How much is the Intercape bus from Richards Bay to Ladysmith?

Bus ticket prices have ranged from R288 to R930 this year. Currently, the cheapest available one-way ticket is R416.

How long is the bus ride from Richards Bay to Ladysmith?

The average journey by bus takes approximately 7 hours and 0 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 Richards Bay to Ladysmith

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Intercape offers bus tickets from Richards Bay to Ladysmith, with 1-way prices having ranged from R288 to R930 during 2026:

The current cheapest one-way Intercape bus ticket from Richards Bay to Ladysmith is R416 in Saver class on a Mainliner coach; taking Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA scheduled to depart Richards Bay at 06:45 on Thu 30 Apr 2026 and scheduled to arrive in Ladysmith at 13:55 on Thu 30 Apr 2026 (duration of 7 hours 10 minutes).
- For pensioners (60 and older), the current cheapest one-way ticket is R372 in Flexi class (with a 15% discount applied); taking Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA departing Richards Bay at 06:45 on Thu 30 Apr 2026 and arriving in Ladysmith at 13:55 on Thu 30 Apr 2026 (duration of 7 hours 10 minutes).
Average one-way ticket prices are Saver: R379, Flexi: R403, Full Flexi: R433. Lower Flexi and Full Flexi fares may be achieved if any discounts are applicable.
- For pensioners the average 1-way prices are: Saver: R379, Flexi: R343, Full Flexi: R368.

The journey takes on average 7 hours and 0 minutes.

Cheapest Departures This Week: Richards Bay to Ladysmith

If your travel dates are flexible, adjusting your departure by a day or two can result in significant savings.

R416

Thu 30 Apr

R416

Fri 1 May

N/A

Sat 2 May

R479

Sun 3 May

N/A

Mon 4 May

N/A

Tue 5 May

N/A

Wed 6 May

Cheapest Day

Standard Price

No Data

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 Richards Bay to Ladysmith

Prices last checked and verified on: 2026-04-25 12:13:15

All prices in South African Rand (ZAR).

Route	Coach Type	Depart (RICHARDS BAY - Astron Energy, 7 Premium Promenade, Richards Bay Central, 3900)	Arrive (LADYSMITH - Astron Energy, 372 Murchison Street)	Full Flexi (ZAR)	Flexi (ZAR)	Saver (ZAR)
Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA	Mainliner	Thu 30 Apr 2026 06:45am	Thu 30 Apr 2026 1:55pm	460	438	416
Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA	Mainliner	Fri 01 May 2026 06:45am	Fri 01 May 2026 1:55pm	460	438	416
Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA	Mainliner	Sun 03 May 2026 06:45am	Sun 03 May 2026 1:55pm	530	505	479

Price Statistics per Intercape pay class (Year 2026)

Ticket Type	Lowest Price	Highest Price	Average Price
Saver	288	866	379
Flexi	304	885	403
Full Flexi	320	930	433

Intercape Routes from Richards Bay to Ladysmith

Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA low on available seats
Mainliner MAP-DBN-PTA
Mainliner RICH-DBN-PTA
Big Sky Intercity Big Sky NRICH-LDY-PTA
Intercape Bus
Mainliner NRICH-LDY-PTA

Travel Time Scheduled (Year 2026)

The quickest bus takes 6h 50m, slowest 7h 10m, average 7h 0m.

Departures vary from 6:45am to 6:05pm. Arrivals from 12:55am to 10:50pm.

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: Richards Bay to Ladysmith

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Bus Route Map

Intercape Bus Route Locations & Safety Ratings

From: Richards Bay

Address: Astron Energy, 7 Premium Promenade, Richards Bay Central, 3900

Province: KwaZulu-Natal

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: -28.74801586

Longitude: 32.05253698

Uber Availability: Available.

Need a safe ride from the station?

Get a ZAR 50 Discount Off Your First 5 Trips

Location: View Richards Bay on Google Maps

To: Ladysmith

Address: Engen Garage, Teds Convenience Centre, 11 Murchison Street

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: -28.5679891

Longitude: 29.7745483

Uber Availability: Not Available

Location: View Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith to Richards Bay

What about the return journey? View prices and departure times for Intercape buses travelling from Ladysmith to Richards Bay.