Intercape JNB to CPT from R580*

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In Durban the sunrises over the Indian Ocean are far better than the sunsets, whereas in Cape Town the sunsets are the best. So, by flying from DUR to CPT you can enjoy both the best sunrise as well as the best sunset.

flight path from Durban to Cape Town

Kulula from DUR to CPT

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Phone Numbers:
· King Shaka Airport : 051 407 2200 (ph)
· Cape Town Airport : 021 937 1200 (ph)
· Kulula CPT: 021 936 9045/6

Cheap Flights from Durban to Cape Town

Let's start with the bad news -So many airlines stopped operating this route either because of financial trouble (SAA & SA Express) or due to lockdown pressure. Luckily there are still a hanful of airlines operating direct flights - Mango Airlines, British Airways Comair and FlySafair. Kulula and Airlink offer flights connecting to Cape Town in Johannesburg.

FlySafair and Mango flights from DUR to CPT are usually cheapest, whilst BA Comair and Airlink are usually more expensive because they offer a full service. Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule and that you still need to pay extra for baggage on a FlySafair flight.

You want to get on the cheapest flight from Durban to Cape Town. The way to make sure that you get on a cheap flight from King Shaka to Cape Town is by comparing all airline prices, using the flight bookings tool on the left.


* Prices are constantly updated, so the information listed above is out of date and for information purposes only.

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price comparison

list of airlines

 

cruises

car hire

(if you are flying in the opposite direction, see our Cape Town to King Shaka page)

Latest DUR - CPT airline survey

Flight date

BA

Kulula

Mango

FlySafair

Airlink

Mango offered the cheapest flight from Durban to Cape Town on the 10th of July 2021 for the school holidays.

10 July 2021

840

-

759

1282

-

Flight prices will have changed by the time you read this, use booking engines to get the latest prices. The surveys are conducted for flights leaving Durban for Cape Town on a Friday between 1300 and 2146.

Latest DUR-CPT bus & train survey

Travel date

Baz Bus

Citiliner

City to City

Greyhound

Intercape

SA Roadlink

Translux

Intercape was the only bus service currently operating the route.

10 July 2021

-

-

-

-

620

-

-

Prices will have changed by the time you read this.

Airlines

Airlines
Airports
Stops

British Airways

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

FlySafair

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

Kulula

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

Mango Airlines

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

SA Express

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

South African Airways
(codeshare with Mango & SA Express)

Durban (DUR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

non-stop

It takes some 2 hours to fly from Durban to Cape Town (shortest flight path is 1278km). The driving distance from Durban to Cape Town is some 1606km.

Overland Trips & Cruises

An alternative is to drive from Durban to Cape Town. The quickest & safest way is by travelling through Harrismith, then Bethlehem onto the N5, and then Bloemfontein onto the N1 national Road (1636km). Other alternatives are to take the N2 (1655km) or the R56 & N1 (1578km).


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By bus

If you don't want to drive yourself, you can catch a bus from Durban to Cape Town. The length of the trip is on the right hand side of the following table:

Baz bus

Baz Bus operates a hop-on hop-off bus tour across South Africa, and is especially popular amongst backpackers, stopping off at 180 youth hostels along its route. On your way from Durban to Cape Town you can stop off at Umkomaas, Umzumbe, Port Shepstone, Margate, Port Edward, Port St Johns, Umtata, Port Alfred, Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay, Cape St Francis, Storms River, Nature's Valley, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, George, Mossel Bay and Swellendam.

