Transport in South Africa during World Cup
 

Hey all;

I managed to secure World Cup tickets to an England match and a quarterfinal. My route includes starting in Cape Town and heading up Hermanus one day, Knysna the next day, Jeffrey's Bay the day after, Port Elizabeth the day after (for a few days), Durban for 1-2 days, Drakensberg for 2-3 days, and then to Jo'burg. I've looked into Baz Bus, but the timing doesn't seem too great.

Any other recommended transport alternatives? Is renting a car a viable option? As silly as this might sound i've heard horror stores about driving the Garden Route (traps on routes), and especially driving in Jo'burg (do NOT stop at red lights?!). I'd be driving from Drakensberg to Jo'burg Airport, so i think its all highway driveway.

Any advice/tips/recommendations would be lovely!
Cheers!

Hi,
Renting a car in SA is very easy and also not that expensive - as there is so many companies (depending on which car you hire) rates start from about R180-R250 per day. I am not sure if this would be probably much higher during that period, so try look up at some companies and book now already.

Driving on the highways in SA is pretty safe (as safe or as dangerious as anywhere else in the world, as long as you take precautions) and especially the route from Drakensberg to JHB it is a good highway and easy to drive.
As for JHB, if you are only driving in towards the Airport you should also not have any problems.

Car rental rates vary widely. We're from USA and want to deal with a USA based rental company such as Avis. Avis rental for a small auto trans car is typically R500 ($70) per day out of JNB airport. Avis SA has a web site where you can see car groups, costs, and make reservations.
http://www.avis.co.za/main.aspx?ID=367
regards -tom

thanks guys. i came across this site, any idea if its better/worse than the others? unlimited kms, but don't want to assume the site is legit or doesn't have hidden fees or something i'm not privy to

http://www.africa-car-hire.com/

There is quite a few car hire companies that will give you unlimited kms, to be honest havent been in SA for a while, but havent heard of this company before.
Avis has slightly higher rates than some of the others, but they are very good and often have specials running also, here is some websites for you
www.avis.co.za
www.hertz.co.za
www.europcar.co.za

Then there is also 'Kulula.com' a company which offers flights, hotel accommodation as well as car hire and they have very competitive rates often also running allot of special prices, and are used quite frequently by South Africans. You can have a look at their website
www.kulula.com
Hope this helps!

Thrifty and Dollar both operate in South Africa. We've got a truck booked with Thrifty for our trip which begins tonight. (YAY, I can't wait!!!) You can reserve on either their South African web site or their US one.

In the past we've rented from Sixt, which is SA based, and been happy. But if you want a US based company, then Thrifty, Dollar, Avis, Hertz, and maybe others all operate in SA.

Driving in SA is great if you aren't intimidated by driving on the left. Having a passenger to remind you, at intersections and so forth, to keep left, is a big help.

Celia

Carhire for a small car is R250 rand per day - about USD40, next size up about USD50..... try europcar

If you are interested in scuba diving check out -
http://www.destination-scuba.com

Car hire is definitely your best option. The hire itself is cheap and gas (called petrol in SA) dirt cheap compared to some other countries!

Safety is relative! With regards to traps on the Garden Route - this is the first time I've heard about it. Driving in big cities is dangerous, yes, but if you are cautious and attentive, you are unlikely to get into trouble. That is the big important aspect to remember when coming to South Africa - BE VIGILANT AT ALL TIMES. This does not mean that you are not going to have a wonderful time in the country, because it is a truly great place.

Please let me know if you have any other questions with regards to routes to take etc. Road trip a lot in SA and will hopefully be able to give you some tips!