1. That the 2010 Year Programme with all the Rates & Dates of our train tours has been sent to you by e-mail during last month? Did you receive it? If not, please inform us immediately and we’ll send it again. DON’T miss out! It was snake-mail posted to 30124 addresses as well!
2. That we have organised a train tour to the annual BIG WALK in Cape Town? It will be hosted from 6 to 10 November 2009.

The Blue Train still runs regularly between Pretoria and Cape Town (the only long distance passenger train still departing from Pretoria) on its 27 hour journey and once in a while on special trips to the Lowveld, KZN and Sun City.

What is the price to travel on this train? See the prices below:

Cape Town / Pretoria

2009

JB Train Tours bied vanjaar weer verskeie bus- en vliegtuigtoere na hierdie glansgeleentheid toe aan en het PUIK sitplekke vir al die vertonings bespreek: In die middelblok op die vloer – naby die verhoog! (“Prime spot seats!”).

3-Dag Vliegtuigtoere word weer vanuit Kaapstad, George, Port Elizabeth en Durban aangebied, wat 2 nagte se hotel-akkommodasie & etes, busvervoer na Sun City en natuurlik die Skouspel-kaartjie insluit. 2 – 4 Okt & 9 – 11 Okt 2009 (Almal is vol bespreek)

Namaqualand Flowers – Durban to Namaqualand – “When traveling from the green pastures of KZN, through the dry Free State and Karoo, the beauty of the Western Cape and Namaqualand is grace for the eyes” – Verdict of one of the passengers on tour!

Kruger Nasionale Park – Kaapstad na die Laeveld - Die ‘Wildtuin treintoer vanuit die Kaap het vir vele Kapenaar die eerste keer na die Laeveld en KNP geneem. Die toergroep het BAIE wild gesien en sommige passasiers het al 5 die diere van die ‘Big 5’ kon waarneem.

Durban & KZN – Jo’burg to Durban – What a good weekend on the beach – including a shower of rain! A highlight was the return trip to Jo’burg on the Premier Classe train.

Rugby Test – Jo’burg to Durban by Premier Classe train. (‘Bok train)– It was good to experience the Springboks beating the All Blacks on two successive Saturdays. To be present at a test match is always something special.

Rugby Test – JHB to CPT by Premier Classe train. (‘Bok train) – The Springboks have beaten the Wallabies in the Tri Nations test at Newlands in Cape Town as well. Hence it was another good tour and another succesful ‘Bok train’!

September 2009 TOURS

Namaqualand Flowers – Jo’burg to Namaqualand – Another 5 train tours running in September from Jo’burg to the flowers on the South African West coast. All these flower tours were fully booked in 2008 and this year will be the same. Each tour is 7 days long and included in the tour price are the return train trip, bus transport to the sight seeing & tourists’ spots, entry fees, meals and 4 nights’ accommodation in top hotels, as well as tour guides. Fully booked

Namaqualand Flowers – Durban to Namaqualand – 8 Train tours departing from Durban. Only 5 tours were initially organised, but it was fully booked in April already. Another 3 tours had to be arranged quickly (fully booked now). Each tour is 8 days long and includes the return train trip, hotel accommodation, luxury bus transport, meals, entry to excursions & tour guide. Fully booked

Motorbike-on-Train Tour – Jo’burg to Western Cape & Boland – This 7-day tour is growing in popularity and some bikers are doing this tour for the third successive year! Why? “Cause it’s ‘lekker”. To traverse 26+ beautiful mountain passes (all tarred), to enjoy the beauty of the Cape & Boland, to travel safely under good leadership and to ride through 1000’s of sweeping corners next to the ocean, is something many bikers only dream of. We make it happen. We’ve got only two tours left for the year. One in September (20 – 26 Sept) Fully booked and one in October (11 – 17 Oct). R5680 pp (Bike transport included) and the pillion pays less.

Cape Town – JHB to CPT - 25 Sept to 1 Oct 2009 (Extra tour organised for the School holiday) – Still limited space available. R3550 pp

Cape Town – JHB to CPT – VERY popular train tour to the Mother City: Robben island, Cape Point, Table Mountain, Hout Bay and much more. 27 Sept – 3 Oct 2009 Fully booked

7 Provinces & 3 Trains – Circular route through South Africa – If you like traveling by train and you want to experience three of the oldest scheduled train trips in South Africa, this tour is for you. Ride on the Trans Natal, Trans Orange and Trans Karoo Tourist trains, joining the tour along the route at a station closest to your home and disembark again 8 days later at the same station. 10 – 22 Sept 2009 R 3990 pp Fully booked

Namibia–  Jo’burg to Windhoek - JB Train Tours has hosted three train tours from South Africa to Namibia in April & May 2009 respectively. All 3 of them were fully booked. Due to public demand, we have organised another two upmarket train tours to our beautiful neighbouring country. Compartments with en suite facilities are still available. 12 – 21 Sept 2009. Fully booked

