Getting Around South Africa

The quick answer

South Africa has good roads, a well-developed car rental market and three well-connected airports, and it is the one country in the region where self-driving is a genuinely good option for a visitor rather than a brave one. Within the cities, ride-hailing works well. Between them, fly.

Self-driving, and why it is different here

The main road network is good, signage is in English, fuel stations are frequent and full-service, and the classic South African routes — the Garden Route along the southern coast above all — are designed to be driven. Renting a car for that part of a trip is normal rather than adventurous, and it is how a great many South Africans travel their own country.

Practical points: the country drives on the left; distances are longer than a map suggests; avoid long-distance driving after dark; keep doors locked and valuables out of sight in urban traffic; and be aware that a four-way stop is a common junction type that visitors find unfamiliar. Some rural roads are gravel and some rental agreements restrict them — check before you turn off.

Kruger is unusual among African parks in that you can drive yourself through it on tarred and gravel roads, at a strict speed limit and within gate times.

The Gautrain

A modern rapid rail line links Johannesburg, Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport. For an arriving visitor it is the quickest and simplest way out of the airport toward Sandton, and it sidesteps the traffic entirely. It is limited to that corridor — it is not a city-wide metro — but within it, it is excellent.

Flying between the hubs

Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are far apart, and the domestic air network between them is frequent and competitive. Flying is the normal way to cover those distances; driving Johannesburg to Cape Town is a serious multi-day undertaking rather than a transfer.

Light aircraft serve private reserves and remote lodges, with the strict soft-bag weight allowance that always accompanies them.

Ride-hailing and taxis

App-based ride-hailing is widely used in the cities, gives you a fare in advance and removes the negotiation. Metered taxis and hotel cars are reliable and cost more. Both are sensible; hailing an unmarked car on the street is not.

Minibus taxis and buses

Minibus taxis carry the majority of South Africans and run on fixed informal routes learned rather than published. They are cheap and they are the backbone of the country’s transport. They are also crowded and difficult for a short-stay visitor to use well, and we do not generally recommend them.

Long-distance coaches between the major cities are a different proposition: comfortable, scheduled, bookable online, and a reasonable option if you would rather not fly.

Common questions

Is it safe to drive?

Yes, with ordinary urban precautions and no long-distance night driving. Millions of visitors do it every year.

Do I need a four-wheel drive?

Not for main routes, the Garden Route or Kruger’s public roads. For remote reserves and some gravel routes, sometimes.

Is there an intercity train?

There is a limited long-distance passenger network and a well-known luxury tourist train, but rail is not the practical way to move between the main cities. Fly, or drive.

Seeing it on a LABUSA Travel journey

Every transfer on our South African itineraries is arranged and met. Where a self-drive section would genuinely make the trip better — and on the Garden Route it often does — we will say so rather than default to a driver.