Cars and driving

Rules of the road

• Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road.
• The speed limit on national highways is 100 – 120km per hour.
• The speed limit in built up areas is 60 km per hour (unless otherwise indicated).
• The Metro Police are frequently on the roads, and cameras are located on main roads and motorways, and heavy fines are imposed.
• There are heavy drink-drive penalties.

Important: make sure you carry your driver’s license with you at all times, and that your vehicle license disk is up to date.  

Good to know:

• Filling stations in South Africa are not self-service, there are petrol attendants employed to help you.
• Foreign driving licenses are recognised in South Africa, provided they are valid, in English and have a photo.
• The legal driving age in South Africa is 18.

Public Transportation Tips

By Road

• Public transport in the form of taxis, Ubers, Taxify, buses and our well known Gautrain (in Gauteng) are available for you. Uber and Taxify are limited to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg only.
• Corporate Cabs 0800 800 800, AA Metrocab, 083 692 2222 are other forms of transportation readily available for you.
• Shuttle services are available to the airport from larger hotels and by booking from your home.
• Car hire is easily available and accessible from airports.  Cars may be hired either on a self-drive or chauffeur driven basis. You will need a credit card and valid driver’s license.

By Air

South Africa has major international airports in Cape Town, Johannesburg and to a lesser extent Durban; as well as a host of smaller regional airports.

• Cape Town International Airport
• King Shaka International Airport
• Lanseria International Airport
• O.R. Tambo International Airport
• Mmabatho International Airport
• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
• Polokwane International Airport
• Pilanesberg International Airport

A good place to find your flight needs and questions:

https://www.travelstart.co.za/

By Rail

Aside from the Gautrain in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa’s major cities are not serviced with efficient or safe commuter rail systems.

Recreational long distance rail travel aboard the Blue Train (www.bluetrain.co.za) or Rovos Rail (www.rovosrail.co.za) is a fun and luxurious way to see Southern Africa, but not cheap.

Gautrain offers safe, fast and convenient transfers from OR Tambo International Airport into the centre of Sandton, Pretoria or the Johannesburg CBD, from where taxicabs are available to take you to your hotel, home or office.

https://www.gautrain.co.za/aboutgautrain#golden-thread