Cape Town to Pretoria on Rovos rail was very disappointing in regards to the view . The food and ambiance in dining car is the only redeeming feature . Cabins are very small , absolutely nothing to d... See more
Company replied
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
See what reviewers are saying
The Cape Town - Pretoria 3 day trip. Quite possibly the most boring scenery. Second day one nice stop for 2 hours other than that left to sit in a cramped cabin between meals. Very hard to sleep due t... See more
Company replied
We took the Sholongolo Express Southern Star route from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Yes, we did have a couple of setbacks due to the rail problems but it was all part of the adventure. Our cabin was s... See more
Company replied
The staff and service on our capetown to Pretoria trip were wonderful. Unfortunately, the trip and the company are affected by the challenges of South Africas railroad governance. We made numerous un... See more
Company replied
Company details
Written by the company
Since its establishment in 1989, Rovos Rail has earned an international reputation for its truly world-class travel experiences. Train safaris through the heart of Africa combine magnificent scenery with the glamour and excitement of the golden age of leisure travel. In a series of journeys lasting from 48 hours to 15 days, Rovos Rail links some of the continent’s greatest destinations.
Contact info
1 Transnet Avenue, Capital Park, 0001, Pretoria, South Africa
- +27 (0)12 315 8070
- communications@rovos.co.za
- rovos.com
3.0
Average
32 reviews
No history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited their customers, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 48 hours
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
The Cape Town to Pretoria.
The Cape Town - Pretoria 3 day trip. Quite possibly the most boring scenery. Second day one nice stop for 2 hours other than that left to sit in a cramped cabin between meals. Very hard to sleep due to noise. Maybe the other routes are okay but give this one a miss.
28 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr and Mrs Wilson
Thank you for leaving your feedback and for your kind words about the food and ambience.
I find these comments about the scenery odd. Leaving Cape Town at 11h00 through until sunset at 20h00 we pass through Paarl, Wellington Tulbagh and the beautiful Breede River Valley en route to Worcester, which we reached at 19h00 that evening.
Then we have the visit to the historical Matjiesfontein village until 10h00 the next morning. The next day we have a guided tour of Kimberley until 10h00 after which we travel to Bloemfontein and the rest overnight to Meyerton.
We have live musicians on board as well as plenty of reading material and all the standard games. The lounges are spacious and the room you were in is our Deluxe suite, which is considered extremely roomy in the train world today.
I also note the train was stationary from 00h50 until 10h00 the first night so hopefully you had a good night’s sleep.
I apologise that the scenery did not meet your expectations and wish to thank you sincerely for travelling with us.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Cape Town to Pretoria on Rovos rail
Cape Town to Pretoria on Rovos rail was very disappointing in regards to the view .
The food and ambiance in dining car is the only redeeming feature . Cabins are very small , absolutely nothing to do apart from eat and drink. Very hard to sleep at night although you can do that all day long between meals. Overall please reconsider before spending a very large amount of money on a very average trip
28 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr and Mrs Wilson
Thank you for leaving your feedback and for your kind words about the food and ambience.
I find these comments about the scenery odd. Leaving Cape Town at 11h00 through until sunset at 20h00 we pass through Paarl, Wellington Tulbagh and the beautiful Breede River Valley en route to Worcester, which we reached at 19h00 that evening.
Then we have the visit to the historical Matjiesfontein village until 10h00 the next morning. The next day we have a guided tour of Kimberley until 10h00 after which we travel to Bloemfontein and the rest overnight to Meyerton.
We have live musicians on board as well as plenty of reading material and all the standard games. The lounges are spacious and the room you were in is our Deluxe suite, which is considered extremely roomy in the train world today.
I also note the train was stationary from 00h50 until 10h00 the first night so hopefully you had a good night’s sleep.
I apologise that the scenery did not meet your expectations and wish to thank you sincerely for travelling with us.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Epic journey!
We have just returned from the journey from Dar Es Salaam to Cape Town which we booked over 2 years before.
An amazing experience which we will remember for all the right reasons.
The journey was interrupted twice by 2 separate freight derailments ahead of us on single track systems which meant that no trains could pass for several days.
Amazingly Rovos rearranged the itinerary including extra safaris and even a chartered flight and replacement train past the obstruction to enable us to see Victoria Falls and continue on to Cape Town on time.
We had a wonderful time with great food, service and a cabin which fully complied with its description.
Off train excursions and accommodation were beyond expectations.
We hope to book another journey soon.
11 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Hough
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful review of your recent journey. We sincerely apologise for the operational challenges on this trip, but we are delighted that you so keenly embraced the spirit of adventure.
Thank you too for your kind words regarding the staff, service, excursions and the train. I will make sure that the team from your train reads it as I know how pleased they are to receive kind comments such as yours. As are we all.
Thank you for travelling with us and we look forward to welcoming you on board again for another epic journey.
Regards,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
A very mixed experience
This is a difficult review to write because there was a lot that was good about our 11 day Pretoria to Victoria Falls trip but, sadly, a lot that was very bad. Rovos describes its trains as the most luxurious in the world but I’m afraid that does not reflect reality. Overall we’ll look back on our trip as a great experience but not one we’d want to repeat.
Let me start with the positives. The food on the train was good, although not fine dining, and the service was generally friendly and attentive. Decent quality wine and other drinks were freely provided throughout the trip. The communal carriages ooze with character and all “cabins” have ensuite bathroom facilities. A lot of the excursions during the day were excellent, particularly at the game reserves.
On the negative side, the train rattled a lot and was very noisy. As the train typically travelled overnight, this meant that most passengers we spoke to struggled to sleep well. The cabins are cramped with little storage space. Shelves, drawers and even space under the beds were filled with changes of bed linen, blankets and a variety of equipment. There surely must be a better way to layout the bedrooms to allow conversion during the day for a proper seating arrangement.
The age of the locomotives and the limitations of the African rail network clearly create problems. On our trip, we travelled only 17 kms out of Pretoria in the first 36 hours. The locomotive failed and then after that was replaced the overhead lines were down. It meant that we were stuck on the train, mostly in a railway yard, for the first two days of our trip, which was not pleasant, and we had to forego some of the planned itinerary. Communication was limited and inconsistent.
