN?

People do not often think of it for themselves when booking a South African holiday and therefore elect to fly between Johannesburg and Cape Town, when an ideal option would be:

To travel on The Blue Train and enjoy an all-inclusive one night’s accommodation on this five-star “hotel on wheels” - including brunch, high tea and all other beverages (except French Champagne), dinner and breakfast, an off-the-train excursion and 24-hour personalised butler service.

On the Pretoria t Cape Town route, guests will get to experience an ever-changing view of 1,600 kilometres of South Africa’s varied & stunning scenery through the window of the most lavish train on the planet, and it will only take one night out of their precious holiday time – making it ideal for visitors with a shorter itinerary / stay in South Africa.

he strap line ‘A Window to the Soul of South Africa’ says it all. Enjoy the splendid views of the South African countryside in your own “forced” relaxation luxury cocoon of comfort – without a doubt, an experience never to be forgotten! T

Perfect for that celebration – be it a honeymoon, a special birthday or an

anniversary. Elegant and chic with every detail taken care of including fully en-suite bathrooms!

THE BLUE TRAIN’S UNIQUE SELLING FEATURES:

1. The Blue Train is an experience on its own and should not be included in the guests’ itinerary as an add-on, but is to be rather booked as part of the comprehensive itinerary or an extension thereof:

It is a lifestyle brand which is ordinarily visited by certain travellers:

a. The well-travelled people - who have been there, done that and now The Blue Train

b. The aspirant travellers who are hoping to tick off The Blue Train off their “bucket list".

c. Special celebration travellers – e.g. honey moon couples, anniversaries, etc.

All of the above travellers enjoy the finer things in life and in comparison to The Blue Train offering would generally still pay an average of +- R 15,000-00 ($1,500-00) when they visit South Africa. These costs would be for; business class flights, a night’s accommodation in a five-star hotel (bed and breakfast only), meals and drinks, high-tea, excursions, etc.

The Blue Train offering includes the following:

Unsurpassed, world-renowned, luxury travel Five-star accommodation Personalised Butler service – including unlimited room service, minimum laundry

service and portage. Unlimited - snacks, gourmet meals, all drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic – including

fine wines sourced from top SA winemakers and premium alcoholic brands) and hand-made Cuban cigars.

Breathtaking views of the countryside – which allow you to experience parts of the country you would not necessarily appreciate and experience when you fly.

Moreover, with The Blue Train’s “Luxury better when shared” value add, at the normal net or rack rates payable, guests get to experience The Blue Train plus one night’s complimentary accommodation (bed, breakfast and transfer between the hotel and the station) at one of the following 5-star properties:

In Pretoria:

1. Sheraton Hotel – www.sheratonpretoria.om2. Castello Di Monte – www.castello-hotel.co.za

Should guests prefer to stay in Cape Town, the choices are:

1. Taj Hotel – www.tajcapetown.co.za2. The Westin – www.westin.com

Some unique attributes of The Blue Train include:

Strong heritage Panoramic size windows Modern and Technological advancement of the product - Driver’s Eye View

camera, unique coupling, air-cushion suspension system with coils on wheels – which allows for a smoothest rides found on a train, TV monitor in the suites, improved automated entertainment system, GPS and WI-FI

Travel throughout day and night (don’t have to stop for our guests to enjoy a peaceful night’s rest) on one of the smoothest rides in train travel.

On board entertainment (TV monitors in room enabling guests to watch movies, selection of music channels and radio stations to listen to etc.)

Unique conference facility On board boutique selling exquisite jewellery pieces and Blue Train branded

mementos Luxurious, comfortable experience

Some brief facts to help you sell it

The Blue Train has been operating since 1946 and is amongst the finest luxury trains in the world. The Blue Train has gathered an impressive list of accolades, such as being voted the World’s Leading Luxury Train for three consecutive years – 2009, 2010 and 2011

and Africa’s Leading Luxury Train for five consecutive years – 2009 to 2013.

Comparable to the world’s finest hotels, each suite on board the train offers five star luxurious accommodations with private en-suite bathroom facilities.

The luxury element on board the train is accentuated by the personalised butler service.

The train glides through the changing vistas as it makes its journey through wide open farmlands, rugged mountains, semi-arid desert, dams pink with flamingoes, Cape Winelands, gold and diamond mining landscapes, an abundance of wildflowers and of course Table Mountain.

The most popular and frequently operated journey is a 27-hour one-way overnight journey in either direction between Pretoria and Cape Town that takes guests through spectacular African landscapes. The train travels on selected Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in both directions. Other seasonal packages to areas such as Durban and the Kruger Park are also available.

