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Transportation
Bus services
If you're not used to driving long distances, a bus may be a better
idea than a rental car. Check out
Intercape or Greyhound. You can book bus
tickets on Computicket.
The Baz Bus offers a hop-on,
hop-off door to door service between backpackers hostels. Minibuses
serve the more unusual routes but do think carefully before you
consider one. As a rule, they are fast and efficient and it is
actually quite a lot of fun. You get to meet the local people and see
a side of South Africa not often seen by the average tourist. There is
one down side, however. Many minibuses are not properly maintained,
and some are severely overloaded, which does present a significant
accident risk.
 Bazbus
Intercape
Luxliner
Springbokatlas
Translux
Car rental
A number of international and local car hire companies offer a range of
good-quality vehicles to suit all needs and budgets.
Many travellers to South Africa will want to hire a car for at least part of
their trip for the freedom it offers, allowing you to explore at your own
pace and to include on your itinerary attractions that are of particular
interest to you.
The roads in South Africa are good - and outside the main centres they are
comparatively uncrowded, so getting from A to B can be a pleasure.
In non-built-up areas the speed limit is 120 kph (75mph).
In cities the speed limit generally varies between 60 to 80 kph.
The quality of rental cars is generally high and air-conditioning frequently
available.
The option of picking up a vehicle from one point and dropping it off at
another is also commonplace.
A credit card is required and an international drivers licence, or a drivers
licence with an integral photo, must be produced.
The minimum age for hiring a car is 23 years old.
Driving is on the left, while road signs and speed limits are in kilometres.
At petrol stations credit cards cannot be used to pay for fuel. In the main
centres many filling stations are open 24 hours, otherwise they are
generally open from 7am to 7pm.There are toll roads in South Africa, all of
them main highways or N roads.
Drivers should therefore have a supply of small denomination notes and
coins.
Avis
Rent a car
Budget
Rent a car
Cape
Car Hire
Europecar
Hertz
Campers
Trains and railway trips
Shongololo Safari
Express: These train safaris have been described as a “cruise on land”, with
at night while the guest sleep and excursions offered during the day in
microbuses, which are carried on board the train. There are three tours to
choose from. The Good Hope links Cape Town and Johannesburg via 23 of South
Africa’s 25 top tourist attractions. The Southern Cross features six
countries as it travels between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls and the Dune
Express combines Namibia with the winelands on the spectacular journey
between Windhoek and Cape Town.
Tel: +27 -11-486 2824
Fax: +27-11-486 2909
Union Limited: This was originally an express service
which operated between Johannesburg and Cape Town to meet the ocean liners.
Today it is a steam safari train used for excursions through Southern Africa.
The coaches have been refurbished but still retain their authentic character to
provided a vintage rail experience. A number of options are available, from
frequent, six-day “Golden Thread” tours covering the southern Cape and the
Garden Route to superb 15-day odysseys.
The “Golden Thread” tour departs from Cape Town and
includes trips through the Garden Route and the winelands, allowing sufficient
time to explore Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Oudtshoorn, with organised
excursions in the later two places. The train returns to Cape town via the
winelands at Paarl.
Tel: +27 -21-449 4391
Fax: +27 -21-449 4395
Tourist Trains
Banana Express : The British constructed the Banana
Express initially to transport sugar cane and bananas to the coast. Operating
from Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, this narrow gauge steam train takes
passengers up a steep climb through plantations of
bananas and sugar cane to Izotsha
(one-and-a-half-hours) and Paddock (six hours and thirty minutes)
Tel: +27 -39-682 4821
Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe: An excellent way to see the
Garden Route is on a day-trip from George to Knysna aboard this small steam
train. You can view breathtaking scenery which cannot be seen from the road.
Departs daily excepting for Sundays.
Tel: +27 -44-801 9295
Apple Express: This train gets
its name from the apples it used to carry from Langkloofdal to Port Elizabeth.
It now departs from Humewood station, Port Elizabeth and travels to Thornhill
village via the Langkloof Valley.
The train stops at Van Stadens station where travellers may disembark to
view the Van Stadens River bridge which crosses a spectacular gorge.
Tel: +27 -41-507 2333
Spoornet
South Africa
Blue
Train
Rovos
Rail
Spier
Train
Spoornet
AA
travel
Reminder: These links are in no way linked to the Embassy please see
disclaimer
Visit here for more information
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