The owner of Rovos, Rohan Vos, who gave an excellent introductory talk before we boarded the train, is clearly passionate about buying up, converting and running old rolling stock. It seems to me, however, that the business is run as an extension of that passion and the problem is that using old locomotives and carriages inevitably means excessive noise, an uncomfortable ride and unreliability. This is exacerbated by the African railway infrastructure.
If you decide to go with Rovos, you need to see the trip as an unpredictable adventure not a luxury holiday.
4 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Morley
Thank you for taking the time to leave your comprehensive review. Thank you too for your kind words regarding the food, service, train and the excursions.
I'm sorry about the noise experienced during the journey and that you didn't get a good night's sleep. The coach noises are regrettably part and parcel of our train carriages which are coupled, not sealed. There is certainly more movement between the coaches on our railway network (our trains don’t glide across the tracks like they do in the UK).
We endeavour between midnight and 06:00 to have stationary time built-in to our operational running times. However, this is not the case every night on all journeys due to the geographical position of the off-train excursions. If the train is delayed, it also impacts on sleep-stop time, which if required must be used to get us back on schedule.
Regarding storage, I am aware the wardrobe is only half height but had the challenge of trying to supply additional shelf space when designing the room. For long dresses we’ve asked our staff to advise using the hooks on the walls in the suite. I’m sorry your hostess, if she’d known of your space problem, did not offer to move either the linen or some of your cases to another space on the train.
I apologise for the delay on the first day, obstructions caused by overhead electrical issues required clearance, resulting in a delay of 24 hours and the Panorama Route tour being missed. Pleased that we were able to reschedule the excursion to day 6.
In terms of onboard communication, Renolda is one of our most experienced managers, known for her professionalism and clarity. There were announcements made by Renolda at lunch and dinner regarding our progress and possible changes, besides personal updates and announcements on the PA system. I apologise if her efforts were not satisfactory.
I wish to apologise once more for the misfires on your journey and do hope you can join us again in the not-too-distant future where we may have the opportunity to redeem ourselves.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Regards,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Our amazing train experience with Rovos Rail.
We travelled on Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Capetown in July 2024.
Our journey was superb with the only slight mishap that we arrived too late in Matjesfontein for the walking excursion and when we had to disembark from the train about 80 km from Capetown because of flooding. This is outside the control of Rovos. We read extensively about Rovos rail prior to travelling on this trip and were fully aware of the possibilities of the train needing to stop because of irregularities with the SA rail network. For us this is part of the adventures in travelling in remote areas.
The staff on the train are fantastic so is the food.
Our De Luxe cabin was very comfortable and we slept very, very well.
We are so enthusiastic that we have booked the journey from Lobito to Dar es Salaam in August 2025 and the journey from Dar es Salaam to Capetown in July 2026.
5 July 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Ietje
Thank you for taking the time to write a review and for your lovely feedback.
Thank you too for your kind words about the suites, the staff and the food.
We were indeed affected by Mother Nature herself on this journey and do apologise that we had to disembark guests early on this journey. Delighted to hear you had an adventure nevertheless.
Wow, two epic trips that await you, we cannot wait to welcome you back on board for another great train adventure!
Thank you for travelling with us.
Warm regards,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Rovos Glamour and Adventure. From the moment we arrived at the Rovos…
From the moment we arrived at the Rovos Rail Station we were impressed with the hospitality and high standard of the Waiting Room and museum.
We had a fascinating tour around the rail yard by Mr Rowan Vos who gave us a detailed history of how this amazing luxury train venture started and explained how parts of the train worked and how he found carriages and engines in auctions and had them fully refurbished.
The train carriages exude character and charm. The twin beds were comfortable and the Deluxe Suite is well appointed. We opted for twin beds so that we could get out without disturbing each other.
The trip from was from Pretoria to Cape Town and we were warned by Mr Vos not to ask when we would arrive. We would be told when we got there!! From that point we knew we were in for a different experience, not an ordinary train ride.
The train compartments were always at a cool temperature with reliable air conditioning. There was plenty of hot water on demand in the showers.
The meals were excellent with superb service. The wines were interesting and the knowledgeable sommelier gave us a good description of each one.
The Train Manager was challenged frequently by misfortune, some caused by South African Railways (SAR), but always kept us informed and we were impressed by his crisis management.
Near Johannesburg on our first morning a SAR switch operator moved the track too early, derailing the last carriage, the Observation Car. It took several hours to get the carriage onto the track and replaced.
At one time the SAR pilot deserted the engine driver, delaying us for three hours until the Manager found another one.
Pilots are required in each section of railway to advise the engine driver on bends, signals, speeds and inclines.
The Rovos staff were all cheerful and kept us happy with their hospitality.
We had another pilot disappear on the second day for a few hours in a station having got off for "Ten minutes", so that caused another delay.
There was a further delay on the third day when some track needed repair in a tunnel near Cape Town.
Rovos had to bus some passengers to Cape Town ( two and a half hours away) but we were happy to stay an extra night and enjoy the last hours of this wonderful train with a few others.
This is an old train. The brakes squeal too much and the flat spots on our Observation Car made a lot of noise.
The Observation Car is the place to spend time, both inside ( cool) and outside (very warm). The Lounge in the centre of the train is very comfortable with some good reading material.
The Kimberly stop was well worth it, with a good tour of the museum and the Big Hole.
Matjiesfontein is another nice break. Short stop but a pleasant walk along the street with some charming old buildings.
The two dining cars are very different. One has wooden pillars and is like being in an old world club, our choice for dinner. The other dining car is plush with large windows, nicer for breakfast and lunch.
Watching the dawn through the large Suite windows, the vastness of the Karoo, the isolated farm houses, the occasional animals and ostriches all make for a relaxing time. The winelands and mountains near the Cape are a welcome change of scenery.
Altogether a trip that must be taken with the knowledge that it will not be like any other.
Most passengers took the delays and dramas in their stride treating them as part of the adventure.
Everyone was expected to dress for dinner which added glamour, fun and atmosphere to this olde-worlde experience.
6 January 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Richard
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review - it certainly made me smile throughout.
