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The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is widely known for its freight and inter-city passenger services.

Some might not know that the organisation also offers Value Added Services under its Rail Leisure banner.

Rail Leisure is a product portfolio of the NRZ’s Passenger Services whose mandate is to provide special touring experience through recreational and leisure activities for tourists and adventure seeking travellers.

Rail Leisure is designed to satisfy different time frames as well as variety of locations, tastes and interests. These include the rail safaris which operate short and long distances. The Rail Leisure services are Premier Class, Charter Trains and short excursions: Valentine sashay, family fun day, sundowner and railway museum.

The Premier Class, NRZ’s own “Hotel on Wheels”, is an extraordinary service, a cut above the sleeper class. It is a long distance luxury train designed to give leisure travellers a journey to remember to any of Zimbabwe’s prime tourist destinations.

This train travels from Bulawayo to the famous and most beautiful place – the Victoria Falls – giving the travellers bliss and budget convenience and luxury accommodation.

THE following are offered on the Premier Class: dinner and breakfast on board, hot showers, carpeted compartments and comfortable beds.

Currently this service is available on request but starting next year a scheduled service will operate between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, the capital of tourism.

The scheduled service will depart Bulawayo on Friday evenings and returning Sunday morning.

NRZ trains can also be chartered along the standard routes on custom excursions lasting a few hours to travel to several days.

One can charter a train and host a party, birthday, wedding or conference of a life time with everlasting memories.

Trains can be diesel hauled or steam hauled powered by the age defying Garratt locomotives. Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in the world still operating Garratt locomotives in their original state.

The Valentine Sashay is aimed at providing a romantic evening for the loved ones on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Love birds are treated to a short late afternoon run to a nearby resort. Candle-lit dinner is served while a dance coach is made available with soft music.

A family fun day is designed to give families a time out of their busy schedules and hustle of city life to just relax. Meals include breakfast hamper and braai.

Watch the African sun setting as it casts its glow. This is a lazy, evening run with dining cars only sundown beverages and dinner. It is an exceptional package.

The Railway Museum is one of the richest depositories of Zimbabwean history. It was opened in 1972 and it displays a wealth of small as well as antique steam and diesel electric locomotives. The museum is a source of attraction for both local and international steam enthusiasts. Relive history and view artifacts collected over the years as the first train arrived in Zimbabwe in 1897.

Rail Leisure affords the NRZ an opportunity to widen its revenue streams by taking advantage of the unique services it offers to members of the public who want to experience something different when travelling.