Intercape Bus Tickets from Johannesburg to Mthatha

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Intercape offers bus tickets from Johannesburg to Mthatha, with 1-way prices having ranged from R2 to R20,260,221 during 2026:

  • The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Johannesburg to Mthatha is R400 in Saver class; taking Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTH scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 17:30 on Mon 23 Mar 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Mthatha at 10:45 on Tue 24 Mar 2026 (duration of 17 hours 15 minutes).
    • For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R391 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTH departing Johannesburg at 17:30 on Mon 23 Mar 2026 and arriving in Mthatha at 10:45 on Tue 24 Mar 2026 (duration of 17 hours 15 minutes).
  • Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R11,298, Flexi: R561, Full Flexi: R637. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
    • For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R11,298, Flexi: R477, Full Flexi: R541.
  • Click here to understand the differences between Saver, Flexi and Full Flexi tickets.
The journey takes on average 14 hours and 15 minutes.

Intercape Prices & Schedule from Johannesburg to Mthatha

All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).

RouteCoach Type Depart (JOHANNESBURG - Intercape Office, C/O Rissik and Wolmarans Street (Johannesburg Station)) Arrive (MTHATHA - Intercape Office, Shell Ultra City (N2)) Full Flexi (ZAR)Flexi (ZAR)Saver (ZAR)
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky PTA-MTH-ELBig Sky IntercitySun 22 Mar 2026 5:00pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 05:10am ZA640540480
Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTHBudgetlinerSun 22 Mar 2026 5:30pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA550490430
Mainliner PTA-MTH-ELMainlinerSun 22 Mar 2026 6:00pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 07:40am ZA580500440
Mainliner PTA-PMB-MTHMainlinerSun 22 Mar 2026 6:30pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 07:50am ZA640560500
Express Mainliner PTA-QT-MTHMainlinerSun 22 Mar 2026 7:00pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA620540480
Express Budgetliner PTA-ENG-MTHBudgetlinerSun 22 Mar 2026 7:30pm ZAMon 23 Mar 2026 09:15am ZA560490420
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky PTA-MTH-ELBig Sky IntercityMon 23 Mar 2026 5:00pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 05:10am ZA660600530
Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTHBudgetlinerMon 23 Mar 2026 5:30pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA520460400
Mainliner PTA-MTH-ELMainlinerMon 23 Mar 2026 6:00pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 07:40am ZA580500440
Mainliner PTA-PMB-MTHMainlinerMon 23 Mar 2026 6:30pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 07:50am ZA640560500
Express Mainliner PTA-QT-MTHMainlinerMon 23 Mar 2026 7:00pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA620540480
Express Budgetliner PTA-ENG-MTHBudgetlinerMon 23 Mar 2026 7:30pm ZATue 24 Mar 2026 09:15am ZA560490420
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky PTA-MTH-ELBig Sky IntercityTue 24 Mar 2026 5:00pm ZAWed 25 Mar 2026 05:10am ZA640540480
Mainliner PTA-MTH-ELMainlinerTue 24 Mar 2026 6:00pm ZAWed 25 Mar 2026 07:40am ZA580500440
Mainliner PTA-PMB-MTHMainlinerTue 24 Mar 2026 6:30pm ZAWed 25 Mar 2026 07:50am ZA640560500
Express Mainliner PTA-QT-MTHMainlinerTue 24 Mar 2026 7:00pm ZAWed 25 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA620540480
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky PTA-MTH-ELBig Sky IntercityWed 25 Mar 2026 5:00pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 05:10am ZA680600540
Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTHBudgetlinerWed 25 Mar 2026 5:30pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA740660600
Mainliner PTA-MTH-ELMainlinerWed 25 Mar 2026 6:00pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 07:40am ZA640560500
Mainliner PTA-PMB-MTHMainlinerWed 25 Mar 2026 6:30pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 07:50am ZA640560500
Budgetliner PTA-KOK-MTHBudgetlinerWed 25 Mar 2026 7:00pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 08:30am ZA640560500
Express Mainliner PTA-QT-MTHMainlinerWed 25 Mar 2026 7:00pm ZAThu 26 Mar 2026 10:45am ZA660580540

Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)

Ticket TypeLowest PriceHighest PriceAverage Price
Saver38020,260,22111,298
Flexi21,050561
Full Flexi5001,150637

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
  • Express Budgetliner PTA-QT-MTH
  • Mainliner PTA-PMB-MT2026-02-07 17:50:02"

Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)

The quickest bus takes 12h 10m, slowest 17h 15m, average 14h 15m.

Departures vary from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Arrivals from 5:10am to 10:45am.

Statistics based on partial data due to parsing issues.

Bus Route Map

Intercape Bus Route Locations

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

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

Latitude: -26.19704997

Longitude: 28.04221218

Uber Availability: Available. Schedule your ride in advance, once you have a good idea of your likely arrival time. Try Uber with a R50 discount off your first 5 trips! Use this link to get started. If you have never used Ubereats before then use promo code eats-robb3998ue at the checkout of Ubereats to get a R50 discount on your first two orders of minimum R100 each for delivery.

Location: View 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

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

Latitude: -31.613636

Longitude: 28.733675

Uber Availability: Available. Schedule your ride in advance, once you have a good idea of your likely arrival time. Try Uber with a R50 discount off your first 5 trips! Use this link to get started. If you have never used Ubereats before then use promo code eats-robb3998ue at the checkout of Ubereats to get a R50 discount on your first two orders of minimum R100 each for delivery.

Location: View on Google Maps

Safety considerations

Many bus stops have safety issues; it is better to arrive at bus stops while the sun is still shining (nighttime is riskier), with weekdays 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? Click here to see prices, departure times, and arrival times of Intercape buses travelling from Mthatha to Johannesburg.

Ask questions about Intercape & Big Sky Intercity:


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