I will make sure that the team from your train reads it as I know how pleased they are to receive kind comments such as yours. As are we all. I know that the chefs and our entire food and beverage department will be happy to read your review of the food too.
Happy to hear that you enjoyed the station Tour with Rohan Vos - it is certainly a highlight for many. Also pleased that you were able to enjoy and additional night on the train.
Thank you for travelling with us and we hope to welcome you on board again for a great southern Africa train adventure.
Warm regards,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Book Rovos Rail at your peril
Luxurious train would not be my description - our compartment had a very small bathroom with a wardrobe next to the shower! The bed was only accessible from one side which meant a disturbed night for my partner when wanting to use the bathroom. Our cabin attendant was caring and very attentive.
On then to the journey “The Durban Safari” described by our holiday company Distant Journeys as a varied and spectacular journey through gold and diamond mining areas and rolling hills. Their brochure shows a couple looking out from the viewing carriage with binoculars looking for wildlife. The only view we had was of a rail yard siding. The train journey was disrupted, noisy and verged on being dangerous! I accept that things go wrong which are outside of Rovos control but the result was a view of a township and little more.
The only time we enjoyed ourselves was when we were not on the train! The outings to the Nelson Mandala capture sight, the 2 safaris were excellent, as was the Ardmore Ceramics gallery.
The Rovos staff on board try really hard, the food was of a high standard, the wine waiters knowledgeable and it must be very trying if they are constantly fielding complaints that are outside of their control.
This is an expensive add on which regrettably I personally would never ever recommend.
7 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Tony Harvey and Mrs Heather Furminger
Thank you for your review and thank you for your kind words about the staff, excursions and the food.
We are of course disappointed and sincerely wish to apologise for the unusual start to the journey. Regrettably, on Friday 4 October we were informed by the national railway authorities (Transnet) of a line closure between Durban and Lions River due to emergency repairs. As a result, guests were transferred by road from Durban Station to Lions River. This was communicated to your agent’s office on the same day that we received the notification from Transnet.
Regarding the scenery, the bus departed Durban Station at 09h16, arriving at Lions River at 10h45. Guests thus went through the same scenery during the morning drive as they would on the train. Albeit more quickly. We sincerely apologise for the bus ride but trust you understand that this was caused by circumstances beyond our control.
I have looked at the trip report and note that all the excursions took place without much ado, receiving positive comment. Also pleased that the Nelson Mandela Capture Site was added as an additional excursion on the first day which I am glad you enjoyed.
Our train was making good progress during the final evening and pulled into a station called Pyramid South at 09h24 on the final morning, ahead of schedule (departed at 12h26). I do apologise that this caused some stationary time without scenic views. I did take the train manager to task but in his defence, we have had so many holdups on this section of line between Springs and Pretoria that when the opportunity arose to go straight through, he took the opportunity.
I'm sorry about the noise experienced during the journey and that you didn't get a good night's sleep. The coach noises are regrettably part and parcel of our train carriages which are coupled, not sealed. There is certainly more movement between the coaches on our railway network. Our trains don’t glide across the tracks like they do in the UK.
I have carefully analysed all the comment sheets and overall, the train received good comment, as did the food, the service, the excursions, and the ambience. We received 12 comments sheets out of the 13 suites occupied, the food scored 18 “Excellent,” 4 “Good” and 2 “Average” with no “Fair” or “Poor” scores.
We have been in touch with your agent during the past week regarding the points above who I am sure will be liaising with you directly in due course. Again, I wish to apologise for the misfires on this journey but please appreciate we did endeavour to give guests the best experience possible under the circumstances.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Chief Executive Officer
ABSOLUTELY NOT the highlight of our trip
As part of our recent holiday booked through Distant Journeys we booked as an optional extra, and at some cost, the two night Rovos Rail ‘Durban Safari’ to Pretoria. We were really looking forward to this as a highlight of our trip.
We were promised ‘a magnificent overland rail journey’ travelling through ‘the stunningly scenic Valley of a Thousand Hills’. Valley of a Thousand Hills? Not for our group - the train wasn’t at Durban when we arrived because of ‘an occupation on the line’; instead we endured a mini bus ride for an hour and a half to find the train, parked in the middle of nowhere and missing the scenic rail ride altogether.
The next day the train stayed at the station while we enjoyed the safaris (which were great fun), finally moving again late in the afternoon. We were looking forward to enjoying ‘the panoramas as we traverse the gold mining area of Gauteng’ but instead the train flew along at full speed throughout the night, carriages screeching and lurching up and down and side to side. Of course it was dark by then and we were all trying to sleep. So ended Day 2 of our ‘magnificent overland rail journey’.
In the morning we found ourselves shunted into a commercial yard surrounded by aggregate wagons and this is where we stayed for the entire last morning - so lovely to capture the romance and atmosphere of a bygone era!
On our final evening we were encouraged by the train manager to have a ‘lie in’ with breakfast being served between 8am and 10am. He confirmed that, as per the programme, we would be staying on the train until 4pm and we were looking forward to a lazy day with (perhaps!) at last seeing some scenery. However, at breakfast he announced that lunch had been moved forward to 12 noon and we would be disembarking at 2pm. So - having finished our breakfast after 10am we had 2 hours until a 3 course lunch!Ridiculous! Of course, no one had any appetite.
We had an hour in the observation carriage before disembarking - lovely views of being shunted in the sidings!
We were so disappointed and really felt we ENDURED rather than enjoyed these precious few days of our holiday. We feel very let down by Rovos Rail who we believe should be more open about potential problems with the rail network and railway stock, and Distant Journeys who we trusted. We have had several holidays with Distant Journeys, and have always found them excellent. However, we feel that their South Africa brochure ‘over promised’ on the Rovos Rail trip. It needs to be made clear that problems and delays regularly occur and, despite the photo used in their brochure, that no wildlife will be viewed en route.
7 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Peter and Deborah Botham
Thank you for your review.
We are of course disappointed and sincerely wish to apologise for the unusual start to the journey. Regrettably, on Friday 4 October we were informed by the national railway authorities (Transnet) of a line closure between Durban and Lions River due to emergency repairs. As a result, guests were transferred by road from Durban Station to Lions River. This was communicated to your agent’s office on the same day that we received the notification from Transnet.
Regarding the scenery, the bus departed Durban Station at 09h16, arriving at Lions River at 10h45. Guests thus went through the same scenery during the morning drive as they would on the train. Albeit more quickly. We sincerely apologise for the bus ride but trust you understand that this was caused by circumstances beyond our control.
I have looked at the trip report and note that all the excursions took place without much ado, receiving positive comment. Also pleased that the Nelson Mandela Capture Site was added as an additional excursion on the first day which was well received by passengers. Pleased to note from your comment sheet that you also enjoyed this additional excursion.
Our train was making good progress during the final evening and pulled into a station called Pyramid South at 09h24 on the final morning, ahead of schedule (departed at 12h26). I do apologise that this caused some stationary time without scenic views. I did take the train manager to task but in his defence, we have had so many holdups on this section of line between Springs and Pretoria that when the opportunity arose to go straight through, he took the opportunity.
In terms of communication on board, I would like to advise that all passengers were kept well informed, either face-to-face with Darren during mealtimes as well as opportunities in between. Whatever communication was passed on by Darren to passengers emanated from me in consultation with him and my ground crews. The only change in information here was that we arrived early into Pyramid South. I apologise if you felt his efforts weren’t satisfactory.
I have carefully analysed all the comment sheets and overall, the train received good comment, as did the food, the service, the excursions, and the ambience. We received 12 comments sheets out of the 13 suites occupied, the food scored 18 “Excellent,” 4 “Good” and 2 “Average” with no “Fair” or “Poor” scores. Thank you too for your kind words regarding the safari, the train and the staff.
We have been in touch with your agent during the past week regarding the points above who I am sure will be liaising with you directly in due course. Again, I wish to apologise for the misfires on this journey but please appreciate we did endeavour to give guests the best experience possible under the circumstances.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Warm regards,
Rohan Vos
Chief Executive Officer
ROVOS RAIL DIASTER OCTOBER 2024
I would like to point out the disastrous trip on Rovos rail which was supposed to be the highlight of our holiday booked through Distant Journeys.
When we left Umhlanga Rocks hotel for the train station in Durban we did not envisage that we would be put on a minibus 1 1/2 hours away as
the train could not be at the station due to an obstruction?
So we missed the train journey through the advertised “stunningly scenic valley of a thousand hills” a terrible start.
In the evening we travelled overnight to the safari areas, we had no sleep as the train had severe vibration and the noise from the brakes was unreal (we were in a carriage above the braking area we were told). This was definitely not luxury travel.
The actual safari day was great with excellent guides.
The next day we were looking forward to the journey through the advertised “Gold mining areas of Gauteng where we were supposed to see the fabulous panoramas” but again Rovos rail changed the itinerary and travelled through the night towards Pretoria (No sleep yet again) and parked up in a goods yard just outside Pretoria.
We had found out that the Rovos rail required the engine on our train to be used on another Rovos train journey going to Victoria falls hence the travel overnight. It was uncoupled on arrival and we had to wait for another engine before we could move from the goods yard.
The train manager Darren, gave false and misleading information every time he was questioned about all the changes he also gave false timings.
When we finally got a replacement engine to move the train we were shunted into a sidings where we were told another train had to pass us before we could move.
An hour later we were moved with no train passing us, yet again false information to suit Rovos rail.
This trip apart from the safaris was a disaster and should not be included in the Distant Journeys tour, it spoilt what was supposed to be the main highlight of the holiday.
We were also informed that the train we were on was going to be dismantled for parts on other trains hence the severe vibration?
All 10 people in our group were very disappointed with this journey on the Rovos rail as we put our trust in Distant journeys and was let down by Rovos rail.
Management of Distant Journeys and Rovos rail have been informed of this disastrous trip and we are still awaiting a reply.
7 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Robert Spence
Thank you for your review.
We are of course disappointed and sincerely wish to apologise for the unusual start to the journey. Regrettably, on Friday 4 October we were informed by the national railway authorities (Transnet) of a line closure between Durban and Lions River due to emergency repairs. As a result, guests were transferred by road from Durban Station to Lions River. This was communicated to your agent’s office on the same day that we received the notification from Transnet.
Regarding the scenery, the bus departed Durban Station at 09h16, arriving at Lions River at 10h45. Guests thus went through the same scenery during the morning drive as they would on the train. Albeit more quickly. We sincerely apologise for the bus ride but trust you understand that this was caused by circumstances beyond our control.
I have looked at the trip report and note that all the excursions took place without much ado, receiving positive comment. Also pleased that the Nelson Mandela Capture Site was added as an additional excursion on the first day which was well received by passengers.
Our train was making good progress during the final evening and pulled into a station called Pyramid South at 09h24 on the final morning, ahead of schedule (departed at 12h26). I do apologise that this caused some stationary time without scenic views. I did take the train manager to task but in his defence, we have had so many holdups on this section of line between Springs and Pretoria that when the opportunity arose to go straight through, he took the opportunity.
In terms of communication on board, I would like to advise that all passengers were kept well informed, either face-to-face with Darren during mealtimes as well as opportunities in between. Whatever communication was passed on by Darren to passengers emanated from me in consultation with him and my ground crews. The only change in information here was that we arrived early into Pyramid South. I apologise if you felt his efforts weren’t satisfactory.
We endeavour between midnight and 06:00 to have stationary time built-in to our operational running times. However, this is not the case every night on all journeys due to the geographical position of the off-train excursions. If the train is delayed, it also impacts on sleep-stop time, which if required must be used to get us back on schedule. Our running times have become far-less ambitious over the last ten years and the average speed is generally calculated at 30km p/h. However, I take note of their comments and assure you that we will do our best to improve the handling of the train and the speed, which is predominately the reason for any discomfort internally.
I'm sorry about the noise experienced during the journey and that you didn't get a good night's sleep. The coach noises are regrettably part and parcel of our train carriages which are coupled, not sealed. There is certainly more movement between the coaches on our railway network. Our trains don’t glide across the tracks like they do in the UK.
I have carefully analysed all the comment sheets and overall, the train received good comment, as did the food, the service, the excursions, and the ambience. We received 12 comments sheets out of the 13 suites occupied, the food scored 18 “Excellent,” 4 “Good” and 2 “Average” with no “Fair” or “Poor” scores. Thank you too for your kind words regarding the safari, guides, and food.
We have been in touch with your agent during the past week regarding the points above who I am sure will be liaising with you directly in due course. Again, I wish to apologise for the misfires on this journey but please appreciate we did endeavour to give guests the best experience possible under the circumstances.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Warm regards,
Rohan Vos
Chief Executive Officer
research rovos before booking
September, 2024 We recently took with Rovos was extremely disappointing. In short, the trip was NOT as advertised and certainly there was NO VALUE FOR MONEY ( as expressed in various reviews). We read reviews from customers on previous trips who basically had the same unfortunate and overpriced experience.
To summarize:
• The trip was not as advertised. Although the material states that there could be occasional mishaps along the way, the experience of our trip was far more than the occasional mishap.
• Amongst the stops we missed were two of the highlighted visits of the trip:
• Kimberly Diamond Mine
• Selous Game reserve which was to account for about 30% of the wildlife viewing of the journey
• In announcing those missed stops, the train manager was very off handed, didn’t really apologize and essentially made it clear that “this is just the way it is”. Given the price of the journey and how it is advertised we, as well as other passengers, were quite put off and insulted by his cavalier/condescending attitude. Frankly, his behavior in these instances was insulting and was received as such by most, if not all, of the passengers.
• As a result of the delays/breakdowns we were subjected to long (4 hour) very uncomfortable bus rides and were confined to a not very comfortable train ride for approximately 4 days. We visited Tanzania solely through viewing the country through the train windows, except for a two-hour market stop, which frankly, while interesting, was not memorable at all.
• Riding on the train was the equivalent of travelling on a small boat in turbulent waters. It was very hard to sleep, shower, etc. Perhaps this was to be expected. However, that was not in any way conveyed/advertised.
• We were in the first passenger car and had to walk 8 or more cars to the dining room and the equivalent amount if not more from the dining room to the observation car. Not comfortable at all. While not terribly safe.
Notwithstanding the above, the staff, the lecturer, service and food was excellent. The train itself and the sleeper cars were clean and attractive and could be taken advantage of when the train was either not moving or travelling at a comfortable/reasonable pace. As a result of the delays, I think we were traveling at maximum speed on questionable tracks which was not just uncomfortable, but dangerous when trying to negotiate the many narrow corridors.
I am sorry to have to write this email. I feel it is incumbent on me for the sake of preparing future travelers for the experience.
Thanks
9 September 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Draizin
Thank you for leaving your review and your positive comments regarding the staff, the lecturer, the service, the food and the train. We have been in touch with your agent directly with a full reply.
The first stoppage, although quite long at 11 hours, was unfortunate but not dangerous, as was the minor derailment in Gaborone Station and the single axle derailment on day 13. Although these mishaps were unfortunate it is natural to expect something out of the ordinary to happen travelling 6107kms through five countries in Africa.
We are very clear in our itinerary that the Nyerere National Park (Selous) would only be visited if we had the time to do so. Historically, this journey was 15-days and Selous was not included. There were however occasions when the train was under pressure to make Dar es Salaam on time, and to accommodate these late arrivals, we added an extra day in that area. We then accepted that if we were on time, we should add an extra excursion near Dar es Salaam to entertain our passengers. In addition, we have four game drives in the Madikwe Game Reserve, the sunset cruise in Victoria Falls during which we always see some animals, so the possible visit to Selous, with one game drive, and I might add, normally minimal sightings, is not regarded as being competition to Madikwe.
The comment regarding the train manager flies in the face of the numerous good comments that he has received from other passengers. He certainly endeavoured at both lunch and dinner to address all the guests and bring them up to speed regarding activities and delays. He does however have a laid-back manner, and I apologise if he came across as condescending.
The maximum speed on our running times shows 60km/h in South Africa, 50km/h in Botswana, 30km/h in Zimbabwe, 25km/h in Zambia and 35km/h in Tanzania. On most occasions, glancing at our tracker, I would see speeds well below this. Especially in Zambia, where we were averaging 15km/h.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Rovos Rail -Another Great Train Robbery?
Rovos Rail - another great train robbery?
Rovos Rail boasts to be a luxury train operator. The reality is that ‘Rovos luxury’ is akin to ordering a top brand luxury watch, yet when delivered, it is fitted with a plastic strap.
I wish we had read the endless list of terrible reviews which Rovos HQ responds to with excuses and platitudes whilst it posts upbeat reviews from armies of “travel writers”.
We suffered, as many before us did, by endless delays because of theft of critical train operating equipment, delays because of overcrowded trains and engines unable to pull an 800 meter long train up a slight incline because, wait for it, the tracks were wet. Other delays were caused by equipment break-downs. On our journey some 4 carriages had no air conditioning or running water for a few days. A fellow traveller who had paid for a luxury suite had rainwater drip on to her pillow and one afternoon, our side of the train also had no water. Then came the moments that everyone was obliged to have their hands sprayed with a sanitiser. Yes, there was sickness on the train as well.
The staff though are pleasant and well trained and caring. The food is more than reasonable, whereas the wines seemed average supermarket wines.
The biggest issue were the constant messages of misinformation from senior train staff about the delays. It appears that Mr Vos (the boss), is the spider in the organisational web and deals with every query himself, instructs train managers what to say and does so by providing a written script for each eventuality.
One example was the day of the safari drive. Technical delays had caused another late departure. We were told that the bus journey time to the park would be about 2 hours. The reality was a journey of over 3 hours meaning that we arrived for our safari at 17:10 hrs leaving one hour and 40 minutes for the safari drive of which some 25 minutes was in total darkness. On the return bus journey we left the safari venue at 18:50 hrs and our guide announced that, as soon as he had a signal, he would advise us of our rendezvous time with the train. Some 5 minutes later (we were seated behind him and saw him talking on the phone to someone, presumably on the train) he announced that the train rendezvous would be at 20:00 hrs. The reality is that we rejoined the train at 21:10 hrs at a different place than originally advised. To summarise: that day we spent 5 hrs on a bus!
Then there is the matter of golf, a very significant part of the itinerary. There were 67 golfers on the train, who as a result of much longer bus journeys than we were told about, had to be squeezed in and start from different tees, leading to 5 hour+ rounds. On one day we were told of a recent derailment in the area of a pre-selected golf course and one offered solution was that we all play a 9-hole golf course instead.. This is an impossibility unless you start at about 07:30 am for the morning group and have the afternoon group start at about 13:30 and finish at maybe 18:00 hrs added to which there is the time for the bus journeys there and back.
On our penultimate night having returned from golf and desperately needing a shower, we found there was no water whatsoever in the front section of the train.
We also asked to see the train manager at 17:30 hrs that afternoon to confirm with her the details of our negotiated early release from the train. We waited and waited and at about 20:45 hrs I found her in a meeting. “Nobody told me you wanted to see me” was her response, as if it was all my fault. That was not quite the straw that broke the camel’s back.
That moment came when we found out, by chance, that our return to Rovos HQ station in Pretoria would be some 7 hrs later than advertised in the programme and the train was now estimated to arrive at 17:00 hrs (our flight would leave at 13:00 hrs that day). The reason for that delay? A derailment on the track in the area where we were journeying but it is only then that we found out that this derailment had occurred about 2 weeks before our departure from Rovos HQ station and which had been passed off as a recent occurrence. Worse to come, the train eventually arrived beyond midnight, meaning a delay of at least 14 hours and further inconveniencing the remaining passengers.
The customer definitely is not at the top of the Rovos pyramid!
To me Rovos stands for:
Regrettable, Obfuscating, Variable delivery, Overpriced, Shambolic.
Jan Hubrecht
aka: Jean van Lanschot Hubrecht
31 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Mr Hubrecht and Miss Robbins
Thank you for taking the time to leave your reviews on TripAdvisor and TrustPilot. Our sincerest apologies for the unforeseen misfires during your recent journey with us. I will endeavour below to answer your comments in order.
I have also sent you an initial summary with the timeline of the journey via email. This is for your information and hope it also helps explain some of the challenges we needed to overcome.
The train was 550 meters long (not 800 meters) and yes it did get stuck on an incline on wet tracks. This was just outside Durban; however, the delay was a non-event as the line was closed due to the weather that evening at Compensation Station, 52kms further down the line. It opened at 13h30 the next day.
The air-conditioning and water were not working on the four carriages from 22h00 to 07h24. Not four days. The water shortage you experienced at Malelane was your carriage only, which after having its tanks filled, the pressure valve was not re-opened. When advised by you later that evening, the valve was opened. Apologies for this oversight.
Thank you for your positive comment on the food and the staff. If the on-board estate wines seemed like ‘average supermarket’ wines and this comment was passed on to those estates, I think you might be in for a rough ride. Meerlust, Hamilton-Russell, Thelema, Rustenberg, amongst others, are considered some of the top estates in the country and have graced our wine list for 35 years.
Pleased to hear you were aware that I was involved in the crisis management of your train. The train manager has a very busy time looking after a full train and it is imperative that myself and our operations department in Pretoria assist wherever possible.
The derailment between Nelspruit and Kaapmuiden, which occurred on 10 October, apparently involved six coal trucks. Being a main export line, we were expecting this to be repaired well in time for your trip three weeks later. I am told it is the integrity of a bridge involved which has held things up.
The longer bus rides were unfortunate but with the moving goal posts were the best we could do in Hluhluwe and eSwatini.
The golf that was arranged for the second last day was affected by the derailment and the options provided by the golf directors were the only possibilities available. I am told that 22 golfers played the nine-hole course in Komatipoort and 38 went to Highland Gate in Dullstroom.
Our manager and staff efficiently organised and executed all the various transfers that were required on the second last and the last day. Of the 72 passengers, 36 remained on the train which travelled the detour route from Hazyview through Tzaneen and Polokwane to Pretoria.
The running times circulated had the train arriving in Pretoria at 17h00, but the best we could manage was to dock at 22h00. All these passengers were apparently overnighting in Pretoria and after a scenic’ s days ride on the train with meals and beverages, hopefully had a restful night.
I have read through all the comment sheets and all in all the train, food and service received good comment.
We wish to apologise again sincerely for the aspects of the journey that did not go as smoothly as expected but please be assured we did our very best to make sure that guests were comfortable at all times.
Thank you for travelling with us and hope that you might travel with us again one day where we might redeem ourselves.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Not all its cracked up to be
The train is beautifully furnished food is high quality served by well trained courteous staff. The staff are Rovos's best chance of getting a good review
Expect train to run late everywhere with very long 3 hour+ coach trips to the planned excursion. We spent 3 hours to get to a game drive which lasted 60 minutes and then endured a 4 hour coach ride back getting back at 9pm in a siding in the middle of nowhere
Discomforts when things go wrong can be endured if the management communicated honest accurate information but they do not. They say a coach drive will be 2 hours and invariably it's at least 3. Also this happens all the time we were not unlucky - its completely normal for thieves to steal bits of the train when in a siding leaving passengers with no water or aircon for days
We did a golf train which we were led to believe when we booked that it would be about 40 people but it turned out to be 71. This led to very slow play and very long days. Also the numbers meant that the train was too heavy to be pulled easily and in the rain it couldn't move. Uphill the train would shudder and jerk. This company is wrecking the luxury tag which means it is not value for money
I could not wait to get off so despite the wonderful staff we cannot recommend it
29 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Miss Robbins and Mr Hubrecht
Thank you for taking the time to leave your reviews on TripAdvisor and Trustpilot. Our sincerest apologies for the unforeseen misfires during your recent journey with us.
I have also sent you an initial summary with the timeline of the journey via email. This is for your information and hope it also helps explain some of the challenges we needed to overcome.
The train was 550 meters long (not 800 meters) and yes it did get stuck on an incline on wet tracks. This was just outside Durban; however, the delay was a non-event as the line was closed due to the weather that evening at Compensation Station, 52kms further down the line. It opened at 13h30 the next day.
The air-conditioning and water were not working on the four carriages from 22h00 to 07h24. Not four days. The water shortage you experienced at Malelane was your carriage only, which after having its tanks filled, the pressure valve was not re-opened. When advised by you later that evening, the valve was opened. Apologies for this oversight.
Thank you for your positive comment on the food and the staff. If the on-board estate wines seemed like ‘average supermarket’ wines and this comment was passed on to those estates, I think you might be in for a rough ride. Meerlust, Hamilton-Russell, Thelema, Rustenberg, amongst others, are considered some of the top estates in the country and have graced our wine list for 35 years.
Pleased to hear you were aware that I was involved in the crisis management of your train. The train manager has a very busy time looking after a full train and it is imperative that myself and our operations department in Pretoria assist wherever possible.
The derailment between Nelspruit and Kaapmuiden, which occurred on 10 October, apparently involved six coal trucks. Being a main export line, we were expecting this to be repaired well in time for your trip three weeks later. I am told it is the integrity of a bridge involved which has held things up.
The longer bus rides were unfortunate but with the moving goal posts were the best we could do in Hluhluwe and eSwatini.
The golf that was arranged for the second last day was affected by the derailment and the options provided by the golf directors were the only possibilities available. I am told that 22 golfers played the nine-hole course in Komatipoort and 38 went to Highland Gate in Dullstroom.
Our manager and staff efficiently organised and executed all the various transfers that were required on the second last and the last day. Of the 72 passengers, 36 remained on the train which travelled the detour route from Hazyview through Tzaneen and Polokwane to Pretoria.
The running times circulated had the train arriving in Pretoria at 17h00, but the best we could manage was to dock at 22h00. All these passengers were apparently overnighting in Pretoria and after a scenic’ s days ride on the train with meals and beverages, hopefully had a restful night.
I have read through all the comment sheets and all in all the train, food and service received good comment.
We wish to apologise again sincerely for the aspects of the journey that did not go as smoothly as expected but please be assured we did our very best to make sure that guests were comfortable at all times.
Thank you for travelling with us and hope that you might travel with us again one day where we might redeem ourselves.
Sincerely,
Rohan Vos
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
We just returned from a 4 night/5 day…
We just returned from a 4 night/5 day trip from Vic Falls to Pretoria. Due to the constant noise from the train, got little sleep. Extremely disappointed. The food was fine, nothing exceptional. Staff , for the most part, were attentive.
21 July 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Diane
Thank you for your review and the kind words about the staff.
I'm sorry about the noise experienced during the journey and that you didn't get a good night's sleep. The coach noises are regrettably part and parcel of our train carriages which are coupled, not sealed. There is certainly more movement between the coaches on our railway network.
We apologise that this journey did not meet with your expectations and hope that we would be able to invite you on board in the not-too-distant future where we might redeem ourselves.
Thank you again for travelling with us and wishing you a good afternoon.
Best
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Might book another
What a fabulous trip!
We travelled from Victoria Falls to Pretoria (well, almost - more of that later) on the "Southern Cross" trip. Along the way we had day excursions for game drives and to Graskop Gorge and Maputo among others. The train itself was comfortable, although there were episodes of uneven track which gave us a "rock'n'roll" experience. Cabins are compact but well equipped. After the first night we slept well.
The food was excellent, the wines were good also and the staff were amazingly friendly and helpful. Loved being waved off on our excursions and welcomed back with a glass of chilled fizz. We had a resident guide, PJ, who was full of useful facts about the places we visited.
OK, it wasn't perfect. We were forced to travel into Mozambique by coach as derailment of another train had blocked our route. On the final day we had to disembark and travel the last few hours of our trip by coach because of vandalism/cable theft. BUT - the situations were managed in a stress free manner and we were not significantly inconvenienced. It made it part of the adventure.
Already considering another trip with the same company.
16 January 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Ian
Thank you for your review and delighted to hear you enjoyed your “rock and roll” adventure.
Thank you too for your kind words about the staff, train, food, and wine. And we couldn’t agree more, nothing more special than a glass of chilled bubbly waiting for you after an excursion.
I will make sure to pass on your feedback to the team on your train as I know how pleased they are to receive kind comments such as yours.
Thank you for travelling with us, we cannot wait to welcome you on board again in the not-too-distant future.
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Traveling on Rovos to Victoria Falls
I rarely if ever write reviews but was motivated by some of the negative reviews. I traveled on Rovos in February 2023 and I rate every aspect of the journey as excellent. It seems to be naive not to expect that traveling on restored equipment on shared lines across several borders might have the occasional disruption. I had a great journey with great service and food. I know that every member of our group had a wonderful experience.
2 February 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Donald
Thank you for your lovely review – we are thrilled that you enjoyed your journey with us.
Thank you for your kind comments about the food, the service and for your understanding of the challenges we are currently facing within South Africa. Our train staff really are wonderful and it's always a good feeling when they are recognised!
Thank you for travelling with us and we do hope we can welcome you on board again in in the not-too-distant future.
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Beware - food poisoning
Firstly, and to be fair, Rovos are tied to SA railways so there's little they can do about the screeching, squeaking and clattering of wheels on rail but it doesn't make for a peaceful journey nor for a good night's sleep, unless you are stationary... again, awaiting repairs or a new driver or some such. The two day trip from Cape Town to somewhere nearish to Pretoria ( the last part of the line was still not operational and sported a coach replacement service) has been extended to three days to cater for the constant problems and hold-ups.
The scenery was sadly uninspiring, changing little ( except for getting drier) as we travelled north.
The accomodation was tiny, even the de-luxe cabin. It IS a train and that's to be expected but to have large containers of dirty linen stored under the bed, the only place to put your suitcase unless you could lift it onto a rack above your head, was a bit gross. The cabin telephone didn't work, the window shutters had to be down whenever we vacated the carriage - and they were not easy to operate and the loo seat fell off twice ( once after having been 'fixed')! Had I been happy with the company, these minor irritations would have been just that.
The food is constant and plentiful, served in charming, reproduction carriages. Two days of this constant eating and inactivity would have been plenty.
Sadly, on our trip, the kitchen hygiene or maybe the ingredients were not up to standard and 8 of our group of 24 plus several from other groups and individual travellers, went down with a violent bout of food poisoning, spoiling half of the very expensive trip and some of the remainder of the holiday. More seriously, I was unable to take the anti-malaria meds necessary for the following week.
The train manager was nowhere to be seen. Either he was out of touch with his staff or he just didn't care. No one bothered to try to track down the source of the infection and the company has subsequently blamed, in turn, an african bug, an infection originating prior to travel and the anti-maliarial medication which we were unable to take! Beware.
As to the Rovos assertion, below, that there were no other reports of illness, this is a blatant lie! There are other reports on here that our guide was certainly aware of. He asked the group to raise a hand if they had been ill and many did. Rovos continued denials do nothing to recommend them.
Date of experience: October 2023
18 October 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Allison
Thank you for your review.
We sincerely apologise for your illness on board. As mentioned in our previous email correspondence, I have read through all the comment sheets carefully, and it appears that there were no other mentions of food poisoning. We received 24 comment sheets out of 27 suites occupied, the food achieved 18 Excellent and 6 Good with no Fair or Poor scores received.
I have also debriefed our kitchen, who carefully reviewed the meals that were served before the Kimberley excursion, with no other reports of guests feeling unwell after these meals. I’ve also asked our train manager, Hennie, and deputy manager, Cathren, whether they can remember anybody reporting illness on this trip as the comment sheets do not reflect any notes on illness. Neither of them remembers any illness being reported.
In terms of train hygiene, our trains are disinfected with industrial strength spray before and after each journey. We also fumigate our bedding and coaches regularly. Our staff then wash down every surface and the wood is then polished. The cleanliness of the train is checked by the train manager, deputy manager and our train operations manager before guests board the train. Rest assured that we follow very strict cleaning procedures and only source from the best food suppliers.
So again, I wish to apologise for your illness and have circulated your letter to all managers and catering staff. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, we will continue to monitor it carefully.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Best,
Liezl Maclean
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
We took the Sholongolo Express Southern…
We took the Sholongolo Express Southern Star route from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Yes, we did have a couple of setbacks due to the rail problems but it was all part of the adventure. Our cabin was small, as expected, but had everything we needed. The staff was excellent, as was the food. Our off train experiences were wonderful - on foot trek to see rhinos, priceless.
3 November 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
We are thrilled that you enjoyed your journey with is. Thank you for your kind comments about the food, our team on board and the excursions.
Thank you for travelling with us and we hope to see you soon for another African adventure.
Best,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Capetown to Pretoria…
The staff and service on our capetown to Pretoria trip were wonderful. Unfortunately, the trip and the company are affected by the challenges of South Africas railroad governance. We made numerous unplanned stops which altered our off train excursion and prevented us from making it to Pretoria. We had to de-train 100 km out of pretoria and bus the rest of the trip. In addition, i and at least 4 others that i heard about suffered from food poisoning on the train. I spent 36 hours in my cabin very ill. I have emailed and left a message to customer service w/o response.
18 October 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Louise
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and for your kind words about the staff and the service. I will make sure that the team from the train reads it as I know how pleased they are to receive kind comments such as yours. As are we all.
I am sorry to hear that you were ill on the trip, we reached out to your agent last Thursday to obtain your contact details but unfortunately we were still awaiting their feedback - I know it is busy season for all. Could you kindly send an email to communications@rovos.co.za and we will get in touch directly.
Best,
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Be warned this is a luxury train but not a luxury journey
Day 1 from the Rovos Rail station Cape Town we had a 3 hour bus journey (we'd been told 2 hours) to meet the train in a derelict station near an impoverished town. We were given canned soft drinks and snacks. Boarded the train and then had 2 days with superb food and excellent service, although the scenery is almost the same for the whole journey having missed the winelands due to bus, although a few animals were spotted with long lens cameras. None of our group of 23 slept on the final night due to screeching wheels and constant sudden stops (10) as though the train had hit something.
Day 4 we were delayed for 3 hours disembarking constant long stops as for whole journey, sadly all of our group who had eaten the scallops had severe food poisoning as well, then disembarked in a siding and had to climb down onto and over the tracks with our luggage to waiting bus. Although the staff were very helpful. Followed by a 2 hour bus journey to the Rovos Rail station in Pretoria.
Be warned this is a luxury train, but not a luxury journey and our experience is far from unique, a friend made the same journey with Titan on Rovos last October and had a very similar experience.
We certainly did not 'get what we paid for' Rovos is full of excuses but until they have sorted out their problems they must be more honest with their customers about the experience and charge accordingly.
2 October 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Rovos Rail Tours
Dear Sue C
Thank you for your review and for your kind words regarding the suites, the food, and the service on board.
We do apologise for the bus transfers on this journey, we were indeed affected by Mother Nature herself due to a level-9 storm hitting the Western Cape. I have read through your comment sheet and thank you too for your kind words regarding the “enormous efforts that must have been made to enable us to travel.” Indeed, logistical somersaults were being performed behind-the-scenes to get the train moving, thank you for your gracious observation.
On the final day, once we arrived at Kookrus for disembarkation, we realised that one of our transfers had not arrived despite it being confirmed earlier during the morning. Unfortunately, we had no other choice but to group passengers together to ensure all arrive safely at their destination.
We are of course disappointed and sincerely wish to apologise for the disruption and for any inconvenience caused. We hope we can welcome you on board again one day so that we can redeem ourselves.
Liezl Maclean
Communications Manager
Rovos Rail Tours (Pty) Ltd
Ravishing rail …
We embarked on this journey from cape Town to Pretoria on the 9th October 2023
We have travelled from London to Cape Town especially to do the Ravos Train
Unfortunately my experience was not very good train lovely staff very attentive but the starting and stopping and waiting for locomotives was not good at all
Very bumpy and always behind schedule
Tour of Kimberley was not possible because we was behind of schedule
If you cannot fulfil this schedule you should stop running this route
Especially the money that we have paid for this train route
I would not recommend to anybody this route and also plenty of passengers on this route not very happy
We had to get off the train before our destination and either go by coach or get our transfer changed which meant that we finally got to our destination at our extremely later time
9 October 2023
Unprompted review
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. Labeled Verified, they’re about genuine experiences.
Learn more about other kinds of reviews.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.