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

Bus ticket prices have ranged from R620 to R1,320,261,205 this year. Currently, the cheapest available one-way ticket is R850.

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

The average journey by bus takes approximately 25 hours and 49 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 Cape Town

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Intercape offers bus tickets from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town, with 1-way prices having ranged from R620 to R1,320,261,205 during 2026:

The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town is R850 in Saver class; taking Mainliner DBN-PE-CA scheduled to depart Pietermaritzburg at 08:25 on Thu 23 Apr 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Cape Town at 12:05 on Fri 24 Apr 2026 (duration of 27 hours 40 minutes).
- For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R775 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA departing Pietermaritzburg at 17:10 on Fri 24 Apr 2026 and arriving in Cape Town at 20:45 on Sat 25 Apr 2026 (duration of 27 hours 35 minutes).
Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R984, Flexi: R890,115, Full Flexi: R822,860. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
- For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R984, Flexi: R756,598, Full Flexi: R699,431.
Understand the differences between Saver, Flexi and Full Flexi tickets.

The journey takes on average 25 hours and 49 minutes.

Intercape Prices & Schedule from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town

Prices last checked and verified on: 2026-04-18 21:57:22

All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).

Route	Coach Type	Depart (PIETERMARITZBURG - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds))	Arrive (CAPE TOWN - Unit 2 Intercape Office, Old Marine Drive (Cape Town Station))	Full Flexi (ZAR)	Flexi (ZAR)	Saver (ZAR)
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA		Thu 23 Apr 2026 08:25am ZA	Fri 24 Apr 2026 12:05pm ZA	1,000	920	850
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA		Thu 23 Apr 2026 11:15am ZA	Fri 24 Apr 2026 10:50am ZA	1,000	920	850
Express Mainliner DBN-BLM-KIM-CA		Thu 23 Apr 2026 12:25pm ZA	Fri 24 Apr 2026 12:30pm ZA	1,000	920	850
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA		Fri 24 Apr 2026 08:25am ZA	Sat 25 Apr 2026 12:05pm ZA	1,050	970	900
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA		Fri 24 Apr 2026 11:15am ZA	Sat 25 Apr 2026 10:50am ZA	1,040	960	890
Express Mainliner DBN-BLM-KIM-CA		Fri 24 Apr 2026 12:25pm ZA	Sat 25 Apr 2026 12:30pm ZA	1,060	980	910
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Fri 24 Apr 2026 5:10pm ZA	Sat 25 Apr 2026 8:45pm ZA	960	912	864
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA		Sat 25 Apr 2026 08:25am ZA	Sun 26 Apr 2026 12:05pm ZA	1,010	930	860
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA		Sat 25 Apr 2026 11:15am ZA	Sun 26 Apr 2026 10:50am ZA	1,070	990	920
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Sat 25 Apr 2026 5:10pm ZA	Sun 26 Apr 2026 8:45pm ZA	960	912	864
Mainliner DBN-PE-CA		Sun 26 Apr 2026 08:25am ZA	Mon 27 Apr 2026 12:05pm ZA	1,050	970	900
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA		Sun 26 Apr 2026 11:15am ZA	Mon 27 Apr 2026 10:50am ZA	1,050	970	900
Express Mainliner DBN-BLM-KIM-CA		Sun 26 Apr 2026 12:25pm ZA	Mon 27 Apr 2026 12:30pm ZA	1,020	940	870
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA	Big Sky Intercity	Sun 26 Apr 2026 5:10pm ZA	Mon 27 Apr 2026 8:45pm ZA	960	912	864

Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)

Ticket Type	Lowest Price	Highest Price	Average Price
Saver	620	2,100	984
Flexi	680	1,320,261,205	890,115
Full Flexi	740	1,220,260,825	822,860

Intercape Routes from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town

Mainliner DBN-PE-CA
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA
Express Mainliner DBN-BLM-KIM-CA
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky DBN-PE-CA
Express Mainliner DBN-BLM-KIM-CA low on available seats
Mainliner DDBN-BLM-CA low on available seats
CAPE TOWN - Unit 2 Intercape Office, Old Marine Drive (Cape Town Station)
Intercape Bus

Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)

The quickest bus takes 23h 35m, slowest 27h 40m, average 25h 49m.

Departures vary from 8:25am to 5:10pm. Arrivals from 10:50am to 8:45pm.

Statistics based on partial data due to parsing issues.

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.

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: 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 Pietermaritzburg

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