Shosholoza Meyl

Now here's a great getaway if you want to take the kids on a fantastic adventure!

The Shosholoza Meyl is an economy train trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg that recreates those feelings of romance and excitement that you imagined it would be like travelling the train as a kid.

So it was with great excitement that we walked onto the platform at Cape Town station and animatedly boarded the train in anticipation of our trans-African adventure.

Boarding the train.

The idea of a train trip is to kick back and relax and readjust your watch to original African time. Take a good book or a couple of family games like Uno, pictionary, cludo or scrabbble with you.
There's plenty of time for good family bonding and getting to know each other afresh.

Just Chillin. Note the Lock system. It's advisable to take a Leather-man or something so that when you leave the cabin you can lock and open it.

If you want to take your laptop with make sure you have a 2 prong adaptor as the shaver plugs in the cabin are 220V and fit a standard 2 prong. This way you can watch a movie together when your views fade or play some music in the background.

The tourist class Shosholoza Meyl train offer two person coupés and four person compartments with bunk beds. Amanda was pleasantly surprised at how neat and clean the train was and the space in the cabin allowed for a feeeling of space. (Even though the kids were literally "on top" of us)

 

During the day, sleeper compartments convert into suites with hot and cold water from a basin stowed underneath the fold-up table. Communal toilets and showers are available at the end of each coach.

Having a cabin near the shower was great. When the kids got a little antsy we told them to go and have a Looong shower.

Sitting in the dinning cart watching the African landscape pass by sipping G&T's was relaxing and a great way to break from the cabin. 

Picture By Talitha Laubscher

Girls chilling in the dining cart. Practising their art.

The Bacon & Eggs breakfast was very nice and heading back to the cabin after dinner to find our beds turned for the night was a refreshing welcome at the end of the day. 

The trip there took 25hours and left us feeling very relaxed as we departed the Johannesburg station.

Heading into a tunnel... Kids (and Dad) loved this!

The price for such a trip is R520 per adult one way and children 0-9 travel for 50%. You must take cash with you as the meals are extra as is the bedding. 

Bedding can be purchased on board from the attendant at R40 p/person. *Bringing your own bedding is allowed.

Food and Snacks can be taken on board or purchased in the dining car and from the compartment trolley service.

Go here: http://shosholoza-meyl.co.za/ to find out more.