The best way to describe a day on the Blue Train is unhurried. There is always somewhere comfortable to sit, someone to bring you a drink, and something worth looking at through the window.
A Train Built Around Its Guests
The Blue Train celebrates 80 years in 2026. It first ran in its famous blue livery in August 1946, taking over from the Union Limited and Union Express, which had carried passengers between the Cape and the Witwatersrand since the 1920s. Today's train was rebuilt in the 1990s and entered service in 1997, with interiors by the American designer David Barrett: wood panelling, marble, soft lighting and deep upholstery rather than anything flashy.
The train is long, with 17 coaches stretching to about 360 metres, but it carries no more than 70 guests. About 28 crew look after you, including a butler for every coach, the chefs and the train manager, and two technicians travel with the train on every trip. The result is a lot of space and a lot of attention for very few people.
The Carriages
Apart from your own suite, there are four cars to spend time in, and each has its own character.
The Lounge Car
The social heart of the train and a non-smoking space. This is where guests gather for drinks before lunch and dinner, and where high tea is served every afternoon.
The Club Car
Towards the front of the train. After dinner it is the place for a cognac or a Cuban cigar, and it is the only part of the train where smoking is allowed.
The Observation Car
Comfortable couches and big panoramic windows make this the favourite spot for watching the landscape. On some days a light lunch is served here and in the Lounge Car.
The Dining Car
Lunch and dinner are served here in two sittings, and breakfast at your own pace in the morning.
The bar opens as soon as the train starts its journey and closes when the last guest goes to bed, and every drink is included, from wine and spirits to soft drinks and bottled water. Only French Champagne and caviar are charged extra. The Observation Car can also be set up as a conference car for private charters and business groups.
Dining on the Blue Train
Meals are one of the great pleasures of the trip. The kitchen cooks with South African produce, with dishes along the lines of grilled scallops, rack of lamb and crayfish tail, served with South African wines. Lunch and dinner are served in two sittings in the dining car, and breakfast is served from 07:00 to 10:00 on a first-come basis, in the dining car or in your suite.
High tea arrives in the Lounge Car in the late afternoon, and snacks are available whenever you want them: just ask your butler. Room service is free, apart from a small specialty menu. Kosher, halaal, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals can all be arranged, as long as you tell us when you book.
What to Wear
During the day the dress code is smart casual. Dinner is an elegant affair and part of the tradition: gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket, a waistcoat or traditional dress, and ladies elegant evening wear. Many guests enjoy the excuse to dress up. As space in the suites is limited, pack light, and keep your evening clothes in the small bag you take on board rather than in the case that goes to the baggage van.
Butlers and Service
Your butler looks after your coach day and night. They will show you to your suite, bring breakfast or a pot of tea, turn the suite into a bedroom while you are at dinner, press a shirt, or wake you early for the Kimberley excursion. A limited laundry and valet service is included, and the train manager is on hand for anything else.
Gratuities are not included and are entirely up to you. If you would like to leave something, The Blue Train asks guests to use the box at the entrance to the Club Car rather than tipping staff individually, and the total is shared equally among the whole crew, including the kitchen.
Staying Connected, or Not
Wi-Fi is available throughout the train, but it runs on the mobile network and drops out in the remote stretches of the Karoo. Many guests treat the journey as a chance to switch off, which suits the pace of the train very well. The sockets on board are the South African M-type at 220 volts, so bring an adaptor.
For practical details on luggage, health and check-in, see our General Information page, and for your own space on board, the Blue Train suites. The journeys are described day by day on Pretoria to Cape Town and Cape Town to Pretoria. Back to the Blue Train overview.