Southbound (Pretoria – Cape Town), the value-add off-the-train excursion includes a stop at Kimberley, with a visit to the Diamond Mine Museum and to the edge of The Big Hole.

Northbound (Cape Town – Pretoria), the off-the-train excursion is at Matjiesfontein (pronounced My-keys-fontaine) in the Little Karoo. The entire village has been declared a National Museum and the tour includes a drink at the historic Lord Milner Hotel.

This overnight journey fits perfectly even into relatively short itineraries and guests can be assured of a good night’s rest due to the very gentle motion, achieved through The Blue Train’s advanced suspension system. Much of the nighttime journey is through the semi-arid Karoo desert so there is nothing to see but the stars!

The Blue Train operates 2 train sets. Train set 1 comprises 14 coaches and can accommodate 52 guests. Train set 2 is longer (measuring 399 metres) and comprises of 19 coaches and accommodates a maximum of 80 guests. It has a Conference Car at the rear of the train, which when not used for conference facilities, is converted into an Observation Car / third lounge. This train has one suite fully adapted for wheelchair users. A Blue Train compliant wheelchair is available for use by guests for easy movement within the train – with the assistance of a dedicated butler.

Check-in is an hour (07h30) before departure and guests can relax in the pre-departure lounges at Pretoria or Cape Town train stations. Departures from both Cape Town and Pretoria will be at 08h30, arriving the next day just after Noontime.

All suites have the following facilities:

En-suite bathrooms - elegantly decorated with Italian marble and gold plated fittings, fully remote controlled facilities – blinds etc.o Fully soundproofedo Individually-controlled air-conditioningo Under floor heatingo Personal butlers offer 24-hour room serviceo GPS system and TV monitor to track the train’s progress and share the driver’s viewo Interactive Entertainment System

Two lounges are available:

The Club Car Lounge: The only area where smoking is permitted. A very popular lounge after dinner as Cognacs and hand-made cigars are served here. The lounge boasts a well-stocked bar, coffee table books, magazines and board games. It is situated at the front of the train so non-smokers don’t have to go through it, to access the other areas of the train.

The Lounge Car: A non-smoking lounge in which to relax and enjoy Afternoon High Tea and snacks.

Dining Car: Guests all enjoy the very finest dining on board with an excellent choice of both local and international dishes. The Dining Car seats 42 people and serves meals in two sessions when trains are at full capacities. Guests are able to select their seating time upon reservation or on arrival once on board. The wine list has for a number of years secured the Annual Diner’s Club Award of Approval plus many other accolades.

Rates include: all meals, all drinks (including South African sparkling wine). The high season rates apply from 1 September till 15 November every year. Rates exclude: gratuities, imported French Champagne, caviar and telephone calls outside the train.

Children: Children 5 years and younger sharing a suite with their parents travel free of charge (maximum of two children per suite). Due to space constraints, The Blue Train will not be able to accommodate any additional bed and / or mattress or a cot in the suite to accommodate infants / children. Children will have to share the bed / beds with their parents / guardians. Should this pose a problem, The Blue Train recommend that guests book an additional suite (Children’s rates apply). Children between 6 and 11 years of age, pay 50% of the adult rate, in a separate suite. Children 12 years and older

pay the full adult rate per person sharing and will be accommodated in a separate suite. No special meals are available for children and / or infants on the train. Children should be kept under strict adult supervision of either their parents / guardians and should not inconvenience other guests. Children are not allowed in the Club Car as this is a smoker’s area and is hazardous to their health.The guardian or parents travelling with the children need to sign the child policy before boarding the train.

Dress code: Smart-casual during the day but a jacket and tie are compulsory for gentlemen in the evening. Ladies to dress elegantly for dinner.

Luggage: Small cases or overnight bags are recommended. Larger luggage will be stored in the luggage carriage.

The Blue Train offers far more than just a journey. It is an all-inclusive experience offering a combination of unsurpassed luxury travel, five star-accommodation, fine cuisine, personalised butler service and routes that offer breathtaking views of the countryside.

So take a journey into a timeless world of grace, elegance and romance, where spectacular scenery stirs your imagination and luxurious comfort soothes your body, mind and soul.

THE BLUE TRAIN, A window to the soul of South Africa

For more information, please visit www.bluetrain.co.za

Pretoria Office Cape Town Office

Tel: +27 (0) 12 334 8459 Tel: +27 (0) 21 449 2672 Fax: +27 (0) 334 8464 Fax: +27 (0) 21 449 3338

E-mail: info@bluetrain.co.za