Several inter-city Bus Services have almost daily schedules between all of South Africa's. The Baz Bus follows the Eastern coastal route with a Hop-on Hop-off fare, an economic, fun way to see South Africa for the budget traveller.
South Africa is a big country so if you're not used to driving long distances, a bus may be a better idea than a rental car. Semi-luxurious coach services include: Intercape, Greyhound and Translux -- all these bus transport companies offer a variety of budget travel routes throughout Southern Africa. You can book bus tickets online.
If you want to go seriously upmarket, Compassline offers tailor-made, personalised tours in luxuriously equipped Mercedes buses with a maximum of 12 spacious seats. Coach tours offer a comfortable and relaxing way of seeing the country. A guide or your driver often provides a commentary, pointing out significant sights or relating stories from history or legend. In larger cities day tours are available.
Shuttle Services: All of South Africa's international airports and most domestic ones have shuttle services running from the airport to CBD. Shuttle services are cheaper than taking a taxi, but do take longer. Allow plenty of time when booking your return shuttle to the airport, or make sure the shuttle company is aware of your check-in time.
There are conventional metered taxis, but unlike in many other countries these do not cruise the streets in search of passengers, and must generally be summonsed by telephone. Major hotels do often reserve bays for taxi companies, however, and in those that don't, reception staff can quickly make arrangements for visitors.
Like many African countries, South Africa has a chaotic informal public transport system in the form of minibus "taxis". These are not taxis in the typical Western sense of the term – they won't give you a lift to your doorstep. Rather, they are small-scale bus services, often unmarked, operating with neither timetables nor formal stops.
Taxis are the cheapest form of transport in Southern Africa, and are the daily transport lifeline of the bulk of the working population. There are close to 127 000 minibus taxis in South Africa, which provide 65% of the 2,5 billion annual passenger trips in urban areas, and a high percentage of rural and intercity transport.
More adventurous travellers will find them an interesting African experience – the closest you may get to mixing with ordinary people. They are also the only form of public transport that penetrates every last sector of the city, including the poorest shack settlements.
But there are three reasons why a tourist should exercise caution. Firstly, use of the taxi system for anything other than a short drive requires an expert knowledge of the unwritten lore of hand signs indicating which taxi is travelling where, and an understanding of the various routes and how they intersect.
Second, despite frequent clampdowns by the traffic authorities, minibus taxis tend to be old and in poor condition. Third, minibus taxi drivers, rushing their fares to their destinations as quickly as possible in order to maximise returns, are the city's most notorious drivers, ducking wildly from lane to lane and stopping without warning whenever a passenger wishes to climb on or off.
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The Baz Bus offers independent budget travellers and backpackers the opportunity to explore the most beautiful towns and cities in South Africa at your own pace. All you need is one ticket to your final destination and you can hop on and off as often as you like along the route. Furthermore; the Baz Bus drops you off and picks you up from your backpacking hostel or lodge! |
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