2009 Promises to be a good year! Enjoy the good times and grab onto the opportunities. (Carpe Diem). Ons wil graag hê dat u ook 2009 saam met ons moet geniet. Ons bly in ‘n pragtige land met pragtige mense met natuurskoon onbeperk.

BAIE DANKIE / THANKS

Ons sê ook graag weer baie DANKIE aan elkeen van u wat in die afgelope jaar saam met ons gereis het en wat beplan om in die toekoms weer saam te reis. Dit bly ‘n unieke wyse om vakansie te hou.

A big word of THANKS to everyone who has travelled with JB Train Tours in 2008 and who has booked already for 2009. You have helped us to maintain Rail Tourism is South Africa. – an unique way of holidaying in the WORLD!

RESESSION & HOLIDAYS

The world wide resession has hit all industries of our community. Whether you sell cars, houses, electrical appliances or produce steel, gold, platinum or coal. The leisure market has been hit hard as well: Less people are visiting the movies, live shows and theme parks or going on holiday. Hotels, lodges and guest houses feel the pinch as well.

JB Train Tours has been affected as well, BUT there is a positive side to this. MANY people normally traveling ONLY in luxury, have now ‘converted’ to our affordable and comfortable ways of travelling AND they’ve realised it is ‘Value for Money’. Recent surveys have shown that holidaying by train is now one of the most affordable ways of doing so. Welcome on board and welcome to the ‘train family’.

ENQUIRIES

After the December 2008 Newsletter was sent out, we had numerous enquiries from readers about the Press Release published in that issue. (See below). Many people enquired about the contact details of these companies, because they were apparently ‘done in’ in some or other fashion by them and can’t get hold of them. We don’t have their contact details anymore, due to the fact that they’ve (apparently) closed their businesses, but they are (apparently) doing business under some other new names!

We were contacted by an ex-detective from the SAPS, investigating these companies, to publish his name and contact details. He is Mr. Flip de Klerk at Tel: 072-732 5533 or 014-736 2527. E-mail: flipdklerk@live.com He has requested that any person who was negatively affected by these two operators’ actions, to contact him.

The ‘PRESS RELEASE’

A press release was sent out by JB Train Tours on Thursday 6^th November 2008 stating that the company has NO ties, nor any relationship or working agreement with either Setimela Rail (also called Maluti Rail, also called Shamwari Express, also called Albatros Tours, et al) nor with Nkosi Express (also called Kingsway Train Tours, et al). Setimela Rail belongs to Mr. Kobus Wright (and/or relatives) whilst Ms. Mariette Beukes is/was the owner of Nkosi Express.

DID YOU KNOW?

HUISGENOOT SKOUSPEL – 2009

Die 10de jaarlikse Huisgenoot Skouspel word weer in Oktober 2009 in die Super Bowl by Sun City in die Noordwes Provinsie aangebied. Dit gaan ‘n behoorlike feesgeleentheid wees.

JB Train Tours bied weer verskeie bus- en vliegtuigtoere na hierdie glansgeleentheid toe aan en het PUIK sitplekke vir al die vertonings bespreek: In die middelblok op die vloer – naby die verhoog! (“Prime spot seats!”)

3-Dag Vliegtuigtoere word weer vanuit Kaapstad, George, Port Elizabeth en Durban aangebied, wat 2 nagte se hotel-akkommodasie & etes, busvervoer na Sun City en natuurlik die Skouspel-kaartjie insluit. Meer inligting

1-Dag Luukse bustoere word vanuit Pretoria, Centurion, Oos en Wes Rand aangebied. Dit sluit die HG Skouspel-kaartjie in. Meer inligting

Besprekings vir al hierdie toere het reeds geopen en die aanvraag is GROOT. Bespreek NOU. (Dit lyk asof die Kapenaars in hul massas na die 2009 vertonings wil opruk. Ons het talle navrae voor Kersfees gehad van veral groepe wat wil saamry.)

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Budget Tours             Upmarket Tours

FEEDBACK - DECEMBER 2008 TOURS

During December we’ve hosted 8 train tours from Jo’burg to Cape Town, staying in a 4-star hotel and visiting all the popular tourists destinations. These tours will be repeated during the course of 2009, as well as during December 2009 – still at a very affordable price.

The Jo’burg to Durban & KZN train tour in the beginning of the holidays was a good 5-day break-away opportunity for people from Gauteng to spend some time on the beach.

Our 7 Provinces and 3 Trains tour spent their Christmas eve at Carnival City in Gauteng. Due to the popularity of this tour we’ve increased the number of tours to 7 in 2009.

