Getting Around

With a well-maintained and well-organized road system, a good range of car-rental companies, and the best internal flight network on the continent, a combination of flight and road travel is the way to go in South Africa. If you have time on your hands, nothing beats the romance of rail -- if you can afford it, steam into Johannesburg or Cape Town on the Blue Train . At the other end of the scale, those with a tight budget can opt to travel by bus: The major intercity bus companies are reliable for long-distance hauls, and some are fairly flexible; for this, the Baz Bus, which offers a hop-on, hop-off service on interesting routes throughout the country, is unbeatable.

Traveling in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana is not as straightforward -- public transport is unreliable, roads can be bad (or virtually nonexistent), fuel in Zimbabwe can be scarce, and help can take a long time coming in the event of a road emergency. The safest thing to do, particularly with limited time, is to fly directly to your intended destination with air or water transfers prearranged.

By Plane

If you have limited time to cover Africa's large distances, flying is your best bet. The good news for anyone planning to fly around the country is that, as a result of pressure created by the budget airlines Kulula.com and 1Time , South African Airways (SAA) launched its own budget airline, Mango, which usually offers the lowest fares and was voted best budget airline in Africa in the 2007 World Travel Awards. If you wait for last-minute deals, SAA is also more prone to slashing its own fares for passengers booking through the Web.

Details for the domestic airlines servicing all the major cities in South Africa are as follows: SA Express and SA Airlink (both domestic subsidiaries of SAA; tel. 27/11/978-1111; www.flysaa.com), Nationwide (tel. 27/11/395-7623; www.flynationwide.co.za), BAComair (tel. 27/11/921-0222; www.ba.com), Kulula.com (tel. 086/158-5852; www.kulula.com), Mango (www.flymango.com), and 1Time (tel. 086-134-5345; www.1time.co.za). All the lodges recommended in this book will arrange to charter a flight into the reserve (usually at a surcharged rate) if time is of the essence. Alternatively, get a quote from Nelair Charters & Travel (tel. 27/13/751-1870; www.nelair.co.za), one of the best-established charter companies, with an extensive private fleet operating throughout Southern Africa.

By Car

Given enough time, this is by far the best way to enjoy South Africa -- you wind along relatively empty and well-maintained roads (keeping left, as you do in the U.K.) through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Certainly in urban centers, you'll need a car (or taxi) to get around because public transport in the cities is generally not geared toward tourists and can be unsafe (though Cape Town is slowly getting its act together). All the major car-rental companies have agencies here, as do a host of local companies. All offer much the same deals, but cars are in big demand during the busiest period (Nov-Jan), so book well in advance.

Prefer a home on wheels? Britz Africa (tel. 27/11/396-1860; fax 27/11/3961937; www.britz.co.za) offers fully equipped camper vans and four-wheel-drive vehicles, and will pick you up in your vehicle from the airport. Britz currently charges R1,080 ($150/£77) a day for a double-cab four-wheel-drive pickup for between 5 and 20 days.

Car Rentals -- You'll need a driver's license to rent a car -- your home driving license is good for 6 months -- and most companies in South Africa stipulate that drivers should be a minimum of 21 years old (in Botswana you must be 25 or older). Armed with a letter of authority from the rental agency, vehicles rented in South Africa may be taken into Botswana and Zimbabwe, though this requires 72 hours' notice, and additional insurance charges are applicable. You can leave the vehicle in these countries for a fee; in South Africa, you can hire a one-way rental car to any of the major cities. All the major companies have branches in South Africa, including Avis (www.avis.com), Hertz (www.hertz.com), and Budget (www.budget.com). Europcar was just voted the best rental agency in Africa in the 2007 World Travel Awards. Note that it's best to prebook your vehicle, particularly if you're traveling during the peak season (Dec-Feb).

Car-Rental Insurance -- Before you drive off in a rental car, be sure you're adequately insured, covering things like whether your policy extends to all persons who will be driving the rental car, how much liability is covered in case an outside party is injured in an accident, and whether the type of vehicle you are renting is included under your contract.

Gasoline -- Fuel is referred to as "petrol" and is available 24 hours a day in major centers. At press time, 1 liter cost approximately R5.75 (80¢/40p; 4 liters is approximately 1 gal.). Gas stations are full-service, and you are expected to tip the attendant R2 to R5 (30¢-70¢/15p-35p). Note: Credit cards are not accepted as payment.

Road Rules -- In South Africa you'll find an excellent network of tarred roads, with emergency services available along the major highways; you cannot rely on this sort of backup on road conditions in Zimbabwe or Botswana. Driving in all three countries is on the left side of the road -- repeat the mantra "drive left, look right," and wear your seat belt at all times; it's mandatory, and, in any case, driving skills on the road vary considerably. A broken line means that you may pass/overtake; a solid line means you may not. Generally the speed limit on national highways is 120kmph (74 mph), 100kmph (62 mph) on secondary rural roads, and 60kmph (37 mph) in urban areas. The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) extends privileges to members of AAA in the United States and the Automobile Association in Britain. The local emergency toll-free number is tel. 0800/03-3007.

By Train

Shozoloza Mail (tel. 086/000-8888) runs most of the intercity rail services; ticket prices for a first-class coupe are comparable to a bus ticket to the same destination. Second class costs considerably less but is inadvisable from a comfort and safety point of view. Note that the journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town takes 27 hours -- longer than the bus.

If the journey is as important as the destination, splurge on a trip with the world-famous Blue Train (tel. 27/12/334-8459; www.bluetrain.co.za). This luxury hotel on wheels currently runs between Pretoria and Cape Town and makes a few trips along the Garden Route. Travel amid beautiful scenery, dining on fine food in plush surroundings (marble en-suite bathrooms, fabric-lined wardrobes, a personal butler to take care of your every need). Another luxury option (voted Africa's Leading Safari Train in the 2007 World Travel Awards) -- is Rovos Rail (tel. 27/12/315-8242; www.rovos.co.za). Rovos covers the same routes as the Blue Train as well as a number of exciting safari options, like the 13-day journey to Tanzania or the 9-day journey to the Kruger, Durban, Garden Route, and Cape Town.

If you like the romance of rail but can't face the steep fares, book a Premier Class coupe from Cape Town by calling tel. 086-000-8888 (make sure when booking that this is the special Premier Class coupe on the once-weekly train, not First Class on the daily train). The Premier Class train arrives in Johannesburg from Cape Town every Wednesday and departs for Cape Town from Johannesburg every Thursday and Sunday. It costs R1,735 ($241/£124) per person one-way (all-inclusive).

By Bus

The three established intercity bus companies are Greyhound, Intercape, and Translux. There's not much to choose among them, though Greyhound offers a pass to frequent users. Johannesburg to Cape Town takes approximately 19 hours. An alternative to these is the 22-seater Baz Bus, which offers a flexible hop-on, hop-off scheme aimed at backpackers and covers relatively inaccessible areas -- definitely the best way to explore the Garden Route, the Eastern Cape (including the Wild Coast), Drakensberg, and the area around the Mpumalanga reserves if you can't afford a rental car or guided tour.

Translux (www.translux.co.za) -- In Johannesburg, tel. 27/11/774-3333; in Pretoria/Tshwane, tel. 27/12/315-4300; in Cape Town, tel. 27/21/449-4245; in Port Elizabeth, tel. 27/861589282; in Durban, tel. 27/861589282.

Back to Top

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

		Email			Print			RSS

				Frommer's South Africa, 5th Edition Author: Pippa de Bruyn Pub Date: December 05, 2007 Price: $23.99				Related Titles: Frommer's Morocco, 1st Edition