Family
GARDEN ROUTE HOLIDAY TRAIN TOUR

Departing from Cape Town to Jo’burg to PE

JB Train Tours invites you to join us on our annual holiday train (& bus) tour to the magnificent Garden Route in the Southern Cape. The natural beauty of this region has mesmerized many local visitors, as well as those from abroad, for many good reasons.

Although this tour departs from Cape Town for Johannesburg, it forms part of the Garden Route train tour scheduled to depart from Jo’burg to the Garden Route. Before joining the tour in Jo’burg, you’ll spend one night on the train and one night in a Lodge at Carnival City.

This tour is a combination of: Travelling by train & bus; enjoying one night in Gauteng and then the Garden Route at a very affordable rate; sleeping in upmarket hotels and lodges; enjoying the fauna & flaura, beaches and sea, mountains and valleys and visiting the most popular tourist destinations in the region or just relax. We’ll show you a few hidden treasures as well…

Are you tired of driving, looking for accommodation and worrying about the logistics? We’ll take you there. When travelling by train, you don’t have to worry about increasing petrol prices, tollgate fees, heavy traffic, driving back or sitting in your car. It is so much easier and VERY price competitive.

Any person who is interested in visiting the Garden Route, Little Karoo and surroundings, may travel along. This is very suitable for church groups and clubs.

Some of the cities and towns visited include Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Plettenberg Bay, picturesque Knysna & Storms River mouth, George, Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay (the town in South Africa with the modest weather by far in the country), historical Swellendam, ‘sultana sweet’ Montagu and Worcester.

We’ll pay a visit to the Tsitsikama Forest, watch bungee jumping at Bloukrans River bridge, enjoy a trip on the ferry in Knysna (weather permitting), ride the waves in Mossel Bay, stay two nights in the Outeniqua mountains, visit a cave, experience the Drostdy and taste wine at a cellar.

A number of interesting surprises are included in the itinerary – like on many of our other train tours. If you haven’t experienced the Garden Route before – do it this easy and comfortable way.

This is a very affordable train trip with options on how many persons you want to be in a compartment, what you would like to do and what to visit. The daily distances traveled by bus are kept as short as possible.

Before this itinerary was put together, we have again spent a lot of time in the area to ‘discover’ new gems in the region, visit the old and very popular tourist destinations and ensured that you have proper accommodation and festive meals.

You could have visited the Garden Route many times before, but we’ll show you a few new places!

Name of tour  Garden Route Holiday Train Tour - from CPT (via JHB)

Tour dates & Number Three (3) 10-day tour dates to choose from in 2011

28 January – 6 February GRCT 1
13 – 22 May GRCT 2
14 – 23 October GRCT 3

Departure times

Cape Town 12:30 Platform 24 Day A Friday
Worcester 15:50 Platform 1 Day A Friday
Johannesburg 13:15 Platform 16 Day 1 Monday

Arrival times

Johannesburg 15:20 Platform 16 Day B Saturday
Port Elizabeth 09:15 Platform 4 Day 2 Tuesday
Cape Town 18:00 CPT Station Day 7 Sunday

The CPT arrival is by bus

Other stations’ departure times – see below.

Tour price 4-Bed Compartment on Train & 2-Bed/Room in Hotel

Price per Adult Price per Child Persons per
Comp’ment		 Persons per
Hotel Room
R7100 R6600 4 2
R7730 R6230 3 2
R8200 R7700 2 2

Tour price 2-Bed Coupe on Train & 2-Bed/Room in Hotel

Price per Adult Price per Child Persons per
2-Bed Coupe		 Persons per
Hotel Room
R7300 R6800 2 2
R8500   1 1

Children

Children ages 2 – 9 pay the above ‘Child’ prices. If younger than 2 years, free of charge if sharing a bed and seat on the bus with parent.

Deposit

A R500 per person non-refundable deposit will secure your place. The balance must be paid six weeks before departure date. If NOT paid, your place will be cancelled automatically.

Note

Passengers may pay a monthly instalment and then pay the last payment six weeks before departure date.

Included in price

Train transport from Cape Town to JHB (Trans Karoo Tourist Class train) & Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth (Algoa Tourist Class train) and by bus from Worcester to Cape Town, 2 nights’ accommodation and bedding on the train, 7 nights’ B&B accommodation in upmarket hotels & lodges in Gauteng and on the Garden Route, bus transport, entry to excursions (as per the itinerary), a tour guide, as well as certain meals are included in the tour price.

Meals

A daily breakfast and dinner (excluding one in Jo’burg) are included in the tour price. All other (tasty) meals are available at very reasonable prices on the train and en route.

