2011 NAMAQUALAND FLOWERS & WEST COAST
MOTORBIKE-on-TRAIN TOUR

From Johannesburg
For dual purpose bikes only

JB Train Tours invites you to join us on the annual Motorbike-on-Train Tour to be hosted during September 2011 from Johannesburg to the West Coast and Namaqualand Flowers in season, and return, travelling on the Trans Karoo Tourist Class Train.

This is our fourth-of-a kind Motorbike-on-Train tour that we host. This tour is ideal for those who would like to enjoy the beauty of the wild flowers in bloom, discover the beauty of the West Coast, meet the people and ride on interesting back roads as well. It is more suitable for the intermediate experienced biker, as well as for those who would like to explore new destinations in a well structured, organised and safe manner.

The majority of the roads would be on tar, but good dirt and gravel roads will be traversed as well. Hence, a dual-purpose bike (not scrambler!) is essential. The group will be kept smaller than when travelling only on tarred roads. I.e.: Max. 15 bikes per tour.

This is the time and opportunity to enjoy the West Coast and Namaqualand at its best. Pillions are more than welcome and are actually encouraged to travel along.

Lots of mountain passes, coastal roads, small villages and very scenic roads and routes will be visited and traversed.

Since 2007 when the first Motorbike-on-Train tour has been presented, we have hosted more than 25 similar tours to different destinations. Come and live (and ride) this experience with us.

Visit places and travel roads that you’ve never seen before (or heard off – places like Wupperthal, Leipoldville, Doringbaai, Piket-Bo-berg, Paternoster, etc.); experience the scenic mountain passes with curves and corners galore; traverse the coastal roads; dine at village restaurants en route; accelerate in remote stretches and enjoy the ‘fynbos’ and out door life of the West Coast & Namaqualand.

You’ll travel more than 1150km over the 4 days, all on good roads – some of them dirt or gravel.

JB Train Tours invites you to join us on a holiday motorbike-on-train tour in 2011 to the West Coast and Namaqualand. This is a safe and secure tour for individuals, bike families and/or groups. (Please note this is a holiday TOUR, NOT a booze cruise, race or rally, neither a dull affair). It is a tour with stoppages en route to be able to enjoy the beauty & natural scenery Namaqualand can offer.

We have scheduled only ONE tour during the year, at the end of the Western Cape’s rainy season!

This tour is a combination of: Travelling by train (with your bike on the train with you); enjoying the flowers in Season, fishermen villages, missionary villages and the people of the region; sleeping in two good hotels with a swimming pool and other facilities; enjoying the beach and sea, visiting the most popular tourist destinations and just relax. (All this at a very affordable rate). We have a few pleasant surprises included in the itinerary as well. There is ample time available for leisure or extra bike trips. (If you still feel like it!)

When travelling by train we make use of the upgraded Trans Karoo Tourist Class train.

The main purpose of this tour is to give bikers the opportunity to ride their bikes in another and interesting environment – with curves and corners almost unlimited. It is not a race, though there will be a number of opportunities to use your horsepower to the full at certain spots. The different daily routes will take you past some breathtaking scenery.

The tours are scheduled to take place in spring time – however rain could be a problem (as the Western Cape is a winter rainfall area), rather bring your foul weather gear with!

All the routes are on good tarred & dirt roads. A back-up vehicle will be available in case of emergency or breakdowns. If utilised, the expenses are for the biker’s pocket. Please make sure your bike is 100% roadworthy and in a good condition.

The group is limited to a maximum of 15 motorbikes per tour - plus a pillion per bike (is very welcome). I.e.: Max. 30 passengers per tour. It is not compulsary for the driver or pillion to ride every day. It could be exchanged for shopping and alternative sightseeing! This whole tour is a holiday.

This tour runs parralel and concurrent with one of our other scheduled train tours to the Flowers. Your luggage will travel with their bus and you’ll sleep in the same hotel (or close by) as the bus passengers. I.e.: No luggage on the bike with you.

Are you tired of phoning, looking for accommodation and worrying about the logistics? We’ll take you there. Go and live this unique tour!

Why travel by train?

