Dear Travel Partner,

Following the declaration of the COVID-19 virus as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, on the 15 March 2020, the President of the Republic of South Africa declared the pandemic a national disaster.

The President further announced a range of other interventions to be taken in order to curb the spread of this pandemic and reduce the impact of the virus. Some of these interventions include imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high risk countries such as Italy, Iran, the UK, the USA, South Korea and China.

Following this government directive, The Blue Train has decided to continue with its empathetic decision, and have now revised our booking and cancellation terms as follows:

OPTION 1: POSTPONEMENT / DELAY TRAVEL TO A LATER DATE (Recommended)

• All guests who are booked, paid and confirmed to travel on The Blue Train within the next 6 months (between March 2020 and 31 August 2020) have an option to postpone / delay their travel as follows:
  • Transfer the tickets to friends / family members who can travel within this period (March 2020 to 31 August 2020). Tickets for travel after the 31 August 2020 are Not Transferable.
  • Travel on The Blue Train can be postponed to the next 69 Weeks (from 01 September 2020 to 31 December 2021).
  • The postponement will not incur any additional costs on The Blue Train ticket Already Paid for (provisional or unconfirmed bookings not paid for will incur applicable costs of the date of postponement)
  • All other costs / expenses incurred as a result of the postponement would be at the customers’ expense (this includes holiday costs such as change of flights, accommodation, shuttles, excursions, etc.)
  • Only one change of postponement departure date will be allowed during the 69 weeks.

OPTION 2: IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION:

• The South African Government has now imposed travel bans on foreign nationals from the high risk countries identified. This situation is changing on a daily basis and more travel bans are anticipated to be issued. As such all guests / clients  who are booked, paid and confirmed to travel on The Blue Train within the next 6 months (between 23 March 2020 and 31 August 2020) who wish and insist on immediate cancellation of their bookings can now do so without any cancellation penalties. Guests are encouraged to still consider option 1 above.
• Cancellations will be effective for The Blue Train trips departing from 23 March 2020.
• For cancellations of travel after the 31 August 2020, The Blue Train’s Standard Terms and Conditions will apply.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding in this regard.

In the President’s words, “But if we act together, if we act now, and if we act decisively, we will overcome this medical emergency”.

Assuring you of our best attention at all times,