The Blue Train will be resuming its full operations after a temporary shutdown due to the Covid-19 second wave alert in December, and a partial offering in January in light of the country’s Covid-19 risk-adjusted strategy.
The company said journeys planned for this year, are set to continue, with a few adjustments to the scheduling to meet increased demand.
Lekhetho Mokoena, Operations Manager at The Blue Train said running a tourism establishment while the world is dealing with a pandemic requires ongoing adaptation to ensure the safety of our guests and our crew.
"We are happy that as the year begins, we are back on track, offering the best of African luxury rail experience. Our teams have continued to work on our operations, prioritising the health and safety of guests and crew, and where possible doing refurbishments to the train sets.
"Guests can expect the award-winning luxury rail experience that continues to position our beloved country as a global tourism destination to resume full operations in February 2021,” Mokoena said.
It will resume serving alcoholic beverages on board. "This is a welcome development as the beverage offering on The Blue Train is a key part of the experience. Guests will once again enjoy the award-winning wine list and the wide range of fine spirits, liqueurs, cocktails and beers,” Mokoena said.
The Blue Train will introduce additional journeys the annual itinerary on the Pretoria – Cape Town route, allowing guests more flexibility when selecting travel dates. The updated schedule is available on The Blue Train website.
Guests who were affected by the temporary suspension in December can still arrange for postponements. The Covid-19 relevant cancellation policy continues to apply to affected guests, affording them more flexibility at no additional cost.