  1. To cut out the longs straight and boring roads of the Karoo
  2. To do something different
  3. ‘Cause the bike can travel along on the train
  4. To start fresh when arriving in the Western Cape
  5. To have fun the moment you depart from Johannesburg
  6. To rest and relax on the way back – in style
  7. To enjoy the scenery from a different angle
  8. ‘Cause it is safe & secure
  9. ‘Cause travelling by train is ‘lekker’
  10. To discover new routes, places and people

 

Who may come along? Any person who is interested in visiting the West Coast and Namaqualand, can ride a big off-road bike (500cc+), have a relevant & legal driver’s licence and would like to travel in a group. By the way, you must bring your own bike! If you don’t have a bike, a rental one can be arranged ay additional costs. All genders & ages are welcome. It is NOT a pre-requisite that you have to belong to any club or bike association. Friends, individuals, couples, etc. are more than welcome,

Note #1:  Do it together. Take your pillion along. (Sorry, no Sheila’s provided!)
Note #2:  Just calculate how much you save on wear and tear if NOT riding all the way to the Cape on your bike.

Name of tour  2011 West Coast & Namaqualand Motorbike-on-Train Tour - from JHB

Tour dates & Number Only one tour to choose from during 2011

(7 days) Friday to Thursday

2 – 8 Sept MB 8

Departure times

Johannesburg 10:30 Platform 16 Day 1
Worcester 15:50 Platform 1 Day 6

Arrival times

Worcester 09:20 Platform 1 Day 2
Johannesburg 15:20 Platform 16 Day 7

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

Price per Biker Persons per
4-Bed Comp’ment		 Persons per
Hotel Room
R6990 4 2
R7290 3 2 & 1
R7990 2 2
     
Price per Biker Persons per
2-Bed Coupe 		Persons per
Hotel Room
R7290 2 2
R7960 1 1

The Pillion pays R2000 per person less.

Children

Children pay the above prices. Sorry, no discount.

Deposit

A R1000 per person non-refundable deposit will secure your place. The balance must be paid by latest six weeks before departure date. If NOT paid, your place will be cancelled automatically. Book NOW.

Note

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

Included in price

Return transport by train to Cape Town, 2 nights’ accommodation and bedding on the train, 4 nights’ D, B&B accommodation in two good hotels en route, transportation of motorbike on the train, safe parking for bikes at the hotels, tour guide & sweeper, as well as certain meals as per the itinerary.

Daily route briefings will be done as well.

Excluded from the tour price

Entry fees at tourist destinations, expenses of a personal nature, fuel, toll gate fees, breakdowns or bike recovering costs & Comprehensive Travel Insurance. Anything else not mentioned in the Information Document.

Meals

Dinner & breakfast are included on the return train trip from JHB to CPT, as well as at the hotels. All other (tasty) meals are available at very reasonable prices on the train and where we will be riding.

Bar facilities

Available on the train.

Train Route

You will travel on the Trans Karoo Tourist Class Train from Johannesburg to Cape Town via Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Kimberley, De Aar, Beaufort West to Worcester. You may join en route. (Sorry, the train does NOT depart from Pretoria anymore).

Accommodation on the train

Passengers will be accommodated in a 4-bed compartment or 2-bed coupe on the train (Trans Karoo Tourist train).

Accommodation at the hotels

Passengers will be accommodated on a D, B&B basis for four nights in the upmarket Club Mykonos or Saldanha Protea Hotel & Vredendal Hotel. The rooms are spacious, with good facilities.

Loading of the motorbikes

All the bikes must be brought to Platform 14 at Johannesburg Park station by latest 08:00 on the day of departure. Entry to the Platform is off Harrison Street. (GPS: S 26°11’834”  E 28°02’370”). Owners to do loading and fastening of bikes. Please bring your own tie-downs. Four tie-downs are more than enough. You are welcome to bring your own blankets or cloth for your bike.

The motorbikes are transported in a “KP” carriage and will be hauled with the passenger train. This carriage is totally enclosed and the bikes won’t be exposed to wind and weather.

Insurance

Each bike owner is responsible for his/her own insurance on the bike.

Medical

Bring your medical fund card and medicines along.

Clothing

Casual clothing plus your normal personal biking gear.

Luggage

Just take what you need. Don’t take the whole wardrobe. On arrival at Worcester the luggage will be transported by bus to the hotel. You do not need to travel with it on your bike at any time. Please mark each piece of luggage or bag or suitcase clearly with your name on it.

Notes

This is a casual holiday train tour. It is ideal for families; for those who haven’t been on a train holiday or haven’t visited the Namaqualand Flowers or West Coast.

Safety

We do NOT compromise on safety during the tour. We have a sound record on ALL our tours and intend to keep it that way.

BOOK NOW! Please complete the attached Reservation Form (one per biker) and fax it to us, along with your Bank Deposit slip. Closing date is when the limited number of places is sold out.

Groups, clubs, associations and mates are welcome.

