Oh, the romance of travelling by train. Oh, the mystery, the intrigue, the bygone days of train travel where the journey really was half the fun. Or perhaps I should say the ‘forgotten’ days, because while flying is without a doubt the preferred means of modern travel, there are still a number of great train trips in and around South Africa.

All aboard…

The Blue Train, on which Agatha Christie would have had a field day, is indisputably South Africa’s most famous train. With its trademark sapphire blue carriages and reputation for luxury on the line, the Blue Train takes passengers back to a slower, statelier era with butlers, plush furniture and elegant dining.

The railway tracks for the Blue Train were initially laid in an ambitious bid to join Cape Town and Cairo. Unfortunately, they fell a little short of Cairo and currently stretch approximately 3200 kilometres from Cape Town, through Pretoria to Vic Falls.

The most popular of the Blue Train journeys is between Cape Town and Pretoria, although there are also special routes between Pretoria and Durban, and Pretoria and various game lodges.

On its 1500 kilometre journey from the Cape, the train winds through mountains, winelands, savannah and over seemingly endless deserts. Depending on which route you’re travelling, passengers are treated to sightings of the Big Five, giraffes and zebras, and for dinner enjoy tender Karoo lamb, ostrich soup and the finest South African wines.

The indulgence of the Blue Train doesn’t come cheaply though, and a one-way trip from Cape Town to Pretoria will cost you between R7800 and R10500 per person sharing. Visit www.bluetrain.co.za for more information.

Following in the Blue Train’s regal tracks, Rovos Rail’s Pride of Africa takes you back in time on a grand African safari. The traditional, wood-panelled coaches are furnished with period décor to give an atmosphere of colonial grandeur. Rovos Rail, which is slightly more expensive than the Blue Train, travel three times a week from from Pretoria to Cape Town, as well as occasional safaris from Pretoria to Durban, Namibia, Victoria Falls and even Dar Es Salaam.

Choo Tjoe

While a little luxury never goes amiss, you haven’t really appreciated the romance of train travel until you’ve hopped onto one of South Africa’s few remaining steam trains. The Port Elizabeth Apple Express, which first ran in 1903 and is one of the last narrow gauge steam trains still operational in South Africa, runs across the Van Stadens Bridge which, at 77 metres high, is the highest narrow gauge bridge in the world.

Not only that, at 285 kilometres it is also the longest 2ft gauge railway in the world. You can either go the full distance on the four-day Avontuur Adventurer Tour, or just enjoy one of the day-long picnic trips. The Apple Express does not run scheduled trips, so catching this ride will take a little forward planning. Visit www.pe.org.za/appleexpress.html to find out when you can hop on board.

Further down the coast, what better way is there to experience the beauty of the Garden Route than hopping on the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, the last steam-hauled scheduled passenger train in southern Africa? It usually runs daily between George and Knysna via Victoria Bay, Wilderness, Sedgefield and Goukamma.

The section of rail over the Kaaimans River Bridge offers a spectacular view of the bay and the authentic carriages date back to1903. Approximately 115 000 passengers travel the line annually and during the summer months two trains run daily, crossing at Sedgefield.

The fare is reasonable with adult return tickets costing R90 and children’s tickets R65. Passengers can pop into the Outeniqua Railway Museum when they stop off at the George station.

Due to mudslides in the area in September 2006 which damaged the railway line, the George/Knysna route has been temporarily suspended and will only be reintroduced when deemed safe by the authorities. In the meantime, an alternative route between George and Mossel Bay will run three times a week and daily during the peak season (15 December to 13 January). Click here for exact times.

It’s a dog’s life

During the 1940s a Great Dane who had befriended sailors stationed in Simon’s Town — and been aptly nicknamed ‘Just Nuisance’ — used to catch the train along with his sailor buddies to and from Simon’s Town.

He would travel as he pleased — boarding and disembarking at whatever stations took his fancy along the way. Naturally the conductors became a little upset that he rode the railways without paying and insisted that he either pay for his ticket or be prevented from boarding the train.

There was an outcry from the sailors who promptly enlisted him in the Royal Navy so that he could travel on the train for free (a privilege of sailors during the war) — and so he did, often escorting drunken sailors back to their beds.

Just Nuisance’s favourite route — from Simon’s Town to Cape Town along the False Bay seafront — has to be one of the most spectacular commuter routes in the world, with regular services running at least 20 times daily. The trip takes approximately an hour each way and a return ticket shouldn’t cost you more than about R25. Once it leaves the suburbs of Cape Town and reaches Muizenberg, the train travels along the coast giving you splendid views of the Atlantic Ocean.

If you have time, make a day of it and stop off for lunch in Kalk Bay or a swim at Fish Hoek beach. When you get to Simon’s Town, make sure you take a stroll down to Jubilee Square where you’ll find a statue of Cape Town’s most famous dog. Visit www.metrorail.co.za to find out more.