Intercape Bus Tickets from Johannesburg to Mthatha
Intercape offers bus tickets from Johannesburg to Mthatha, with 1-way prices having ranged from R540 to R800 during 2026:
- The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Johannesburg to Mthatha is R540 in Saver class on a Mainliner coach; taking Pretoria to East London via Mthatha scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 17:00 on Sat 16 May 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Mthatha at 05:10 on Sat 16 May 2026 (duration of 12 hours 10 minutes).
- For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R510 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Pretoria to Mthatha via Queenstown departing Johannesburg at 17:30 on Sat 16 May 2026 and arriving in Mthatha at 10:45 on Sat 16 May 2026 (duration of 17 hours 15 minutes).
- Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R574, Flexi: R635, Full Flexi: R726. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
- For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R574, Flexi: R540, Full Flexi: R617.
7-Day Fare Heatmap: Johannesburg to Mthatha
Select a date block below to view the full schedule for that day. Green indicates the lowest fare.
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 Mthatha
Prices last checked and verified on: 2026-05-16 23:50:35
All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).
| Route | Coach Type | Depart (Johannesburg) | Arrive (Mthatha) | Full Flexi (ZAR) | Flexi (ZAR) | Saver (ZAR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretoria to East London via Mthatha | Mainliner | 5:00pm | 05:10am | 680 | 620 | 540 |
| Pretoria to Mthatha via Queenstown | Budgetliner | 5:30pm | 10:45am | 680 | 600 | 540 |
| Pretoria to Mthatha via Pietermaritzburg | Mainliner | 6:30pm | 07:50am | 800 | 700 | 640 |
| Express Pretoria to Mthatha via Engcobo | Budgetliner | 7:30pm | 09:15am | 680 | 600 | 540 |
Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)
| Ticket Type | Lowest Price | Highest Price | Average Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saver | 540 | 640 | 574 |
| Flexi | 600 | 700 | 635 |
| Full Flexi | 680 | 800 | 726 |
Intercape Routes from Johannesburg to Mthatha
- Big Sky Intercity Big Sky PTA-MTH-EL
- Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTH
- Mainliner PTA-MTH-EL
- Mainliner PTA-PMB-MTH
- Budgetliner PTA-KOK-MTH
- Express Mainliner PTA-QT-MTH
- Express Budgetliner PTA-ENG-MTH
- Pretoria to Mthatha via Queenstown
- Pretoria to East London via Mthatha
- Express Pretoria to Mthatha via Queenstown
- Express Pretoria to Mthatha via Engcobo
- Pretoria to Mthatha via Pietermaritzburg
Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)
The quickest bus takes 12h 10m, slowest 17h 15m, average 14h 12m.
Departures vary from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Arrivals from 5:10am to 10:45am.
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 Mthatha
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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 TripsLocation: View Johannesburg on Google Maps
To: Mthatha
Address: Intercape Office, KFC Shell Ultra City (N2 national road) near Travel Inn Mthatha. Intercape have offices in the Ultra City Garage, please make sure you check your ticket in the office when you are going to board.
Province: Eastern Cape
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: -31.613636
Longitude: 28.733675
Uber Availability: Available.
Need a safe ride from the station?
Get a ZAR 50 Discount Off Your First 5 TripsLocation: View Mthatha 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 Mthatha to Johannesburg
What about the return journey? View prices and departure times for Intercape buses travelling from Mthatha to Johannesburg.