Blue Train: South African Luxury Travel | One of the World’s Most Expensive Trains; Is It Worth It?
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Luxury travel in South Africa: Suites with bathtubs, deep-pile carpeting, and dinners with numerous courses - the Blue Train, running between Pretoria and Cape Town, has often been called the world’s most luxurious train. Pleasure comes - naturally - at a price, but is the Blue Train worth the expense? DW reporter Adrian Kriesch wanted to find out.
In the interest of transparency: This trip was supported by Transnet Limited
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#southafrica #bluetrain #traintravel
Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s my mother’s dream to ride the blue train. Have been saving up to surprise her for her birthday next year, can’t wait.
Good on you and your mother, Gopolang!
@@anonymoushippo898😂😂😢
I suggest that you read the reviews on Trip Advisor about travelers experiences on the Blue Train before you go and spend all that money to be highly disappointed.
How much is it??how are the traveling covid issues??
I love to see our country in a positive light for a change🎉
Every South African can be proud of this train, it can compete easily with the greatest trains on the planet.
Blue Train windows cannot be opened - double grazed for sound proofing, with electric blinds within the windows - the train is fully air conditioned throughout.
Air suspension makes for a pretty smooth and quiet ride.
Coaches are linked in a way that makes the entire train move as a single unit - not a daisy chain that causes coaches to jolt individually as the train starts or stops.
A truly great train.
W tape
So proud as it rolls majestically through an impoverished shanty town
From what I have read the Blue Train is a mess and is not maintained with many passenger complaints.
South Africans don’t ride trains
Why can every South African be proud of it? It was created by white South Africans. White South Africans can be proud of it. Frankly, I'm amazed it's still running considering the state of the rest of the country's state-owned infrastructure. But then again, it's been two years since this video was posted.
EDIT: LMWAO - Thanks to the other comments, I see that it did, in fact, derail last year. Makes total sense.
My husband and I are going on vacation to Cape Town in November and we decided to land in Johannesburg then take the blue train to capeTown seeing these videos makes us so excited we can’t wait
This is a journey I'd love to bless my parents with someday.
That's so sweet!😘
@@DWTravel hi from cape Town 🇿🇦 👋👋👋
You close your eyes and it’s like Christmas !!! that is the sentenced I remember the most when I was lucky enough to ride this 6 Stars Hotel on Wheels back in 1981!!! One of the most Wonderful experiences in my entire life!!! Like it??? Loved it!!! Thanks South Africa for been my second home country!!!
I had the priviledge to do the Blue train experience twice and it is absolute amazing! You will forever look back and remember every single moment of the trip!
This is awesome! I am just discovering it and will definitely add it to mu bucket list
I have a one time experience with the Blue Trains. But wish to live until the day all South Africans can afford to ride a Blue Train
One of my bucket list items.
From Sunny South Africa
All train enthusiasts know about the legendary Blue Train of South Africa. Like the European Orient Express it’s one of a handful of genuinely luxurious trains of the World. You can get plenty of fake luxury on modern trains but they don’t begin to compare to the real thing. Thanks for the video, wish it had been a bit longer.
@cameronpaul Thanks for the ride - even if it was only a "Short Trip"...
Beautiful south Africa
Nice and very honest creature Nteseng. Congrats from Portugal ande so long. Blue Train is beautiful also.
My wife and I took the train from CPT-JHB in the 80s. A lovely experience and great way to travel. The train shown here is quite different and even more luxurious it seems. No karaoke singers then, thank god. No Cuban cigars either, thank god. But lots of the world's best reds, like Kanonkop, et al. Morrison said it best: Let it roll baby, let it roll.
Beautiful train South Africa, also really like your voice.
Super❤
I really enjoyed your documentary on this train. I wish American trains were this luxurious
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed ❤️
They have such train look it up I’ve seen it think was boarding from some Whr down south
No you don’t
Great video, thank you! Planning my trip to South Africa for early 2023, so this was helpful 👍
@André Marques Good luck and enjoy your trip!
@@DWTravel thank you! 👍👍
Make more contents like this
He's looking like the legend cricketer Steven Smith 😂
Wow what a beauty this in an addition to my bucket list 😍
Absolutely!! Same here
It seems more like the Snowpiercer 🤣
I used to travel between Johannesburg and Pretoria on the Blue Train with my father twice a month for years. Every time I went my dad bought me a piece of merch, I have a Blue Train pen-knife in a little leather pouch, I have the playing cards etc. Between fifty and one hundred rides. It hasn't changed at all.