Excluded from the tour price

Meals and excursions not mentioned, expenses of a personal nature, Comprehensive Travel Insurance & gratuities.

Route

You will travel overnight on the Trans Karoo Tourist Class train from CPT to JHB via Worcester, Beaufort West Kimberley & Klerksdorp and on the Algoa Tourist Class Train from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth via Kroonstad, Bloemfontein and Colesberg. Passengers may embark or dis-embark at any point en route. Please indicate on your Reservation Form.

Accommodation

Passengers will be accommodated for two nights on the train whilst travelling & seven nights in upmarket hotels and lodges. Two persons to a room unless otherwise requested & booked.

Notes

This is a casual holiday train tour. It is ideal for families; those who haven’t been on a train holiday or haven’t visited the Garden Route before, at a rate not to be repeated.

BOOK NOW! Please complete the Reservation Form at the bottom of this page and fax it to us, along with your Bank Deposit slip. Closing date is when the limited number of places is sold out.

Travel greetings

Johan Badenhorst &
The JB Train Tours Team

Running times of the train

Cape Town - Johannesburg

Town Arrival Departure
Cape Town   12:30
Bellville 12:55 13:00
Huguenot 13:41 13:45
Wellington 13:55 13:59
Worcester 15:35 15:50
Matjiesfontein 17:50 17:55
Laingsburg 18:20 18:30
Beaufort West 21:30 22:00
Hutchinson 23:55 00:10
De Aar 02:10 02:40
Kimberley 06:25 06:45
Warrenton 07:45 07:50
Christiana 08:20 08:30
Klerksdorp 11:15 11:30
Potchefstroom 12:13 12:18
Krugersdorp 14:22 14:27
Johannesburg 15:20  

Johannesburg – Port Elizabeth

Town Arrival Departure
Johannesburg   13:15
Vereeniging 14:48 14:55
Kroonstad 17:12 17:22
Bloemfontein 20:10 20:30
Noupoort 02:15 02:35
Cradock 04:39 04:44
Port Elizabeth 09:15  

Please note that running times are not guaranteed.

 

Provisional PROGRAMME

GARDEN ROUTE HOLIDAY TRAIN TOUR - from CPT (via JHB)

Day A Friday
   
From 11:30 Passengers assemble at Cape Town station – Platform 24
12:30 Train departs CPT
Dinner served on the train (included in the tour price)
Travel overnight
   
Day B Saturday
   
 

Breakfast is served on the train (included in the tour price)
15:20 Arrival in Jo’burg
Transport to the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Book in at Hotel
Dinner (included in the tour price)
Sleep over at Hotel
   
Day C Sunday
   
  Breakfast at hotel (included in the tour price)
Afternoon excursion (included in the tour price)
Dinner (own pocket)
Sleep over at Hotel
   
Day 1 Monday
   
   
From 12:00 Passengers assemble at Johannesburg station - Platform 14
13:15 Train departs Johannesburg
Dinner served on the train (included in the tour price)
Travel overnight
   
Day 2 Tuesday
   
09:15 Arrival in Port Elizabeth
Breakfast (included in the tour price)
Bus departs & visit Tsitsikama Forest, Storms River Mouth, Bloukrans Bridge & Plettenberg Bay                     
Arrival in Knysna & book in at Hotel
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
   
Distance traveled by bus = 295 km  
   
Day 3 Wednesday
   
07:00 Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Ferry to the Heads (depending on the weather)
Visit to Waterfront
Depart for Oudtshoorn
Travel with Power Van on rails up the Outeniqua mountain
Sleep at Hotel near Oudtshoorn
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
   
Distance traveled by bus = 108 km  
   
Day 4 Thursday
   
07:00 Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Bus departs for Cango caves, Kango Wild Ranch & ostrich farm (included in tour price)
Arrival at Hotel in mountains
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
   
Distance traveled by bus = 84 km  
   
Day 5 Friday
   
  Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Bus departs for Mossel Bay CBD
Visit museums, town & Bushmen’s cave (own pocket)
Afternoon at leisure
Sleep in the same hotel as Day 4
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
   
Distance traveled by bus = 87 km  
   
Day 6 Saturday
   
  Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Bus departs for Montagu
Visit Aloe factory en route
Visit Drostdy in Swellendam
Book in at hotel in Montagu
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
   
Distance traveled by bus = 264 km  
   
Day 7 Sunday
   
  Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Bus departs for Sheilam Nursery (included in the tour price)
15:30 Bus departs from Worcester for Cape Town
18:00 Bus arrives in Cape Town
Go home & rest!

RESERVATION FORM

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAIN