So I took the train long way

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Hosehead

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Well I had to go back to White River to fetch another bike last week and I had a bit of time on my hands and despite airfares being around 3000 into Kruger by way of Ortia The very thought of being stuck in a fart filled pressurized tube had me looking at other options . I love rail but I don't care for the prices . From CPT to jnb you have the premier classe train running once a week and it's around 3000 rand a head also available is Rovos Rail at more thousands per head ( I think over 50 k for 2 and the blue Train which also is once a week but over 20k plus into PTA
Little known is the Shosholoza Meyl which covers the exact same scenic routes over the same journey time ( if all goes. Well) a little over 26 hours and passengers can book berths in the sleepers either two or four berth at r690 per berth and if you are alone you can buy both berths for privacy and for the power points . Likewise if you are a couple. Buy all the 4 seater berths and you re free of strangers.
Funny enough foreigners take this option and some locals in the know. The rest of the train has sitter seats for the masses. Tourist class trains can carry your car and trailer or suv for 3000k one direction more

Remember first if you can possibly help it avoid buying tickets from spoornets passenger agency called African sun travel they charge a fee and are not able to issue the tickets . Go to PRASA ticket offices at the station and book
You will find you can book up to 90 days in advance and as these trains are popular you may wait a few days for a berth but in my case PRASA had one within 48 hours and a whole coupe for 1300.00 while the agency only quoted on availability ten days later.

Sure it takes overnight but if you haven't experienced the affordable luxury of a sleeper train you haven't lived
You are met by your train manager who checks your tickets and asks when you want a berth made up ( extra cost of 60 rand for clean sheets and warm blankets )
Unlike air travel you can take as much luggage as you want

From Cape Town the shoshozola Meyl departs around 10am and spends most of the day twisting around the cape stopping at every station and ends up at majiesfontein around tea time just as darkness falls for the Karoo ride to Beaufort west and Kimberly
Most people bring nom noms and drinks but there is a dedicated restuarant car for sleeper people and the food is basic cafeteria quality - nothing to write home about and they ran out of chips for three weeks in a row

Spectacular scenery aside you have 3G signals near towns and major roads but it soon vanishes
But out come books iPads and other stuff to amuse you or you can have a hot shower at both ends of your carriage To freshen up.

During the night we came to a stop in Beaufort west and didn't move for almost 7 hours placing us seriously behind schedule. One of the electric engines had broken ... And in recent weeks and months not uncommon at all
You therefore should never plan to be at the airport the following day because you might be sitting on the train
Many tourists learned the hard way and have missed flights
But this is Africa and hey it's Africa time
Anyway at some time early in the morning we clackity clacked north towards Kimberly a good 7 hours behind in a freezing Karoo.
The Train manager realized that we would only reach joburg park station around evening instead of 12.30 pm which is a time unseenfor months so bless her heart she organised for two City to City charter coaches to collect the entire train at a disused dorpie station called bloemhof in the NW province and for those headed to the airport a PRASA van and driver was arranged so I could connect with my shuttle at the airport ( alas that turned out not to be the case as after a 5 hour drive the last shuttle had left minutes after we pulled in to Ortia)
So it was a second night in a hotel for me until the first shuttle to Kruger in the am

Verdict : it's a great way to travel when everything is on time
You can bring your own food and drink and give the finger to the
rich fools on the Blue Train which passes you smug in the knowledge you
Will see the same sights and will be rocked to sleep in freshly made berths
In the privacy of your own coupes at a mere fraction of the price the other
Half pays.
It's a great way to recharge ones batteries and catch up with stuff while
Avoiding airport hell at a cheaper price too.
 
Interesting. Been many many years since I traveled on sleeper train. Thanks for sharing.
 
3000k=3mil… #justsaying :)

Might actually book me some meyls sometime sounds like a cool way to wander coastwards for a bit of r&r..
 
Last time I was on a train was in the 80's from Sturrock Park in Jhb to 5SAI in Ladysmith!
 
My last trip was in the early 90s, best sleep you will ever get. When I was a kid (earlier still) the dining cart was really posh, white linen, all the different cutlery (think it was silver or silver plated) and the food was really good.
 
Yeah, I'd love to do this but purely from an experience point of view. For everything else airplanes do the job at a fraction of the time
 
Nice read and info @horsehead
Yip last time I was on a train was when I was called up for a camp to Hoedspruit just to play soccer in the Airforce Championship in Cape Town.
I think on the way there we had every M. P. in the country busy trying to find us as we caused havoc on the train.
It was fun though no sleep just party.
 
Took my kids on this trip from CT to Jozi a couple of years back. Loved it and look forward to doing it again. They (the boys) had a complete blast and it was awesome not having to worry about driving or anything other than looking out the window. The dining car food was tasty and not over-priced and it was lovely falling asleep with the click-clack of the train wheels. Arrived at our destination rested and with loads of great memories.
 
I've travelled most of the US on train. My wife doesn't like to fly (she does in a pinch though). Chicago to San Francisco, LA to New Orleans, San Francisco to LA (a bunch of times), being the most memorable. I would take a train over a plane most of the time - although the longer routes were close to 3 days, which is a bit much (fun to do once, but not for regular travel). I would take it anywhere under 14 hours - I'm not a fan of sleeping and showering on the train. Even though we generally take the large SuperLux cabins (two beds in a bunk, chair, table, private dresser, private toilet, private shower), it can still be a bit yech (the trains aren't really kept in pristine condition in the US anymore). Over here we do generally get to also watch movies in the movie car, sit in the observation car glass even on ceiling, dinning car, and enjoy the bar/snack/cafe car.
 
I did that back when it was still called trans-karoo, great fun, I also spent some time in 3rd class with random people and had quite the party.
 
Great thread. Thanks to OP and others for sharing :)
 
Never been on a sleeper train before, but back in the day when I started working, I used to travel by train to work. The train left the station sharp at 5:20 I think and there were many a day when I had to take off my shoes to run and catch it if I overslept :crylaugh: One time a taxi driver took pity on me and gave me a lift to the next station. After getting my car I could always catch it at the next station before it left town.

The coaches were always divided into different types of people. The screaming church people, the young graduates who always traded stories, the old men who thought they were still hot enough to try and pick up girls, the ones who just wanted to catch up on sleep and the loner types who sat far apart, but still enjoyed the safety of being together. Oh and the ones who moved from coach to coach to avoid paying. Those were fun days. I always caught up with my reading on the train or juSt day dreamed.
 
coincidentally I took the premiere class to Cape Town and back for Easter. I much prefer it (even though both times the train was late)

I've driven down and flown down. It's nice to get off the train, relaxed and not tweaked up with stress of driving/flying.
 
how safe was it and is the security on the train

hows the noise levels and stuff ?

i also would love to do a train ride to jozi just for the scenery
 
halfmoonforever said:
coincidentally I took the premiere class to Cape Town and back for Easter. I much prefer it (even though both times the train was late)

I've driven down and flown down. It's nice to get off the train, relaxed and not tweaked up with stress of driving/flying.
Click to expand...

i used to travel daily with the train and yeah best way to destress and relax
 
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