How much is the Intercape bus from Johannesburg to Cape Town?

Bus ticket prices have ranged from R740 to R2,040 this year. Currently, the cheapest available one-way ticket is R640.

How long is the bus ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town?

The average journey by bus takes approximately 21 hours and 6 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 Johannesburg to Cape Town

From:

To:

Travel Date:

Ask for Help!

Intercape offers bus tickets from Johannesburg to Cape Town, with 1-way prices having ranged from R740 to R2,040 during 2026:

The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Johannesburg to Cape Town is R640 in Saver class on a Sleepliner coach; taking Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 11:30 on Sun 24 May 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Cape Town at 07:20 on Mon 25 May 2026 (duration of 19 hours 50 minutes).
- For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R595 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA departing Johannesburg at 11:30 on Sun 24 May 2026 and arriving in Cape Town at 07:20 on Mon 25 May 2026 (duration of 19 hours 50 minutes).
Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R851, Flexi: R914, Full Flexi: R1,006. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
- For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R851, Flexi: R777, Full Flexi: R855.

The journey takes on average 21 hours and 6 minutes.

7-Day Fare Heatmap: Johannesburg to Cape Town

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

Sat 23 May R680 Sun 24 May R640 Mon 25 May R740 Tue 26 May R780 Wed 27 May R780 Thu 28 May R740 Fri 29 May R740

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 Johannesburg to Cape Town

Prices last checked and verified on: 2026-05-16 00:26:48

All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).

Route	Coach Type	Depart (JOHANNESBURG - Intercape Office, C/O Rissik and Wolmarans Street (Johannesburg Station))	Arrive (CAPE TOWN - Unit 2 Intercape Office, Old Marine Drive (Cape Town Station))	Full Flexi (ZAR)	Flexi (ZAR)	Saver (ZAR)
Mainliner PTA-UPT-CA	Mainliner	Sat 23 May 2026 07:15am	Sun 24 May 2026 09:45am	1,040	960	890
Sleepliner Johannesburg to Cape Town on route PTA-BLM-CA low on available seats	Sleepliner	Sat 23 May 2026 11:30am	Sun 24 May 2026 07:20am	2,040	2,040	2,040
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Sat 23 May 2026 12:00pm	Sun 24 May 2026 08:45am	820	740	680
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Sat 23 May 2026 6:00pm	Sun 24 May 2026 1:30pm	1,260	1,160	1,100
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Sat 23 May 2026 6:30pm	Sun 24 May 2026 2:15pm	840	740	680
Mainliner PTA-UPT-CA	Mainliner	Sun 24 May 2026 07:15am	Mon 25 May 2026 09:45am	1,000	920	850
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 11:30am	Mon 25 May 2026 07:20am	780	700	640
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 12:00pm	Mon 25 May 2026 08:45am	840	740	680
Sleepliner Express PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 1:00pm	Mon 25 May 2026 08:50am	780	700	640
Sleepliner PTA-CLV-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 3:30pm	Mon 25 May 2026 2:00pm	840	740	680
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 6:00pm	Mon 25 May 2026 1:30pm	840	740	680
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Sun 24 May 2026 6:30pm	Mon 25 May 2026 2:15pm	840	740	680
Mainliner PTA-UPT-CA	Mainliner	Mon 25 May 2026 07:15am	Tue 26 May 2026 09:45am	1,000	920	850
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 11:30am	Tue 26 May 2026 07:20am	920	840	780
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 12:00pm	Tue 26 May 2026 08:45am	950	850	780
Sleepliner Express PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 1:00pm	Tue 26 May 2026 08:50am	920	840	780
Sleepliner PTA-CLV-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 3:30pm	Tue 26 May 2026 2:00pm	1,050	920	830
Big Sky Intercity Express Big Sky PTA-BLM-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Mon 25 May 2026 5:00pm	Tue 26 May 2026 12:50pm	880	800	740
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 6:00pm	Tue 26 May 2026 1:30pm	950	860	800
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Mon 25 May 2026 6:30pm	Tue 26 May 2026 2:15pm	940	840	780
Mainliner PTA-UPT-CA	Mainliner	Tue 26 May 2026 07:15am	Wed 27 May 2026 09:45am	1,000	920	850
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Tue 26 May 2026 11:30am	Wed 27 May 2026 07:20am	920	840	780
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Tue 26 May 2026 12:00pm	Wed 27 May 2026 08:45am	950	850	780
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA	Sleepliner	Tue 26 May 2026 6:00pm	Wed 27 May 2026 1:30pm	950	860	800
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA	Sleepliner	Tue 26 May 2026 6:30pm	Wed 27 May 2026 2:15pm	940	840	780

Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)

Ticket Type	Lowest Price	Highest Price	Average Price
Saver	740	2,040	851
Flexi	800	2,040	914
Full Flexi	880	2,040	1,006

Intercape Routes from Johannesburg to Cape Town

Mainliner PTA-UPT-CA
Sleepliner PTA-BLM-CA
Sleepliner PTA-KIM-CA
Sleepliner Express PTA-BLM-CA
Sleepliner PTA-CLV-CA
Big Sky Intercity Express Big Sky PTA-BLM-CA
Sleepliner Johannesburg to Cape Town on route PTA-BLM-CA low on available seats

Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)

The quickest bus takes 19h 30m, slowest 26h 30m, average 21h 6m.

Departures vary from 7:15am to 6:30pm. Arrivals from 7:20am to 2:15pm.

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: Johannesburg to Cape Town

Write a Review

Did you travel this route recently? Share your experience regarding punctuality, comfort, and safety.

Bus Route Map

Intercape Bus Route Locations & Safety Ratings

From: Johannesburg

Address: Intercape Office at Johannesburg Park Station - Park City Transit Centre - on the corner of Wolmarans and Rissik St in the Johannesburg CBD

Province: Gauteng

Safety Rating: 2/10

Extremely busy transport hub. Very high risk of pickpocketing and scams outside the terminal. Do not walk outside alone, use e-hailing from inside the designated areas.

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

Latitude: -26.19704997

Longitude: 28.04221218

Uber Availability: Available.

Need a safe ride from the station?

Get a ZAR 50 Discount Off Your First 5 Trips

Location: View Johannesburg on Google Maps

To: Cape Town

Address: Unit 2 Intercape Corporate Office inside the Cape Town Station complex on Old Marine Drive on the foreshore of the Cape Town CBD. You can book an Uber to lift you to your destination. Do not leave the station building until your ride arrives, as the vicinity is dodgy. Try arrive while it is still daylight hours (weekdays are safer than weekends).

Province: Western Cape

Safety Rating: 3/10

Long distance terminal is generally secure, but surrounding CBD requires vigilance at night.

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

Latitude: -33.92401409

Longitude: 18.43227396

Uber Availability: Available.

Need a safe ride from the station?

Get a ZAR 50 Discount Off Your First 5 Trips

Location: View Cape Town 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 Cape Town to Johannesburg

What about the return journey? View prices and departure times for Intercape buses travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg.