Rovos Rail

Rovos Rail-The Pride of Africa

Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa.

Rovos Rail runs cruise trains to a regular schedule on various routes throughout Southern Africa. The trains consist of beautifully restored South African coaches with all the usual tourist facilities - lounge, restaurant, private sleeping compartments and showers

Travel to South Africa and take a trip on the most luxurious train in the world. Your romantic vacation through the heart of Southern Africa will begin or end at the headquarters of this private railway company, Capital Park Station and Locomotive Yard situated outside Pretoria. Rovos Rail offers two beautifully rebuilt Classic trains, each carrying a maximum of 72 passengers who are accommodated in the most spacious and luxurious train suites in the world. The use of traditional furnishings and period décor ensure an atmosphere of elegance and grandeur in the Dining, Lounge and Observation cars.

A JOURNEY BEGINS

The development of one of the world's finest vintage railways
From an auction of old coaches at Milner Park Johannesburg, in 1986, the development of one of the world's finest vintage railways has been an eventful journey. This is how it all began. As so often happens, it was a combination of events and influences that led to the purchase of the first coach, the beginning of what would become Rovos Rail. A Wilbur Smith heroine with her own private railway coach, a man called Phil Acutt with a passion for trains and the presence of the Witbank Steam Railway in the coal-mining town where Rohan Vos ran his successful auto spares business all played a part. 'Rohan has always been obsessed with things mechanical,' remembers Anthea Vos who has been at his side throughout and has raised a family in and around the developing railway business. 'In fact he started his business on the R400 he made from the sale of an old Packard car he rebuilt. Rohan was involved in so many ventures, but I didn't see this one coming. In 1985 Rohan and his wife took up a last minute invitation on a train trip for business suppliers to the Magaliesberg, 'I became a train widow on that day,' says Anthea. 'I sat all dressed up by myself; Rohan spent most of the time in the engine with the driver. The irony was that we should have seen how difficult it would be - the train broke down and we were bussed back to town.'