UPCOMING TOURS

JANUARY 2009 TOURS

Stylish tour from Jo’burg to Cape Town – Premier Classe train and flight back. 29 Jan – 1 Feb 2009

FEBRUARY 2009 TOURS

Motorbike-on-Train – Jo’burg to Western Cape and Boland. This is the first tour in 2009 for bikers who’d like to ride the sweeping corners, mountain passes and scenic coastal roads of the Western Cape and Boland, but does not want to travel the 1000’s of km’s through the Karoo. 8 – 14 Feb 2009. BMW GS bikers who’d like to attend the Nelsons Creek Challenge at Wellington should book on this tour.. More info
7 Provinsies en 3 Treine – Hierdie 8-dag rondomtalie treintoer raak met elke toer gewilder en voller. Die kuier en vriende-maak op die toer, met mense wat oraloor langs die roete opklim, maak dit ‘n uitsonderlike toer. 12 – 24 Feb 2009. Oud Spories kan hul ‘vrypas’ op hierdie toer gebruik om R900 pp afslag te kry. Meer inligting
Durban/KZN – Jo’burg to KZN. Enjoy a long weekend on the beach and return by Premier Classe train. 26 Feb – 2 Mar 2009. More info
Kruger Wildtuin – Kaapstad na Laeveld. Die Kapenaars kry die geleentheid om die KNP en Laeveld se toeriste-bestemmings per trein en bus te besoek. 27 Feb – 7 Mar 2009. Meer inligting
Kruger Wildtuin – Gauteng na Laeveld. Die Gautengers kry die geleentheid om die KNP en Laeveld se toeriste-bestemmings per bus te besoek. 28 Feb – 5 Mar 2009. Meer inligting
Stylish tour Jo’burg to Cape Town – Premier Classe train and flight back. 19 - 22 Feb 2009

March 2009 TOURS

Argus Cycle Race – JHB to CPT. Travel with other like-minded cyclists on this ever-so-popular tour. Accommodation in hotel included. 6 – 10 March 2009. More info

Motorbike-on-Train – Jo’burg to Western Cape and Boland. This is the second tour in 2009 for bikers who’d like to ride the sweeping corners, mountain passes and scenic coastal roads of the Western Cape and Boland, but does not want to travel the 1000’s of km’s through the Karoo before arriving in the Western Cape. 15 - 21 Mar 2009. More info
7 Provinces & 3 Trains – This 8-day circular train trip is becoming more popular by the day. Travel through 7 provinces on 3 different trains. Retired and current Spoortnet employees may use their Free Pass on this trip (and other inland tours) to qualify for a substantial discount. 12 – 24 March 2009 More info
Cape Town Holiday – JHB to CPT .We have hosted eight (8) of these tours during december 2008 and they were all fully booked. Enjoy the Mother City and surroundings. 29 Mar – 4 April 2009 (School Holidays) More info
Motorbike-on-Train – Jo’burg to Western Cape and Boland on the luxurious Premier Classe Train. This is the first tour in 2009 for bikers who’d like to ride the sweeping corners, mountain passes and scenic coastal roads of the Western Cape and Boland, but does not want to travel the 1000’s of km’s through the Karoo AND want to travel in luxury. 22 - 29 Mar 2009. More info

Namibia – JHB to Windhoek. 31 March to 9 April 2009 (See more details below)

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Have you booked your place on the Two Oceans Marathon train tour in April 2009? JHB to CPT

Have you booked your place on the Superbike World Series train tour in May 2009 to Kyalami? CPT to JHB

NAMIBIA TRAIN TOUR (Now from Cape Town as well)

JB Train tours in Namibia – 2008

This annual and very popular tour over 10 days to our friendly neighbouring country will again be hosted in 2009 in April and May. Visits to the Fish River Canyon, Etosha Pans, Quiver Tree Forest, Swakopmund, Henties Bay, Windhoek, Omraruru and many more interesting places are still part of the itinerary on this upmarket train tour. Give yourself a late Christmas gift and book NOW on one of these tours.

For Capetonians who’d like to go on this tour to Namibia, there is a bus service available (FREE of CHARGE) between Cape Town and Upington to join the tour on Day 2.

Contact us now for more details about the above tours or visit our website at www.jbtours.co.za or click on the More info links above. The majority of these tours depart from Gauteng.

R500 pp discount on Tour # 2 (12 – 21 April 2009) if booked before 31^st January 2009.

Have you read the attached poster?

HET U GEWEET?

-                      Dat die huidige Protea krieketspan wat tans in Australië toer, die eerste SA span in die geskiedenis was wat ‘n toetsreeks in Oz kon wen? Wel gedaan!

-                      Dat die Dakar Rally, wat tans in Argentinië en Chile plaasvind, jare gelede een maal in Kaapstad geeindig het?

 

‘BEELD’ HOLIDAY SHOW

See you at the ‘Beeld’ Holiday Show to be hosted from Friday to Sunday, 13 – 15 February 2009, at the Galagher Conference Centre (previoulsy known as the Galagher Estate) in Midrand, Gauteng. This is one of the best and biggest holiday shows in the country and the right place to get sufficient information about holidays and destinations in Southern Africa. Our stall will be in Hall 3, Stand A9, close to the SA National Parks Board stall. Come and meet our staff members & get special discounts on certain tours.

2009 YEAR PROGRAMME

Full programme Click here