Visit our Photo Gallery for pictures of recent Motorbike-on-Train tours.

Travel & Biker greetings

Johan Badenhorst &
The JB Train Tours Team

Note #1:          We are hosting the following other Motorbike-on-Train tours as well:

JHB to Western Cape & Boland
JHB to Garden Route (Eastern & Southern Cape)
JHB to BMW Bike Fest in Oudtshoorn
JHB to Buffalo Rally in Mossel Bay
DBN to Western Cape & Boland

Johannesburg - Cape Town - Johannesburg
Town Arrival Departure Town Arrival Departure
Johannesburg   10:30 Cape Town   12:30
Krugersdorp 11:14 11:19 Bellville 12:55 13:00
Potchefstroom 13:16 13:20 Huguenot 13:41 13:45
Klerksdorp 14:01 14:15 Wellington 13:55 13:59
Christiana 16:50 16:55 Worcester 15:35 15:50
Warrenton 17:29 17:34 Matjiesfontein 17:50 17:55
Kimberley 18:35 19:07 Laingsburg 18:20 18:30
De Aar 22:50 23:05 Beaufort West 21:30 22:00
Hutchinson 01:15 01:25 Hutchinson 23:55 00:10
Beaufort West 03:20 03:40 De Aar 02:10 02:40
Laingsburg 06:37 06:47 Kimberley 06:25 06:45
Matjiesfontein 07:10 07:15 Warrenton 07:45 07:50
Worcester 09:20 09:40 Christiana 08:20 08:30
Wellington 11:10 11:14 Klerksdorp 11:15 11:30
Huguenot 11:25 11:30 Potchefstroom 12:13 12:18
Bellville 12:10 12:15 Krugersdorp 14:22 14:27
Cape Town 12:40   Johannesburg 15:20  

Please note that running times are not guaranteed.

 

Provisional PROGRAMME

2011 NAMAQUALAND & WEST COAST - from JHB
 MOTORBIKE-on-TRAIN TOUR

Day 1 Sunday
   
From 08:00 Passengers with bikes meet at Johannesburg station - Platform 14
10:30 Train departs Johannesburg - Platform 16
Dinner served on the train (included in the tour price)
First briefing session
Travel overnight
   
Day 2 Monday
   
07:00 Breakfast on the train (included in the tour price)
09:20 Disembarking at Worcester (your luggage remains on the train)
Day #1 of Motorbike Tour* (see bike itinerary below)
Book in at Hotel
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
Sleep in Hotel
   
Day 3 - 5 Tuesday - Thursday
   
  Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
All other meals available (own cost)
Dinner served (included in the tour price)
Days # 2 - # 4 of Motorbike Tour*
Sleep in Hotel
   
Day 6 Friday
   
  Breakfast served at the Hotel (included in the tour price)
Book out of the Hotel
Day # 5 of Motorbike Tour*
15:30 Loading of bikes on train – Worcester station, Platform 1
15:50 Train departs for JHB
Dinner served on the train (included in the tour price)
Travel overnight
   
Day 7 Saturday
   
  Breakfast served on the train (included in the tour price)
15:20 Arrival at Johannesburg station – Platform 16
Off loading of bikes
Go home & rest!

Provisional PROGRAMME

The daily programme can change

2011 JHB to NAMAQUALAND & WEST COAST - from Worcester onwards
MOTORBIKE-on-TRAIN TOUR

Day 2              Monday

Disembark train at Worcester

Route:             Worcester – Wolseley – Tulbagh – Gouda – Piketberg - Goedverwacht – Langebaan

Today’s distance = 190+ km

Day 3              Tuesday

Route:             Langebaan – Saldanha – Paternoster – Laaiplek – Velddrift – Darling – Yzerfontein - Langebaan

Today’s distance = 192+ km

Day 4              Wednesday

Route:             Langebaan – Vredenburg – Velddrift – Dwarskersbos – Elandsbaai – Leipoldtville – Lambertsbaai – Doringbaai – Strandfontein – Papendorp – Lutzville - Vredendal

Today’s distance = 221+ km

Day 5              Thursday

Route:             Vredendal – Van Rhynsdorp – Nieuwoudtville – Loeriesfontein - Klawer - Vredendal

Today’s distance = 223+ km

Day 6              Friday

Route:             Vredendal – Clanwilliam – Wupperthal – Citrusdal – Worcester

Today’s distance = 365+ km

Total distance = 1191+ km

This itinerary can change on short notice without notice.

RESERVATION FORM

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAIN