Five-Star Hotel On Wheels, New Luxury Train In Australia, Schedules Pre-Opening Runs Late December 1998.NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 1998-- London-Based Luxury Rail Company And Queensland Rail QR Limited is the company government-owned corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland, Australia. Previously known as Queensland Rail, Queensland Railways and Queensland Government Railways over its 141 year existence, Joint Venture Expands Reach Of Orient-Express Beyond Europe And Asia The Great South Pacific Express, the first five-star hotel on wheels in the Southern Hemisphere, will conduct pre-opening runs along Australia's scenic East Coast beginning in late December 1998. The inaugural is scheduled for April 1999. The train is a joint venture between London-based Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Australia's premier passenger rail operator, Brisbane-based Queensland Rail. Nick Varian, Chief Executive of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Ltd., said, "Although there are some great scenic train journeys, until now there has never been a true five-star hotel on wheels in the Southern Hemisphere. With discriminating leisure travelers everywhere looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. unique experiences, we think the Great South Pacific Express will be a further reason to visit Australia and its many attractions." The Great South Pacific Express, said Varian, fulfills his philosophy that people are looking for what he calls "trophy" travel experiences, with an emotional return on their travel investment. "Getting there -- by luxury train -- is more than half the fun." Preview trips are specially priced, with per person, double occupancy rates from $1,150 for a two-night, approximately 45-hour Brisbane-Cairns journey and from $820 for the approximately 18-hour Brisbane-Sydney itinerary. Both itineraries can be combined for a longer adventure. At the inaugural, per person double occupancy rates are from $1,430 to $2,370 Brisbane-Cairns, $1,000 to $1,690 Brisbane-Sydney and $2,190 to $3,710 for the combined route with an additional charge of $70 per night for hotel accommodations in Brisbane. The Great South Pacific Express will operate once a week in each direction, year round (46 weeks) on a two night itinerary: leaving Brisbane on Sundays (week 1) or Tuesdays (week 2) and leaving Cairns Cairns, city (1991 pop. 64,463), Queensland, NE Australia, on Trinity Bay. It is a principal sugar port of Australia; lumber and other agricultural products are also exported. The city's proximity to the Great Barrier Reef has made it a tourist center. Tuesdays (week 1) or Thursdays (week 2). Scenic Route Along East Coast The scenic route along Australia's East Coast includes cruise-style land excursions to the Great Barrier Reef Great Barrier Reef, largest complex of coral reef in the world, c.1,250 mi (2,000 km) long, in the Coral Sea, forming a natural breakwater for the coast of Queensland, NE Australia. and World Heritage Rain Forest. Brisbane is near the Sunshine Coast There are several places around the globe that use the name Sunshine Coast. They are collections of coastal towns and/or cities that have banded together, usually for tourist promotional reasons. This list contains only those regions that use the English version of the name. and Gold Coast where it's summer year round. Cairns is the only spot on earth where two designated World Heritage sites meet: tropical rain forests cloak the Great Dividing Mountain Range a few miles from the Great Barrier Reef teeming teem 1 v. teemed, teem·ing, teems v.intr. 1. To be full of things; abound or swarm: A drop of water teems with microorganisms. 2. with marine inhabitants
The game is based loosely on the concepts from SameGame. . Built entirely in Australia using local materials and historic designs, the Great South Pacific Express will set new standards of glamour and luxury on Australian tracks. Constructed in Queensland Rail's workshops in Townsville, the train will be based in Brisbane. As it will be dual-gauged, it will have the technical capability to run throughout Australia's five states with interchangeable narrow and standard gauge standard gauge n. 1. A railroad track having a width of 56 1/2 inches (143.5 centimeters). 2. A railroad or railroad car built to standard gauge specification. wheel bogies. Australian Woods, Motifs The compartments and dining/observation cars were specially constructed for today's discriminating travelers with a decor reflecting historic themes and Australian craftsmanship. Interior walls are solid red cedarwood with finest myrtle burl panels. Overhead are delicate stained glass stained glass, in general, windows made of colored glass. To a large extent, the name is a misnomer, for staining is only one of the methods of coloring employed, and the best medieval glass made little use of it. clerestory clerestory or clearstory (both: klĭr`stōr'ē, –stôr'ē), a part of a building whose walls rise higher than the roofs of adjoining parts of the structure. roofs. The train can accommodate 92 passengers in 12 opulent