No trains are expected to run to and from Grahamstown during The National Arts Festival this year. Bushveld Train Safaris and Rovos Rail, which have been operating trains during the Festival for quite some time, will not add to the 2010 Festival spirit.
No trains are expected to run to and from Grahamstown during The National Arts Festival this year. Bushveld Train Safaris and Rovos Rail, which have been operating trains during the Festival for quite some time, will not add to the 2010 Festival spirit.
The scheduled train service from Spoornet is not the only train service that has been closed. It stopped just before the Festival last year because it is not economically viable any more.
The two trains which have been chugging throughout Festival for a number of years are Bushveld Train Safaris and Rovos Rail.
According to Makana Tourism’s board director, Willem Makkink, Bushveld Train Safaris will no longer run as the manager, has retired.
“He just gave up,” says Makkink. The famous fi ve star luxury train, Rovos Rail, will not offer its services this year due to this year’s diminished economic situation.
“People would rather spend money on World Cup tickets,” says Makkink. “Looking at the economic climate, money isn’t there to pay for luxuries like that.”
Makkink believes that these trains, which are both based in Gauteng, came each year so that people could have a unique Festival experience.
However, Makkink strongly believes that Rovos Rail will be back next year. Other reasons why the trains will not operate this year include the fact that Grahamstown’s railway has not been in use for almost a year and is therefore deteriorating.
Although tourists will not have the privelege of boarding a luxury train, there are many other tourist attractions.
“It’s always a tourist attraction but I don’t think the train has such a huge impact on theFestival,” Makkink remarked.