October 2009 TOURS

Kruger National Park CPT – Cape Town to Lowveld & KNP     This tour takes one into the KNP for 3 nights, as well as through the Lowveld and Panorama Route of Mpumalanga. 1 – 9 Oct 2009 R6400 pp  (4 spaces available)

7 Provinces & 3 Trains – Circular route through South Africa     If you like traveling by train and you want to experience three of the oldest scheduled train trips in South Africa, this tour is for you. Ride on the Trans Natal, Trans Orange and Trans Karoo Tourist trains, joining the tour along the route at a station closest to your home and disembark again 8 days later at the same station. 14 – 26 Oct 2009 R 3990 pp Fully booked

Motorbike-on-Train Tour – Jo’burg to Western Cape & Boland            Don’t miss this one – the last one in 2009. We’ll have a honeymoon couple with friends on this tour! Enjoy the beauty of the Cape & Boland, travel safely under good leadership and ride through 1000’s of sweeping corners next to the ocean.  This is a safe & no-nonsense tour. R5680 pp (Bike transport included) and the pillion pays less.

Piet ‘besem’ – the sweeper on the bike tours

Huisgenoot Skouspel – Vanaf verskeie plekke in SA      Vlieg in, ry in, bus in, maar maak net seker dat u een van die laaste klompie kaartjies bekom vir die 10de jaarlikse Huisgenoot Skouspel wat by Sun City plaasvind. 3, 4, 10 & 11 Okt 2009 Vol bespreek

Northwest University to CPT (Private Tour) – Jo’burg to Cape Town - A group of students from the Northwest University campus in Mafikeng will be undertaking a study tour to the Cape, visiting various institutions involved with transport. I.e.: Trains, the harbour, airports, museums, etc. Private tour

Vic Falls to Jo’burg via Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique & Swaziland – This 15-day tour is currently offered at a discounted rate to all South Africans. Visit all the popular and more famous landmarks in these neighbouring countries, get spoiled on the train and enjoy good food and wine en route. 28 Oct – 11 Nov 2009. R20640 pp (normal price R41000 pp)

Harley Davidsons (motorbikes) – Cape Town to Jo’burg –  returning from the Paternoster Rally in the Western Cape & traveling on the Premier Classe. Private group

Durban stylish weekend – Jo’burg to Durban –  Travel on the Premier Classe (return trip) and sleep one night in a hotel in Durban. 16 – 19 Oct 2009 R2995 pp

November 2009 TOURS

Big Walk - Jo’burg to Cape Town              Take part in the Big Walk or just enjoy Cape Town. 6 – 10 Nov 2009. R2600 pp

7 Provinces & 3 Trains – Circular route through South Africa     If you like traveling by train and you want to experience three of the oldest scheduled train trips in South Africa, this tour is for you. Ride on the Trans Natal, Trans Orange and Trans Karoo Tourist trains, joining along the route closest to your home and disembark again 8 days later at the same station. 11 – 23 Nov 2009 R 3990 pp

Cherry Festival – Pretoria & Jo’burg to Clarens & Ficksburg    Bus tour to visit the Cherry Festival and beautiful mountainous Eastern Free State. 20 – 22 Nov 2009. R2350 pp

Durban stylish weekend – Jo’burg to Durban –  Travel on the Premier Classe (return trip) and sleep one night in a hotel in Durban. 6 – 9 Nov 2009 R2995 pp

Cape Town stylish weekend – Jo’burg to Cape Town –  A company’scenturion celebrations. They’ve booked the whole Premier Classe train, sleep one night in a hotel in Stellenbosch & fly back. 12 – 14 Nov 2009 Private tour

Cape Town stylish weekend – Jo’burg to Cape Town –  Travel on the Premier Classe, sleep two nights in a hotel in CPT & fly back. 19 – 22 Nov 2009 R5700 pp

December 2009 TOURS

Cape Town - Jo’burg to Cape Town           These 7-day tours, hosted during the December holiday period, are very popular and every year fully booked well in advance. Visit the Mother City and pay a visit to Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, ‘Groot Constantia’ Wine Estate, the Castle of Good Hope, Hout Bay and much more. Get your details from us now.Various dates. Four of these tours are already fully booked. R3950 pp

Cape Town - Durban to Cape Town           These 8-day tours, hosted during the December holiday period, are very popular and every year fully booked well in advance. Visit the Mother City and pay a visit to Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, ‘Groot Constantia’ Wine Estate, the Castle of Good Hope, Hout Bay and much more. Get your details from us now.Only three tours. R3700 pp

Cherries

BIG discounted special offer on Train Tour to Vic Falls, Maputo (Mozambique), Swaziland, Zambia and Chobe (Botswana) – ‘all in one’.

One upmarket train tour was hosted between Gauteng & Vic Falls from 15 – 29 July 2009, whilst another one was hosted in the opposite direction from 4 – 18 August.

The only tour left at this huge discounted rate is from 28 October – 11 November 2009. Compartments with en-suite facilities are available. Normal price for this 15-day tour is R41299 pp. You can now travel on this trip at only R20640 pp

The train at Vic Falls station

Regards/Groete