Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa. The Society of International Railway Travelers has regularly named the Pride of Africa, as the train is called, as one of the World's Top 25 Trains because of its excellent accommodation, public spaces, service, dining and off-train sightseeing.
Rovos Rail runs its train-hotel to a regular schedule on various routes throughout Southern Africa, from South Africa to Namibia and Tanzania. The trains consist of restored South African coaches with two lounges, two restaurant cars, private sleeping compartments, each with private ensuite facilities. The train has three types of accommodation on board, the smallest being a Pullman, at 76 square feet; the largest being the Royal Suite, which is half a train car, and 172 square feet. All types of cabins have ensuite shower, sink and toilet. The Royal also has a Victorian-style bathtub.[1]
The company was started in 1989 by Rohan Vos [2] and is still family owned. Rovos Rail employs a staff of 210 including the on-board staff to those working to restore carriages in the company's Capital Park depot.
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Rovos Rail operates the following routes:
as well as Golf Safaris and private train charters.
Every two years Rovos Rail runs a Cape to Cairo route (using private chartered aircraft and lake cruiser for parts of the journey). This was offered for the first time in 2008, again in 2010 and is scheduled to repeat two similar trips in 2012.[3]
A Rovos Rail train derailed on 21 April 2010 near Pretoria. Three crew members were killed and several passengers were injured. The owner of Rovos Rail said that the train’s nineteen carriages were unhooked from the locomotive during a changeover when they freewheeled out of control. Approximately half of the 55 passengers were on board along with some of the thirty staff.[4]