nikosk

Hi everybody!
I'm trying to get from J'burg to Maseru by direct bus about mid-October, but cannot find any solid info on that.
Info suggests take minibus from Jburg (safe?) or go by normal bus to Bloemfontain and change there, but again no info for the ride to Maseru, perhaps need to overnight somewhere?
Could be not very safe to wander around in Bloemfontein in afternoon, looking for mini bus- shared taxi etc?
If anybody has sth more concrete on these, especially if possible for a direct bus and even better, to book via internet, or at least, know the schedules or prearange a certain change of buses, would be more than great!
Many thanks
Nik

kurt_a

Hi Nik

you can take a scheduled coach (bus) from Joburg to Bloemfontein - check the Computicket.com website (under the travel tab) - on either Greyhound or SA Roadlink. I don't know the bus schedules or availability for getting from their to Maseru, but I suspect it's available. You could also take a longhaul minibus taxi from there to Maseru, again asking locally.

You could take the longhaul minibus taxi all the way from Joburg, but I can almost guarantee that you'd end up changing in Bloem in any case and you'll be much more comfortable in the bus than the taxi (although the experience may be more interesting in the taxi!).

In either case, you should be safe on the roads provided your vehicle is roadworthy and isn't overloaded (taxis are the biggest culprits).

Bloem, in particular, is a friendly and overall pretty safe city (but still a city...), and I wouldn't be afraid to go and ask around at the central taxi rank (I believe adjacent to the bus terminal). What you're unlikely to find is good advice on this from the mainstream travel industry, including (white) guesthouse owners, etc., as they're unlikely to have any experience of using the bus/taxi transport infrastructure in the country. However, ask their domestic workers (maids, gardeners) and they're likely to know what the arrangements are!

You might try posting your question over at the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forum, where hardier backpacker types tend to congregate!

And let us know what you end up using - as well as how the experience went.

HTH

Kurt

nikosk

Thanks Kurt for your thoughts,
I'm still searching the transfer,
did you have any experierence /hear from others, regarding the 'direct' minibuses to Lesotho that they don't get you really there but you still have to change in Bloemf.?
this would complicate things, and might be not so easy/safe to look for another minibus to Lesotho in the afternoon
or then had to spend another nights there

kurt_a

Sorry - I'm based in Cape Town and my network doesn't know the Joburg taxi arrangements to Bloem/Lesotho well enough for me to give you an answer...

GreatDuane

Hi Nik
Did you eventually find means to get to Maseru? I too Am trying to get to Maseru from Jo'burg for tomorrow yet I can't find any available online sources or services. Flights don't seem to be available for the weekend.