Citiliner bus

Durban to Cape Town, via Port Elizabeth (stopping at Port Shepstone, Harding, Kokstad, Mt Frere, Qumbu, Tsola, Umtata, Idutywa, Butterworth, East London, King Williams Town, Pedie, Grahamstown, Coega, Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Storms River, Plettenburg Bay, Knysna, Sedgefield, Wilderness, George, Mossel bay, Albertina, Riversdale, Heidelberg, Slangrivier, Swellendam, Riviersonderend, Caledon, Somerset West, Stellenbosch and Belville)

26h15m

Greyhound bus

The Greyhound bus operates a traditional bus service through the main centres of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe (Bloemfontein, Bulawayo, Butterworth, Cape Town, Durban, East London, Empangeni, Harare, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Nelspruit, Newcastle, Maputo, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Queenstown, Swinburne and Umtata). They offer two different routes between Durban and Cape Town. The first is via Bloemfontein whilst the second goes via Port Elizabeth.

21h45m (via Bloem) 26h45m (via PE)

Intercape bus

Durban to Cape Town via Bloemfontein on their Mainliner fleet

23h15m

SA Roadlink

Durban to Cape Town (Stops in Port Elizabeth)

25h00m

Translux bus

Durban to Cape Town - either on their TransLux or City to City (no frills) bus

26h00m

By train

Spoornet's Shosholoza Meyl operates train trips from Durban to Cape Town, and their central reservations may be contacted at 086 000 8888.

Cruises

MSC Cruises offer cruises from Durban to Cape Town with the MSC Sinfonia and MSC Opera cruise ships.

Cape Town car hire

Cape Town car hire options are as follows:

Car Trawler

Europcar Cape Town

Avis car hire

Budget rent a car

First Car Rental

Hertz car rental

Tempest car hire

Thrifty car rental

Take the N2 to get to Cape Town city

News

  • 2 Nov 2012. 1time airline applies for liquidation, and flies its last Durban - Cape Town flight.

  • Mar 2012. Velvet Sky airline quits flying DUR-CPT & goes in liquidation.

  • 4 Nov 2011. Velvet Sky airline commences Durban to Cape Town flights, with one flight a day on weekdays. The opening price is R439 one-way.

  • 15 Dec 2010. British Airways begins operating an additional return flight on the Cape Town to Durban route. The additional flight is scheduled once a day from Monday to Friday, adding to the existing schedule of 3 return flights per day, Monday to Friday, and one return flight on Saturday and Sunday.  The flight leaves Durban for Cape Town at 10h45, arriving in Cape Town at 12h55.

  • 1 Nov 2010. SAA Durban - Cape Town flights are halted. From this date flights booked with South African Airways between Durban & Cape Town will be flown by Mango Airways.

Top DUR-CPT blog post

Craig Pollard & Loretta White cycled from London through Africa, this post is the Durban to Cape Town final leg of their trip:

  • "South Africa for me has been the friendliest country to date by far. Every time we have reached a low moment someone has been on hand to pick us up"

  • "Randomly a guy pulled up who had seen us when we crossed the border into Swaziland and completely lifted our spirits, telling us how inspiring we were!"

  • "We were both unsuccessfully fighting colds and arriving in Harding the owner of the local Spar took pity on us, rushing out with packs of tissues and antibacterial wipes! We were also stopped by a couple who followed us down the road to give us some money for refreshments."

  • "What we found after we passed Kokstad was an incredibly beautiful area of South Africa with stunning scenery and small coloured houses dotting the landscape. We also found people to be amazingly friendly, a car of young guys taking us to a B&B in Mount Frere and even telling the manager to give us a discount!"

  • "We were lucky enough to be hosted at a place called The Fernery deep in the Tstitikama forest. All we had heard was that it was a fern farm. When we arrived it was one of the most stunning lodges I have ever seen; perched on the top of a cliff with a waterfall thundering down into the Indian Ocean. "

Eastern Cape mountain scene

Shuttle bus from airport

There are a number of companies offering a shuttle bus from the airport - we usually use EZ Shuttle.

Cape Town Hotels

Here's a list of Cape Town hotels and accommodation options. Well rated by our guests is the Boutique Manolo in Tamboerskloof (lovely balcony & tasty food), the Steenberg hotel in Tokai which is on a golf course and the Simonstown Guest House for its ocean views.


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