How much is the Intercape bus from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown?

Bus ticket prices have ranged from R410 to R3,300 this year. Currently, the cheapest available one-way ticket is R560.

How long is the bus ride from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown?

The average journey by bus takes approximately 12 hours and 46 minutes.

Do pensioners get a discount on Intercape buses?

Yes, senior citizens (60 years and older) qualify for a 15% discount on Intercape Flexi and Full Flexi tickets. Note that Saver tickets do not qualify for this discount.

Intercape Bus Tickets from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown

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Intercape offers bus tickets from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown, with 1-way prices having ranged from R410 to R3,300 during 2026:

The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown is R560 in Saver class on a Mainliner coach; taking Mainliner DBN-PE scheduled to depart Pietermaritzburg at 18:10 on Mon 11 May 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Grahamstown at 06:05 on Tue 12 May 2026 (duration of 11 hours 55 minutes).
- For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R527 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Mainliner DBN-PE departing Pietermaritzburg at 18:10 on Mon 11 May 2026 and arriving in Grahamstown at 06:05 on Tue 12 May 2026 (duration of 11 hours 55 minutes).
Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R791, Flexi: R849, Full Flexi: R917. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
- For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R791, Flexi: R722, Full Flexi: R779.

The journey takes on average 12 hours and 46 minutes.

7-Day Fare Heatmap: Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown

Select a date block below to view the full schedule for that day. Green indicates the lowest fare.

Sat 9 May R580 Sun 10 May R580 Mon 11 May R560 Tue 12 May R560

Wed 13 May N/A

Thu 14 May N/A

Fri 15 May N/A

Intercape Ticket Classes Explained: Saver vs Flexi vs Full Flexi

Understand the exact differences in allowances, amendment fees, and cancellation policies before making your booking.

Feature	Saver	Flexi	Full Flexi
Price Level	Cheapest	Standard	Premium
Luggage Allowance	15 kg (2 pieces max)	20 kg (2 pieces max)	25 kg (2 pieces max)
Seat Reservations	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Qualifies for Discounts? (e.g. Pensioner, Student)	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Ticket Amendment Fee (Changes up to 15 min before departure)	25% Fee	15% Fee	10% Fee
Cancellation Policy	75% refund (Must cancel 48h before)	85% refund (Must cancel 24h before)	90% refund (Must cancel 12h before)

Intercape Prices & Schedule from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown

Prices last checked and verified on: 2026-05-02 06:15:07

All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).

Route	Coach Type	Depart (PIETERMARITZBURG - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds))	Arrive (GRAHAMSTOWN - Intercape Office, Bathurst Street(Next to Frontier Hotel))	Full Flexi (ZAR)	Flexi (ZAR)	Saver (ZAR)
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA	Mainliner	Sat 09 May 2026 08:25am	Sat 09 May 2026 10:25pm	880	836	792
Mainliner DBN-PE	Mainliner	Sat 09 May 2026 6:10pm	Sun 10 May 2026 06:05am	740	640	580
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA	Mainliner	Sun 10 May 2026 08:25am	Sun 10 May 2026 10:25pm	850	808	765
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Sun 10 May 2026 5:10pm	Mon 11 May 2026 05:30am	800	760	720
Mainliner DBN-PE	Mainliner	Sun 10 May 2026 6:10pm	Mon 11 May 2026 06:05am	740	640	580
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA	Mainliner	Mon 11 May 2026 08:25am	Mon 11 May 2026 10:25pm	880	836	792
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Mon 11 May 2026 5:10pm	Tue 12 May 2026 05:30am	800	760	720
Mainliner DBN-PE	Mainliner	Mon 11 May 2026 6:10pm	Tue 12 May 2026 06:05am	720	620	560
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA	Mainliner	Tue 12 May 2026 08:25am	Tue 12 May 2026 10:25pm	880	836	792
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Tue 12 May 2026 5:10pm	Wed 13 May 2026 05:30am	800	760	720
Mainliner DBN-PE	Mainliner	Tue 12 May 2026 6:10pm	Wed 13 May 2026 06:05am	720	620	560

Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)

Ticket Type	Lowest Price	Highest Price	Average Price
Saver	410	2,100	791
Flexi	480	2,700	849
Full Flexi	540	3,300	917

Intercape Routes from Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown

Mainliner DBN-PE-CA
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA
Mainliner DBN-PE
Intercape Bus

Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)

The quickest bus takes 11h 55m, slowest 14h 0m, average 12h 46m.

Departures vary from 8:25am to 6:10pm. Arrivals from 5:30am to 10:25pm.

Travelling for a major life event?

If you are relocating to the Cape or travelling to manage family affairs, ensure your legal requirements are in order.

Passenger Reviews: Pietermaritzburg to Grahamstown

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Bus Route Map

Intercape Bus Route Locations & Safety Ratings

From: Pietermaritzburg

Address: Intercape Office in Burger St (opposite the McDonalds and next to the Big Sky Intercity offices)

Province: KwaZulu-Natal

Safety Rating: 4/10

Generally safe with 24/7 staff, good lighting, and often CCTV. Standard travel precautions apply.

Contact: Phone Intercape at 021-3804400 or phone Big Sky Intercity at 087-8218218

Latitude: -29.6045515

Longitude: 30.3817751

Uber Availability: Available.

Need a safe ride from the station?

Get a ZAR 50 Discount Off Your First 5 Trips

Location: View Pietermaritzburg on Google Maps

To: Grahamstown

Address: The Frontier Country Hotel, Bathurst Street

Province: Western Cape

Safety Rating: 3/10

Public street stop. Normal vigilance required. Try to have a lift arranged if arriving late at night.

Contact: Phone Intercape at 021-3804400 or phone Big Sky Intercity at 087-8218218

Latitude: -33.3231563

Longitude: 26.512666

Uber Availability: Not Available

Location: View Grahamstown on Google Maps

General Safety considerations

Please check the specific safety ratings for your departure and arrival stations above. Many bus stops have safety issues; it is better to arrive at bus stops while the sun is still shining (nighttime is always riskier), with weekdays generally being safer than weekends. Do not display valuables, keep them safe and out of sight. Plan in advance how you will get from your final Intercape bus stop to your destination so as to minimise time at the bus stop.

Why so slow?

You may be wondering why the journeys take so long. Part of the reason is that Intercape have a self-imposed speed limit of 95km/h on national roads and 40km/h on mountain passes - this is for safety reasons. Speed kills.

Intercape Bus Tickets from Grahamstown to Pietermaritzburg

What about the return journey? View prices and departure times for Intercape buses travelling from Grahamstown to Pietermaritzburg.