Durban to Bloemfontein flight bookings can be discounted using SouthAfrica.TO travel vouchers - simply email a writeup of your last flight to cheapflights@southafrica.to and we'll send you vouchers to discount your next one. |
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Ph King Shaka International Airport : 032-436-6584 |
(Click to ask for Assistance - we're itching to help.) |
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You may wish to hire a car at Bloemfontein Airport - here are the choices: Avis car hire, Budget rent a car, Europcar rentals, First Car Rental, Hertz car rental and Tempest car hire. Bloemfontein accommodation : The best rated (by guests) is the B&B At Bloem. The Protea Hotel Willow Lake and City Lodge are popular options. If you're looking for something cheaper try the Bains Chalet Park. |
Cheap flights from Durban to Bloemfontein
Your options for securing cheap flights from Durban to Bloemfontein are limited to SA Airlink, the only airline operating flights on the route. There are lucky number 13 flights a week (only 1 on Sundays, 2 on the other days of the week). During the week flights are scheduled to leave at 06h36 and 16h35, allowing businessmen to fly into Bloem and back out the same day.
Alternatively, if you want to travel really cheap, you can either drive or take a Greyhound or Intercape intercity bus.
Those with longer memories will remember that for a brief period in 2007 Mango Airlines flew the route. Durban - Bloemfontein flights are available from SA Airlink, only. Use the airfare & schedule comparison tool on the left to check prices.
The flight takes you directly over the Drakensberg Mountain range, the tallest mountains in South Africa, making it one of the most spectactular flight routes in the world. It is especially beautiful in the winter, to see the snow-capped peaks.
Airlink flights from Durban to Bloemfontein are in Embraer ERJ-135 jets, so expect smaller planes (they seat up to 37 people) and a bit of a bumpier ride.
7 Facts about DUR-BFN Flights
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Flights are scheduled to take some 85 minutes, but of course there's another 2 hours spent driving to the airport and waiting at the airport.
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Both Durban and Bloemfontein Airports have had their names changed. Durban's Airport is now called King Shaka International Airport, and Bloemfontein's Airport is called Bram Fischer International Airport.
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If you don't fly direct, the next best option is to fly 1-stop via Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport. You can fly all of Mango Airlines, South African Airways, British Airways Comair and Kulula from King Shaka to OR Tambo; and then SA Express or SA Airlink from OR Tambo to Bloemfontein.
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By road, it is 662km along the N3, N5 and N1 from King Shaka International Airport to Bram Fischer Airport, taking some 7.5 hours.
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As the Red-eyed Dove flies, it is 471km from Durban to Bloem.
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You save some 4 hours by flying instead of driving from Durbs to Bloem.
Flights v Bus v Car
Flights are scheduled to take 1.5 hours, by car 7.5 hours and by bus 9.5 hours (assuming Greyhound, if you're travelling on Intercape then add an extra hour). Of course with flights and buses ou can add on another 2 hours for the time it gets you to and from the airport/bus terminal, and waiting at the terminal. With a car journey you should really take rest stops as well, say an hour. So, in total then, flights take 3.5 hours, by car 8.5 hours and by bus 11.5 hours. When travelling by car one needs to factor in that if you're the driver you're not going to be at all productive in the time in the car, whereas in a plane and on a bus you theoretically can get some work at least done.
Airlines
Airline |
Airports |
Stops |
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Durban to Bloemfontein |
non-stop (1h25m) |
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Mango Airline operated its last flight between Bloemfontein & Durban on the 3rd May 2007. |
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Flight Schedule
Sundays:
SA Airlink Flight SA 8535 is scheduled to leave DUR at 15h15 & land in BFN at 16h40
Mondays to Saturdays:
SA Airlink Flight SA 8531 is scheduled to leave DUR at 06h50 & land in BFN at 07h55
SA Airlink Flight SA 8537 is scheduled to leave DUR at 16h35 & land in BFN at 17h40
Overland
The driving distance from Avis at Durban Airport to Avis at Bloemfontein Airport is some 662km along the N3 and N5, taking some 7 and a half hours. Along the way you'll pass Pinetown, Pietermaritzburg, Estcourt, Ladysmith, Harrismith, Bethlehem, Senekal and Winburg.
Drive from Durban to Bloemfontein : Laron & LouAnn Shumway took the "long drive" from Durban to Bloemfontein: "The Free State is like the drive from Idaho Falls to Arco--dry, semiarid conditions. The vegetation was mostly grass and small brush about the size of sagebrush. The Midlands had some cultivated farmland with red soil." And on Bloemfontein: "About ten major streets weave their way around the city like crooked spokes of a wagon wheel. Thank goodness for a GPS. We would be lost without it." And they drove to Golden Gate National Park: "In their bakkie (pickup truck) they drove us back through Golden Gate National Park--huge stone mountains much like southern Utah, but with ten times the expanse."
If you'd prefer to take an intercity bus from Durban to Bloemfontein, then try Intercape or Greyhound. The bus trip is scheduled to take 10 hours and 25 minutes with Intercape and 9 hours and 20 minutes with Greyhound. Buses leave Durban station from the Motorcoach Terminal (1 Jeff Taylor Crescent, Mashabalala Yengwa Avenue), and arrive in Bloemfontein at the Tourist Centre on Park Avenue (next to the municipal swimmiong pool). On the way the Greyhound bus stops at Pietermaritzburg, Escourt, Ladysmith, Swinburne, Harrismith, Bethlehem, Paul Roux, Senekal, Welkom (Shell) and Welkom (TL Barnard Agency).
News
1 October 2012. Airlnk increases the frequency of its weekday DUR - Bloemfontein flights from 2 to 3 a day. The flights are in Embraer ERJ135 37-seater planes, and are scheduled to leave King Shaka International Airport at 06h50, 13h40 and 16h35 from Mondays to Fridays. Sunday flights are scheduled to leave Durban at 16h15.
Category : Flights ; Author : Rob Baker ; Date Published : 2014-02-21
