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Dine differently onboard The Blue Train

As the seasons change and the world slowly returns to full economic activity, the need to return to some kind of normal is almost primal. People and businesses alike are still battling with the uncertainty of the moment, and yet somehow, life must carry on. One of our key offerings at The Blue Train has always been private charters - an offering that gives guests the room to co-curate private gatherings onboard this national treasure. At a time like this when people are anxious around public gatherings, private charters are the best way to preserve the experience of a private gathering, such as a dinner party, in a safe contained space.
Dine differently onboard The Blue Train

The Blue Train can be booked for private charters, that is, group bookings for both business and leisure travel. In business, these can be for meetings, incentives, events and conferences. The Blue Train is versatile and can be set up to host these various types of gatherings, adapting accordingly for conferencing, boardroom and group meetings set ups, complete with multimedia facilities.

In leisure travel, private charters are the perfect group bookings for family gatherings such as reunions and weddings, trips amongst friend groups, cooperatives and stokvels. For these, The Blue Train can be adapted to meet the personal needs of the guests, whatever those may be.

The favourite private charter has been the Dinner Charter – an evening experience where guests indulge in unforgettable culinary mastery onboard while the train is on the move. These can be booked in Pretoria or in Cape Town. The Dinner Charter is typically a five- to six-hour trip around Pretoria or Cape Town, with some exquisite views of the urban landscape at sunset, as the city lights shine bright and the hum of the cities starts to quieten down.

Before the train departs, safety and hygiene information that guests need to know will be shared by the train manager. The hygiene information regarding Covid-19 prevention protocols and provisions will also be shared during this time.

Dinner on The Blue Train is a formal affair. It is an evening unlike any other. We showcase the true soul of Africa through our dynamic menu, dishes freshly prepared onboard by our executive chef, Cresan Ramjathan. Ingredients are locally sourced, from small businesses and farms around Gauteng and Western Cape, the key hubs of The Blue Train. On the menu are some of the most loved South Africa dishes such as the Karoo lamb, ostrich and venison carpaccio, Knysna oysters, and these are served with award-winning Cape cultivars from our award-winning wine list.

Following dinner, are the post-dinner drinks that guests can enjoy. The Blue Train features a cigar lounge in the Club Car, and it is the perfect way to round off the evening, serving fine Cuban cigars with fine cognacs and whiskeys.

A dinner on The Blue Train is incomplete without the sultry sounds of a live performer onboard. It could be a vocalist or a saxophonist belting out some of South Africa’s and Africa’s jazz and Afropop numbers.

The journey begins and ends at the Pretoria Station or Cape Town station. It would be remiss not to mention that all our private charters are always tailored to the needs of the guests, ensuring keen attention to detail. The possibilities are endless.

Guests who require more information can contact The Blue Train’s reservations team at the Pretoria office on +27(0)12-334-8459 or the Cape Town office on +27(0)21-449-2672 or on email az.oc.niarteulb@ofni.

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