The popularity of our Jo’burg to Cape Town train tours during December has again exceeded all expectations. ALL the tours are fully booked and the enquiries and bookings keep on coming in. In stead of overcrowding the current tours, we have rather organised three extra train tours during the peak period – to be hosted at the same tour price. The new dates are: 15 – 21 Dec, 22 – 28 Dec & 29 Dec – 4 Jan ’11. More info

These tours are very popular with families and people who can only take leave in December every year.

The news that the Trans Natal Tourist Class train running between Jo’burg and Durban has been permanently stopped by Shosholoza Meyl, affected many of our scheduled tours for the rest of the year and of course in future. It means that our Durban long weekend tours had to be abandoned, whilst the “7 Provinces & 3 Trains” tour now becomes a “7 Provinces, 2 Trains and one Bus” tour.

However, the Durban weekend train tour has been replaced by a similar tour to Port Elizabeth – the Friendly City. At the same tour price. The dates for 2010 are almost the same, whilst the price remains unchanged as well.

The train departs on a Friday morning from Jo’burg, arrives at 08:00 in PE, the whole day, night and next morning is spent in PE and at 13:00 it departs again back to Jo’burg to arrive at 09:40 Monday morning. Go and re-discover PE and all its sight seeing spots and beaches. More Info

Die kunstenaars wat aan die 2010 Huisgenoot Skouspel in Oktober by Sun City gaan deelneem, is onlangs bekend gemaak. Dit lyk soos die ‘Wie’s wie’ van top Afrikaanse kunstenaars in Suid-Afrika. Om hulle saam in een aand op ‘n verhoog te sien (selfs almal tergelykertyd op die verhoog op ‘n stadium) is ‘n belewenis. Die groot simfonie orkes wat saam optree verseker hoë musiek-kwaliteit. Wees daar. Die kunstenaars is:

Kurt Darren, Nicholis Louw, Theuns Jordaan, Juanita du Plessis, Nianell, Mara Louw, Andriette Norman, Bok van Blerk, SA Jeugkoor, George Longane, Karin Ferreira, Coenie de Villiers, Rina Hugo, Emo Adams, Carike Keuzenkamp, Brandon October, Sonja Herholdt, Wicus van der Merwe, Jennifer Jones, Cheree, Jay van Eden, Flip-a-coin, Heinz Winckler, Snotkop, Gerhard Steyn, Romanz, Ray Dylan, Bobby van Jaarsveld asook Rudi & Corlea.

Die jaarlikse Huisgenoot Skouspel wat in Oktober by Sun City in Noordwes aangebied word, beloof weer ‘n groot Skouspel te wees. Dit is die 11de jaar wat dit aangebied word en elke jaar is al 7 die vertonings, met bykans 5000 mense per vertoning, uitverkoop. JB Train Tours reël reeds die afgelope klompie jare bustoere vanuit Johannesburg, Pretoria, asook die Oos en Wes Rand na hierdie feesgeleentheid waar sowat 40 bekende Afrikaanse musikante optree. Meer inligtingVanjaar is daar ook ‘n bustoer vanaf Nelspruit gereël, wat een nag se verblyf insluit. Meer inligting. Ons het ook 'n bustoer vanuit VanderBijlpark en Potchefstroom vir Sondag 3 Oktober 2010 gereël Meer inligting

Sedert 2008 bied ons ewe gewilde 3-dag naweek vliegpakkette vanaf Kaapstad, George, Port Elizabeth en Durban na die Skouspel toe aan. Meer inligting. Hierdie toerpakket sluit ook verblyf, busvervoer, sekere etes en natuurlik die Huisgenoot Skouspel kaartjie in.

The Vodacom July Handicap in Durban is one of the most prestigious horse races in the country. It is an occasion where full bred horses, the rich and famous, the beautiful and the mod, as well as the ‘man on the street’ meet to enjoy a day of fun, horse racing, good food and wine, new designer dresses and betting. If you have always dreamed of attending it and never got to it, book a place on the specially arranged train tour from Jo’burg to Durban over the weekend of 30th July to 2nd August 2010 on the upmarket Premier Classe train.

The above tour was our first train tour to the ‘July’ and it was fully booked – book now for next year! More info

It was very popular with groups and as incentives.

Have you ever enjoyed a New Years Eve on a train? JB Train Tours have organised a Durban Stylish 2011 New Years Eve weekend from JHB for only R3 999pp sharing. Dates: 31 Dec to 3 Jan 2011 (Fri – Mon)

Included in the package is your return overnight trip on the upmarket Premier Classe train (incl. 5-course meals & bedding on train), transfers between DBN Train Station in hotel, 1 night B&B in a 4-star Hotel on the beach front.

Book now – limited spaces available.

It is that time of the year again when Marketing & Event Managers start searching for ideas for their company’s Year End function and/or Incentive get-aways.