That live singer would drive me nuts when I am trying to enjoy dinner. There was no detail shown on the sleeping arrangement. It did not show the beds or the bedroom space. Disappointing.
I was on the Blue Train from Pretoria to Cape Town in June 2017. It was then a one night trip to Cape Town. It was an absolute wonderful experience. The Staff on the Blue Train were wonderful. I still have pictures of this trip. . I will for sure plan another trip in the future.
This train sadly crashed today, but hope they take this chance to reno and make it come back better than ever.
Crashed? How? And in to what??
Yes, we saw this in the news! It derailed, but it seems that there were no passengers on board.
@nabili in the south africa i live in, blue train is still out of action. the transport ministry has said it's also caught fire since.
I must do this!!!
Excellent,luxurious train
Having been fortunate enough to sample both Blue Train and Rovos, they are both excellent but Rovos leaves Blue Train far behind for sheer luxury and service. Probably why Rovos is almost twice the price right enough.
Beautiful Train
Initially, I thought this video is presented by Steve Smith 😺
Definitely will hop on the train to do a tiur5
the wood furniture and trimmings is all flamed and quilted varieties. super expensive.
Beautiful 😻
Please do Rovos rail next
Thank you for talking about the social issues👍🏻
For once good news about South Africa siyabonga
I love your straight forward comments on race and poverty in South Africa. Thank you for sharing.
I thought i will learn more about the blue train, bt instead iam reminded that i live in a shack and i can't afford to be on the blue train... Media is just as sad ey
Lol ey bruv you'd swear that's all South Africa has to offer
Poverty and inequality 😑🤦🏽♂️
Yeah neh when you supposed to be watching business ideas with your data so maybe you can start something around where you are and change your situation
I became 57 before I could take this trip. I had to save money for many years. It was so worth it.
Don’t feel bad, but South Africans don’t ride this train
@@The_king567 oh i guess it is not in South Africa then
Beautiful
Funny how they act like we all want to ride this train, I had never heard of it until now.
;)
Might be that it was popular with the previous generations? I know my mother would always mention wanting to go on this train however I've never personally seen it being advertised and would not have known of its existence otherwise.
Rowdy bunch!
👌👌
Iam planning to go to kimberley from johannesburg. do you recommend by train or by bus? is it safe to travel alone? Thanks
Aight I tend to travel a lot around SA so hopefully this helps:
1. Yes, you can travel alone. Practically all of the modes of long-distance transport applicable to your situation are safe for you to travel by yourself, it’s the urban commuter trains (Metrorail, not the Gautrain) that you don’t want to travel alone on.
2. At this current moment, and most likely for at least the next 6 months (until at least December) stay away from rail if you’re going to Kimberly from JHB. The Blue Train and Rovos Rail are exceptions to this, but these are hotels - not modes of transport haha..
3. Your best bet is to take a long distance bus service, operated by one of SA’s private bus companies. I recommend checking out Intercape’s schedule (or Intercity Xpress / Eldo Coaches) online, everything you need to know will be there.
A couple (maybe 3) years ago I would’ve totally recommended taking either the PRASA Tourist Class or Premier Classe trains to Kimberly (costs a bit more than the bus, but absolutely beautiful) - but with said PRASA’s pre-existing mismanagement woes now being exponentially worsened by COVID-19, you would be ill-advised to make use of either rail services anytime soon (provided they’re even scheduled).
Anyways, good luck mate.
I agree with Scott’s comment. Long distance bus is the safest at this point.
@@scottwarwick7514 Thank's for your information, I will go by bus then.
Go by train. Unless there is a guard, do not use the bus. No it is not safe to travel alone, except on the Blue Train
What is better, the Blue Train, or Rovos Rail?
I have traveled on both and they are both awesome. It's two different trains and two different, awesome experiences.
Was planning to go but since we can’t afford I’ll stay home no need
Steve Smith😂😂
How much would Blue Train set tu/vous back in United States Dollars?
God may reduce poverty in South Africa.
Hello! How much was it? 🌸
This is definitely something to put in the bucket.....
And porverty has a skin colour in SA 😭😭
Poverty doesn't have a skin color in SA you guys are embarrassing us really. You should travel around the country and see how both white and black are struggling
It's the reality of South Africa.... No said they aren't poor whites in SA but when you look at the demographics vs wealth distribution.... Go to any airport in SA , then go to any taxi rank and see who you'll find there
I'm considering a nice trip to SA, from the US. In videos, I'm not seeing many black people at these upscale places, but only serving. Is that accurate?
@@lize2957 to some extent yes but not really everywhere... We are still somewhat segregated... Like they are rich black spaces, rich white spaces and mixed rich spaces... but super rich spaces are mostly made up by tourist and white people...
For example...high class places in Capetown are mostly Whites while in Durban they are a mix of Indians and blacks...Jozi and Pretoria are very mixed
I think it also has to do with culture and backgrounds... For example blacks tend to not like seafood as much therefore don't generally go to expensive sea food restaurants...but we like parting and dancing so most fun dance clubs are black dorminated
@@mdumakhosini6128 That's very interesting and helpful. Would you feel comfortable in upscale places in Capetown?
I was once offered a fully paid trip on this luxurious train by a beautiful lady, but I declined because my then girlfriend wouldn’t have been amused by it. 🤣🤣
Your THEN...girlfriend...?
@@graciafani8213 I’m referring to the person who was my girlfriend at that time.
Hw much v hv to pay for one passenger
Ticket Prices start from around 1800 € per person on a 2-night Trip to Cape Town.
first foreigner ever to correctly pronounce apartheid
😀
(And mispronounce 'meringue') 😁
Where is Dhruv Rather
In his home😁
100th like
i just wish government would clean the surroundings
The people in those shanty towns vote ANC. So that won't happen.
South Africa is still a very unequal country and those who stole the wealth will rather go to war than share with their fellow citizens.
@@Ozymandias1 Cape Flats.
hi they were here for say 500 years why nix happened???? they are like tht
Was the comments on equality necessary? Our black government and BEE partners are all millionaires. Dont comment on what you dont understand.
You hate the truth.. He's right. Beautiful video.
So you don't want the world to know about inequality and how whites still own land and economy
@@comrade9374 he wants us to suffer in silence..
@@africanandproud6792 they get pains if you talk or disturb their privileges
making comments like that is fashionable that's why he's doing it,
the science on why things are the way they are has been out for decades, but why bring up the truth when one can just make uneducated comments instead, it's journalism in the 21st century
nope shosaloza is a waste
Leave your political views out of this platform. We had challenges since 1652 in this country.
Absolutely ridiculous commentary. What has colour or race got to do with an international luxury train. What have informal settlements got to do with a luxury train that creates employment for 95% BLACK PEOPLE? Travel thru the rest of Africa, South Asia, South and Central America to see shacks and starvation. Yes, apartheid abolished over 25 years ago. Black Empowerment and Affirmative Action to this day is LAW in this racist country. 95% of any employ MUST BE BLACK, regardless of education and experience. So enjoy the Blue Train and look at the fortunate 95% back crew, fortunate enough to be given these jobs, simply because theyre black. Sit back and enjoy the stunning scenery, without focusing on the negatives that one finds internationally. Crime? Well last week 20 school kids in the USA were mudered and only yesterday another 21 kids and teachers were shot to death in the States. Horrific. Would never happen in South Africa with the "highest crime rate" in the WORLD! Have a brilliant trip in the Rainbow Nation.
I like the train but not your s
Documentary, just focus on the luxury of the train and the country and forget the politics and poverty.
the workers on the train are only Black race and white race no Coloureds who are 6 million and second most biggest group in SA are absent , doubly discriminated by the present White economic elite and black political elite . No Indians too, but Indians are very small percentage of SA .
The interior looks very dated in comparison to other luxury trains from around the world.
Loads of rich old white people
You should check out the Orient Express
You are Asian. Asian Americans earn the highest average income than any other race in the USA. If your going to judge by skin colour, check your own. I am sure that there are many old rich Asians riding on trains in the USA and other parts of the world?
They're mostly not South Africans but boomers from Europe and the USA.
Unfortunately that is the result of apartheid and colonialism in Africa
@@Koki-hc3mw It's the result of racial and cultural superiority.
Despicable.
can we all agree that this is old fashioned interior, it looks ugly inside. it's what called ''bahumi ba kgale'''
It's good 🕳️