sleeping cars, all with en suite washing facilities. Guests will dine in Verb 1. dine in - eat at home eat in eat - eat a meal; take a meal; "We did not eat until 10 P.M. because there were so many phone calls"; "I didn't eat yet, so I gladly accept your invitation" two restaurant cars, enjoying five-course dinners prepared on board by master chefs using the finest fresh ingredients. Breakfast and afternoon tea are served in passenger compartments by the stewards. Special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Rates are determined by the type of sleeping compartment. Pullman compartments have upper/lower berths converting to seating; State compartments feature twin beds twin beds npl → camas fpl gemelas twin beds twin npl → lits mpl jumeaux twin beds twin npl → ; the two large Commissioners compartments come complete with double beds and lounge chairs. The carriages include two dining cars, one with an on-board boutique, a lounge car with piano, the 12 sleeping cars for a total of 46 compartments, an observation car with a large open-sided veranda, one power and three service cars. After boarding in Brisbane, the east-coast capital of Queensland, passengers can settle into their new, luxury compartment with afternoon tea. The atmosphere is one of relaxed elegance in the grand style of the company's trains, with a unique Australian character reflected in the decor, food, staff and service. After dinner, guests can relax in the lounge car to tunes played by the train's resident pianist, or they can watch the sunset from the open-sided veranda of the observation-bar car. On Day 2, the train continues north through the rugged and fascinating countryside. After breakfast, around mid-morning, the Great South Pacific Express arrives at Proserpine station where guests are transferred by road to Airlie for a brief flight to a private platform at the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Changing rooms and equipment are provided for those who wish to view the spectacular marine life of the largest coral reef in the world. Afterwards, lunch will be served on the pontoon pontoon, one of a number of floats used chiefly to support a bridge, to raise a sunken ship, or to float a hydroplane or a floating dock. Pontoons have been built of wood, of hides stretched over wicker frames, of copper or tin sheet metal sheathed over wooden platform at sea. Passengers return to the train in mid-afternoon and spend the evening relaxing on board. On day 3, the train travels through Cairns into the Atherton Mountains. At Barrons Falls, champagne is served while enjoying the view, then it's back on board for Kuranda, where passengers will have the opportunity to visit and learn about Queensland's rain forest while the train turns around. A second route, south of Brisbane, departs in the afternoon and arrives the following morning in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales New South Wales, state (1991 pop. 5,164,549), 309,443 sq mi (801,457 sq km), SE Australia. It is bounded on the E by the Pacific Ocean. Sydney is the capital. The other principal urban centers are Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, Lismore, Wollongong, and Broken Hill. , renowned for its world-famous Opera House and beautiful harbor. The Cairns and Sydney routes can be combined, with overnight stopovers in Brisbane. The Great South Pacific Express joins a sisterhood sisterhood: see monasticism. of luxury trains brought to life by James B. Sherwood, Chairman of Orient-Express Hotels Inc. After the original Orient-Express stopped running in 1977, Mr. Sherwood, a U.S. businessman based in London, and a rail enthusiast, saved it from oblivion when he purchased two of its sleeping cars at a Sotheby's auction, then discovered and restored other vintage rail cars over the next four years. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express made its debut in 1982, offering a new generation the opportunity to enjoy the glory days of rail travel on a variety of European routes. In 1993, The Eastern and Oriental Express The Eastern & Oriental Express carries passengers in luxury between Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The train travels through dense rainforests and towering mountains past golden temples, rubber plantations and remote towns and villages. was launched, the first luxury train in Southeast Asia and the first to transport passengers direct from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand. The train's parent company operates 15 luxury urban and resort properties in Australia (The Observatory in Sydney), Europe, South America, South Africa and the United States. Internet Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises is on the Internet on http://www.orient-expresstrains.com/ giving details of accommodations, routes, dining and leisure facilities, current special offers and booking information. CONTACT: Sara Widness KAUFMAN/WIDNESS COMMUNICATIONS 12 East 86th Street, Suite #831 New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10028 Tel: 212/288-8070 Fax: 212/988-0815 |
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