We know people expect from you to offer something different – something that would WOW them!

JB Train Tours offers various customized stylish weekend get aways to places like Durban, Cape Town, Oudtshoorn & PE. Everything will be organized on your behalf: an upmarket train trip on the Premier Classe train, 5-course meals on the train, excursions off the train, accommodation on & off the train, welcome drinks, pillow gifts, shuttle and many more services.

Don’t be disappointed by booking too late. Enquiry today with Jolene about exciting train tour options.

It is common knowledge that all longs distance trains in South Africa were suspended by Shosholoza Meyl on Wednesday the 11th August 2010 – without any pre-warning – for 2 weeks. Shosholoza Meyl forms part of ‘Prasa’ (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) which is a parastatal of the Government. The suspension derived from a dispute between Prasa and Transnet about the maintenance of locomotives (hauling the trains).

The unfortunate result was that only a limited number of workable/operational locomotives were available, leading to trains being cancelled on short notice, leading to paid-up PRASA passengers being stranded at stations. In some cases alternative bus transport was made available to passengers. All these cancellations affected JB Train Tours’ tours during August 2010 negatively. At least 13 of our tours had to be re-scheduled, re-organised and re-vamped – all on VERY short notice. Only one tour could not be re-organised (The rugby train tour from JHB to CPT). The time limited and unavailability of resources prevented us from doing so.

Obviously the re-arranged tours did not suit everyone’s individual needs, but we have had two choices about these tours:Firstly: We could have cancelled the tours (the easy way out), informed the passengers accordingly, wait for all the complaints, moans and groans, respond to it and do all the refunds OR Secondly: We could try to salvage all the tours to the best of our ability with the resources available & service providers willing to assist. We have decided on the latter. AND WE ARE VERY PROUD ON WHAT WE’VE ACHIEVED.

It took lots of extra work (including after hours), lateral thinking, fruitful negotiations with service providers (airlines, bus companies, hotels, etc.) to make it happen. One should keep in mind that re-organising 45 passengers per tour to change travel arrangements form a train to a flight or bus does not happen quickly. The JB Train Tours team worked non-stop to make this happen.

Our appreciation and thanks to everyone who has sent us e-mails & faxes, as well as telephone calls, with kind words of appreciation for making the tours continue. At this very moment (end of August 2010) trains are NOT back to normal, except for the Premier Classe on certain routes, despite press releases by Shosholoza Meyl to that extend as well as articles in newspapers.

JB Train Tours are still very committed to Rail Tourism in South Africa and will continue to be involved and make it happen as long as it is practical possible.

• That we’ll be hosting in 2011 two Tourist Class train tours to the Argus cycle race in Cape Town, departing from Jo’burg PLUS a 7-day tour on the upmarket Premier Classe train. Bookings have opened for all three these tours.
• Next years Tri Nations test between the Springboks and All Blacks will be played on 20th Aug 2011 in the new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth. We’ll be hosting train tours from Jo’burg and Cape Town to PE respectively

• Dat die Choo Tjoe stoomtrein wat al die jare tussen George en Knysna gery het en deesdae tussen George en Mosselbaai loop, weer gestop is. Dit blyk hierdie keer permanent te wees. Ons hoop egter nie so nie.
• Dat ons in 2011 ook ‘n treintoer vanaf JHB na DBN sal loop vir die 3 Nasies rugbytoets tussen die Springbokke en Wallabies. Die groep sal met die Premier Classe trein reis.

August 2010 TRAIN TOURS

The CPT group at ‘The Heads’ in Knysn

September 2010 TRAIN TOURS

Budget Tours:

October 2010 TRAIN TOURS

Budget Tours:

November 2010 TRAIN TOURS

Budget Tours:

There are only two companies in Gauteng hosting day trips by train. This is ideal for families, companies, churches, clubs, etc. and especially for children who have never been on a train trip. Both these companies haul the train with a steam locomotive engine!

Pretoria area:             Friends of the Rail     Contact Mr. Arno Victor at Tel: 082 293 4616 or sales@friendsoftherail.com or visit their website athttp://www.friendsoftherail.com                     They travel mostly from Pretoria to Cullinan & Bela Bela..

Johannesburg area:   Reef Steamers           Contact Mr. Les Smith at Tel: 011 956-6409 or bookings@reefsteamers.co.za or visit their website athttp://www.reefsteamers.co.za     They travel mostly from Maraisburg to Magaliesburg.

KZN (Durban & PMB) area:            Umgeni Steam Rail                Contact Mr. Rob McGregor at Tel: 031 303 3003 or robbie@umgenisteamrailway.co.za or visit their website athttp://www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za/. They travel mostly from Inchanga, Kloof & PMB.

Note:        Don’t change/cancel your holiday – change your way of going on holiday! Travel with JB Train Tours. It is Comfortable, Affordable, Safe & Secure

Regards/Groete