Train travel in

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A beginner's guide to...

Train travel in Zimbabwe . . .

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Train operator in Zimbabwe:

National Railways of Zimbabwe - no official website.

Bulawayo-Botswana trains

Vic Falls-Zambia-Tanzania trains

Time zone & dialling code:

GMT+2.  Dialling code +263.

Currency:

Zim dollars no longer used, US$ now the general currency.  Currency converter

Tourist information:

www.zimbabwetourism.co.zw    Tripadvisor Zimbabwe page    Health & vaccinations

Visas:

UK citizens now need a visa to visit Zimbabwe, but this can be obtained at the point of entry for about £35 / $55.

Page last updated:

17 January 2012

This classic overnight train is the way to reach Vic Falls from Bulawayo, even though (given Zim's economic situation) it's now getting down-at-heel.  It's an experience in itself, a piece of history with British-built coaches, some with wood-panelled interiors, dating from 1952 & 1958.  The train might just receive new coaches at some point, as it was reported way back in 2006 that 64 new long-distance coaches were due to be delivered from China, but there's no sign of them yet, even in 2011!  If you have any updates about this train, please email me.

* This train originally ran daily, was reduced to 5 days a week from 15 May 2009 (Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun from Bulawayo, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun from Vic Falls), but was restored to daily operation from 28 February 2011.  So it now runs daily again.

** Expect an arrival around 09:00.

Fares...

Fares are very cheap, even judged at the very poor official exchange rate.  The one-way 1st class sleeper fare from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls is $12 (£7.50), including bedding.  A 2nd class sleeper is $8 (£5) without bedding.

How to buy tickets...

You can buy tickets at Bulawayo station reservation office or the Victoria Falls reservation window, but only on the day of travel.  The ability to book up to 30 days before has been discontinued.  Reservations are not fully computerised, and can only be made for trains leaving from that station.  Reservations for your return journey must be made when you reach your destination.  Your ticket will not show your coach or berth number, this will be shown on a passenger list posted in a glass case on the platform about an hour before the train departs.  Although the train appears to be well used, it's a long train with plenty of berths available, and there is unlikely to be a problem getting a place even for travel on the same day.

The night train from Bulawayo has arrived at Victoria Falls.  The cars nearest the camera are British-built cars dating from 1958...		1st class coupé (day). This is one of the later 1958 sleeping-cars.

The same 1st class coupé in night time mode...		The night train from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, seen at Bulawayo station..  These are the earlier 1952 British-built cars...

What is the train like?

There are three classes on the Bulawayo - Victoria Falls train:

• 1st class sleepers, which have 2-berth rooms (known as coupés) and 4-berth rooms (known as compartments). These have leatherette bench seats convertible to bunks, and each room has a washbasin with (if it works in your car) cold water.  Full bedding used to be provided, then was stopped for a while, but bedding is reportedly (2011) now provided again in 1st class.  The windows open for clear view of the countryside, and at night, you can use a metal / mesh screen to allow cool air in whilst keeping you secure.  The carriage lights may not work, so a torch is handy!

• 2nd class sleepers, which are identical to 1st class sleepers except there are 3 berths per coupé and 6 berths per compartment.

• Economy class seats:  Basic seating, and does not convert to berths  (pictured below right).

In 1st class, 2 passengers travelling together will normally be booked into a 2-berth coupé, whereas a solo traveller will be booked into a 4-berth compartment with passengers of the same sex.  If you pay for two tickets (perfectly affordable, given the fare) you can have sole occupancy of a coupé.  The sleeping-cars are all British-built, the ones with wood-panelled interiors in Gloucester in 1952, the ones with the less attractive formica interiors in Birmingham in 1958.  Although they now carry National Railways of Zimbabwe insignia, they are still painted in the original 'Rhodesia Railways' colours, and windows and mirrors are etched with the 'RR' logo.  The coaches were in OK condition when I travelled myself in 2001, but admittedly have been let go a bit lately and are now fairly decrepit, given Zim's economic circumstances.

Short video taken on the journey.

A wood-panelled 1st class coupe, in a 1952-built car... Photo courtesy of Jesse Karp		The corridor in a 1952-built 1st class sleeper.... Photo courtesy of Jesse Karp		Monkeys on the train! Photo courtesy of Jesse Karp

Travellers' reports...

Traveller Ivor Ines took the train from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls in 2010:  "Various internet posts had warned of the risk of theft at Bulawayo station, and there are even signs on the platforms warning you to keep a close eye on your belongings.  But I felt quite safe personally, and although there was a milling throng around the economy carriages before departure, there were far fewer people around the sleepers. However, I did notice one person walking down the platform, running their hand along the carriage at window height to identify any open windows, and then peering inside – presumably with the intent of stealing any unattended bags. So worth keeping a fairly tight eye (or grip) on your belongings.  We were in a coupé in one of the 1951 British-built wood-panelled carriages, which was a far nicer experience than the ‘new’ carriages on the Harare-Bulawayo train. There were at least 6-8 other Western tourists on the train, all in the same carriage as us. Many (not all!) of the compartment fitments were still intact, and it felt much cleaner.  There was electric light in the carriage and in most compartments, although the light in ours was broken (easily dealt with by hanging a head torch from the ceiling, though), and there was no water in either the washbasins (which are now bolted closed) or the toilets.  Bedding was provided after departure – clean, ironed sheets as well as pillows and blankets. The compartment window and screen worked (opened, closed and locked in position), as did both the main compartment lock and the security chain.  Sadly, there is no longer a restaurant car on this train – I asked at Bulawayo station and told there was not enough custom for the restaurant car on the Victoria Falls train, so it is now used on the weekly train from Bulawayo to the Mozambique border at Chicualacuala.  The train runs through Hwange National Park, but during the night so you don’t get to see much.  However, in the morning it runs through or near a park before reaching Victoria Falls, so we saw (or at least, caught glimpses of) zebras, warthogs, baboons, various deer and a couple of large bucks. The conductor told us when we were half-an-hour away from Victoria Falls, so we could pack our bags.  We got there around 10am, in spite of despite having some freight wagons attached during the night.  As the train approaches Victoria Falls, you can see the mist rising above the falls – definitely the best way to arrive.  Not only were there lots of baboons in Victoria Falls station, but the train had to pause as it entered the station, as there was an elephant loose in the marshalling yard!  If you have a choice of which direction to take this train, I would think Bulawayo-Victoria Falls is better (as it means you run through at least some of the national park areas in the daylight), rather than going Victoria Falls-Bulawayo (as the national park sections will probably be done during the night).  If you’re staying at the Victoria Falls Hotel, it is right by the station and has its own entrance to the platform – although this was locked shut, and I get the impression they only open it for Rovos these days."

Traveller Jesse Karp used this train in May 2009:  "I had a lovely journey in one of the wood panelled coaches. No electricity, no water.  But iron crisp, clean bedding, with pillow and blanket."

Things to do in Victoria Falls...

	Victoria Falls...
	Cecil Rhodes grave, in a breath-taking spot in Matobo, on a rocky outcrop known as 'the view of the world'.

• Visit the park to see the Falls from the Zimbabwe side.  The park entrance fee is about £15 - take some waterproof clothing!

• Walk across the frontier into Zambia to see the Zambian part of the Falls.  Between the Zimbabwean and Zambian frontier posts you cross the famous steel bridge carrying the road and railway across the Zambezi between the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides of the river.  Remember to have US$10 on you in US dollars cash, as this is the cost of a Zambian one-day visa.  Sterling is also accepted, but not Zimbabwe dollars or South African Rand.  If you pass any warthogs on the way, give them a wide berth...

• Arrange a day trip to Chobe game reserve in Botswana.  There are many operators offering similar trips.  A 45-minute minibus transfer takes you from your hotel to the Botswana frontier.  A 3-hour game drive in the Chobe National Park is followed by a 3-hour river trip with lunch.  Animals include lion, impala, antelope, elephant, hippo, warthog, crocodile, mongoose, and even tortoise.

• Take afternoon tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel, the poshest hotel in town.  Staying there will cost you £150 per night.  Afternoon tea (complete with cucumber sandwiches) will cost you more like £10.  The hotel is right next to the railway station.

• Go on an afternoon river cruise on the Zambezi.  Many operators offer similar trips for the going rate of about £15, which includes plentiful wine or beer.  You will probably see hippo and crocodile.

• For those interested, there are a whole range of adventure activities available such as white water rafting down the Zambezi, or for the completely insane, bunji jumping off the Zambezi bridge.

...and in Bulawayo

Bulawayo is a pleasant town, well spread out with wide open streets and relatively little traffic.  There is an excellent railway museum, which features Cecil Rhodes' private railway coach.  You should not miss a day trip to the Matobo National Park, some 25 miles South of Bulawayo, where Cecil Rhodes is buried (see photo, right).  Day tours generally visit the Whovi game reserve in the morning (famous for its rhinos), then the haunting hills of the main park in the afternoon. 

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