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Rovos Rail Station
For Rovos Rail passengers, a highlight of their journey is a visit to the private station in Capital Park, Pretoria. The once bustling hub of steam locomotion in the old Transvaal is now the headquarters for Rovos Rail. The gracious colonial-style railway station serves as the new departure or arrival point for all train journeys.
The property boasts a small railway museum in addition to its other comprehensive facilities and will, with the addition of semaphore signals and a footbridge, recreate the atmosphere of a fully fledged railway system. It is intended that, with time, this facility should become the foremost working train museum in the world.
The eyes of rail enthusiasts will be drawn to the vast carriage and locomotive sheds where teams of dedicated personnel keep the rolling stock in perfect order. This roofed workshop of 10 000 sq metres straddles 15 railway lines with concrete inspection pits below and is the ultimate repair and maintenance facility for any train operation. The low, red-bricked buildings alongside the new 300-metre platform house laundries, gleaming stainless-steel kitchens and well-stocked storerooms. This is the busy hub of a provisioning operation, which rivals that of a world-class hotel in terms of efficiency and attention to detail.
Please note the Rovos Rail Station is not adjacent to the main Pretoria Rail and Gautrain terminal – it is approximately 5kms away.
Directions
GPS Coordinates
ROVOS RAIL STATION – PRETORIA HEAD OFFICE S 25° 43′ 06″, E 28° 11′ 20″
Click here for directions from O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to Rovos Rail Station (approx. 61 kms)
http://goo.gl/maps/lqcCs
Click here for directions from Pretoria Gautrain Terminal (at the main Pretoria Station) to Rovos Rail Station (approx. 5 kms)
ROVOS RAIL – CAPE TOWN OFFICE S 33° 55′ 14″, E 18° 25′ 34″
Click here for directions from Cape Town International Airport to the Rovos Rail Cape Town Office and Lounge (approx. 19 kms)
http://goo.gl/maps/GN4uT
ST JAMES MANOR & ST JAMES SEAFORTH GUESTHOUSES (Cape Town) S 34° 7′ 17″, E 18° 27′ 16″
Click here for directions from Cape Town International Airport to the St James Guesthouses (approx. 32 kms)
http://goo.gl/maps/BbbfS
Victoria Falls
This three-night adventure begins with the train's departure from Rovos Rail's gracious station in Pretoria. It then winds its way south through Johannesburg and the goldfields of the Witwatersrand before travelling west alongside the Magaliesberg Mountains. After border formalities at Mafikeng, the train travels north the following day through Botswana's capital, Gaborone, crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and continues via Mahalapye and Francistown to the Zimbabwean border at Plumtree.
The next day the train passes through Hwange National Park – a rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary – where animals can be spotted from the train and a game drive excursion is enjoyed. After a service stop at Thompsons Junction, the sojourn ends at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River. The surrounding areas offer travellers many recreational opportunities including cruises, whitewater rafting as well as superb game viewing and photo safaris. Available in reverse. Please note that depending upon railway capacity this journey could be routed northwards through Beitbridge and Zimbabwe.
Pretoria - Victoria Falls
- DAY 1
09h30 The train departs Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria. Lunch is served in the dining car/s as the train travels the goldfields of Johannesburg. Enjoy afternoon tea and dinner en route to Mafikeng for border formalities with Botswana and overnight.
(Breakfast 07h00-10h00 • Lunch 13h00 • Tea 16h30 • Dinner 19h30)
- DAY 2
Day at leisure. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served as the train travels northwards through Botswana's capital city, Gaborone, and on to Plumtree for Zimbabwean border formalities. Overnight stop on board at Mpopoma.
- DAY 3
Breakfast is served as the train departs Mpopoma. Enjoy lunch while travelling along the eastern edge of Hwange Park along one of Africa's longest stretches of straight railway line – 114 kilometres. Arrive at Kennedy Siding for a 15h00 game drive at The Hide. Dinner is served in the dining car/s en route to Thompsons Junction for the overnight stop.
- DAY 4
Breakfast is enjoyed while travelling towards the Zambezi River.
10h00 Arrive at journey's end in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
- Details
- Written by Super User
- Category: Features
PRETORIA • CAPE TOWN • PRETORIA
- Details
- Written by Super User
- Category: Features
Welcome to a pleasant experience
Shosholoza Meyl promises that each of our passengers will be treated to "A Pleasant Experience" from the moment they book and buy their ticket throughout their journey by train until they disembark at their end destination.
Sleeper Coach
A Sleeper Coach can accommodate 28 passengers sitting / sleeping and their hand luggage.
Sitter Coach
A Sitter Coach can accommodate 72 passengers sitting and their hand luggage.
Motorcar Coach
Passengers can at an additional cost transport their car / 4x4 vehicle with them on the train. The service is available between Johannesburg and Cape Town (return) and Johannesburg and Durban (return).