Your suite on the Blue Train is a private sitting room while the country slides past, and a quiet bedroom once the lights of the dining car go down. There are only two kinds to choose from, which makes the decision refreshingly simple.
Blue Train Suites at a Glance
The Blue Train carries up to 70 guests in 35 suites, so it never feels busy. Every suite has its own bathroom in Italian marble with gold-plated fittings, individually controlled air conditioning, underfloor heating and soundproofing. Beds are made up with goose-down duvets and percale-cotton linen embroidered with the Blue Train insignia, and there are scented bath salts, good toiletries, monogrammed towels and robes.
By day the suite is a lounge with a couch, a table and a chair. While you are at dinner, your butler turns it into a bedroom, and during breakfast it is quietly put back again. If you fancy a nap in the afternoon, just ring and your butler will make up the bed. The large windows are double-glazed and cannot be opened, and they have remote-controlled blinds and blackout covers, so you can wake to the sunrise over the Karoo without leaving your bed.
Each coach has its own butler, on call 24 hours a day, and your suite door locks and has a coded safe inside.
The De Luxe Suite
Most of the train is made up of De Luxe Suites, with four to a coach. At about 8 square metres (86 sq ft), or roughly 4 metres by 2 metres, the De Luxe Suite is a well-planned space with wood panelling and silk finishes, and plenty of room for two to sit, read and watch the view.
Most De Luxe Suites have two twin beds and a shower. A few have a double bed and a three-quarter bath with a hand shower instead. If a bath or a double bed matters to you, tell us when you book and we will request it, as these suites are limited.
The Luxury Suite
The Luxury Suite is larger, at about 10.3 square metres (110 sq ft), or roughly 5.13 metres by 2 metres, and there are only three to a coach. The extra space goes into a bigger sitting area by day, a roomier bedroom by night and a full-length bath in every suite.
Most Luxury Suites have two twin beds, and a few have a double bed. There are far fewer Luxury Suites than De Luxe Suites on the train, so if you have your heart set on one, it is worth booking well ahead.
De Luxe or Luxury: Side by Side
| De Luxe Suite | Luxury Suite | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 8 m² (86 sq ft) | About 10.3 m² (110 sq ft) |
| Suites per coach | Four | Three |
| Beds | Mostly twin, a few double | Mostly twin, a few double |
| Bathroom | Shower, or a three-quarter bath in the double suites | Full-length bath |
| Butler | One per coach, 24 hours | One per coach, 24 hours |
| Fare | from £TBA | from £TBA |
Twin beds measure 1.88 metres by 0.8 metres (6 ft 2 in by 2 ft 8 in) and the double beds 1.88 metres by 1.37 metres (6 ft 2 in by 4 ft 6 in). The beds fold out from the panel behind the seats and have proper mattresses, so you are not sleeping on the daytime couch.
Coach Layouts
These plans show how the suites are arranged in each type of coach.
Which Suite Should I Choose?
For most couples the De Luxe Suite is ideal. You spend a good part of the day in the lounges and the dining car anyway, and two nights pass quickly. The Luxury Suite comes into its own if you like to spend time in your own space, if a long soak in a proper bath is part of your idea of a holiday, or if the trip marks a special occasion.
Whichever you choose, space for luggage is limited. There is a raised rack in each suite for a small bag, and your butler stores larger cases in the baggage van. More on this, and on dress and check-in, is on our General Information page. To see how the suites fit into the day, read about life on board, or look at the journeys from Pretoria to Cape Town and Cape Town to Pretoria.
If you are comparing trains, Rovos Rail's suites are in restored Edwardian-style coaches on longer journeys, and we are happy to talk you through both. Back to the Blue Train overview.