All About Search, Booking and Buying Bus Tickets in South Africa

BusBuster is a search tool created to help your bus journey plans. Here you find all South African bus companies and all bus routes. Also find complete timetables and bus ticket prices. Travel by bus across African countries, states and cities by bus. It's a cheap and comfortable option.

Be aware that border-crossing routes may need passengers to have passports or other legal documents. Foreigners should have all appropriate visas.

Buy bus tickets in many different ways: online/website, by phone call or at local points of sale. A variety of payment methods are available such as credit cards, debit cards and cash. Notice that each company has different payment policies which can affect the way you make bus ticket purchases.

Most buses have air conditioning, WiFi, washroom facilities, reclining seats and comfortable legroom.

Buying Bus Tickets and Bus Ticket Booking

BusBuster helps you to plan the best option for your bus trip. Here you will find all fares and schedules from the main bus companies in South Africa. To buy the bus tickets you want, the first step is to access BusBuster. Click on the indicated search boxes: the first box with the location you will be leaving from and the second box with the location you want to go. You’ll get back a list with all information about the chosen bus route including departure times, trip length, ticket price, and bus companies ratings made by previous travelers. On top of that list you’ll see the calendar button. Through this button you can change the date of your bus trip and then check out the results and travel information on the planned date. After selecting the best trip, get the full information about it. If you are done with all information and ready, click on "buy ticket". Then you will be redirected to the company’s website to buy your bus ticket. There are many payment methods to buy your bus tickets, which are informed just below.

Online Bus Ticket Sale

Most official bus companies' websites sell bus tickets online. There's a variety of payment methods such as credit cards or debit cards. All prices are shown in Rand, the local currency. Be aware of ticket cancellation and ticket change policies.

Phone Call Bus Ticket Sale

Some bus companies sell their bus tickets by phone. Usually, it's a 24-hour customer care phone service. Call the company and get informed about ticket booking policies. Usually, you will have to provide your credit card information. After it, you will just have to pick up your bus ticket at the terminal. Buying your bus ticket in advance can avoid troubles.

At Terminal Bus Ticket Sale

The most common way to buy bus tickets is by going to the bus station or departure terminals. To buy a bus ticket at the terminal, you can pay by credit cards, debit cards or cash. Travelers can also buy tickets at associated travel agencies as well as third-party offices located at different sales points in many cities.

Available Bus Fleet Services

South African bus companies have a new and modern fleet which ensures comfort and safety for their passengers and employees in all kinds of bus trips. Most fleets have features like:

• Luggage space
• Geolocation
• Three-point safety belts
• Heating and air conditioning
• Restroom facilities
• Video and audio entertainment systems
• Reclining seats
• Electrical sockets for charging phones and computers

Bus Tickets Deals and Discounts

Each bus company has a distinct policy on bus ticket discounts. Most of the bus companies offer a discount for:

• Family groups
• Children
• Senior citizens
• Students
• Members of SANDF (Defence Intelligence pision) and/or SAPS (South African Police Service)

On Eagle Liner travelers can get discounts using Mahala Travelers Loyalty Program. The program offers a 50% off discount for those who travel 10 times during one year (twelve months).

Children Discounts, Senior Discounts and Disabled Persons Discounts

Most companies offer a free bus ticket for children younger than 2 (two) years old, but they cannot occupy a seat. In spite of this discount being common, each bus company has its own discount policy. For example, all children between two and 11 years old can travel by Greyhound South Africa with 15% off. Disabled persons and/or those with limited mobility can get free help at the bus terminal and on the bus. Even not being a regular practice, there are some bus companies that allow caregivers to travel for free or with a discount. For seniors, the Translux bus company has a Senior Citizens Discount which allows passengers who are 60 years or older to get 10% off their bus ticket.

Bus Ticket Refund and Exchanges

It's usual for some passengers to have problems before the trip. For this situation, most of the South African bus companies allow some kind of changes like a refund if the client won’t travel anymore or schedule a new travel date. If it's your case, you’ll need to notify the bus company and inform them about your transfer or bus ticket cancellation. But do this before the trip date, some days earlier. Remember there are amendment and cancellation fees which can vary according to the advance of the request change. When you postpone your trip, the new ticket can be more expensive than the cost of the original. In this case, you’ll have to pay an amendment fee plus the difference between the two ticket costs. If the new ticket reservation is cheaper than the original ticket, make sure it's the same bus type.

Important Tips

Safe Seats - How to Know Which Seat is the Safest for a Bus Ride

If you look for safety in the first place, this topic will give tips on the best seats to choose for a bus trip. The first thing already said is to buy your ticket in advance. This is a must if you want to have more seat options, especially if you want to choose the best place to travel. The good seats end up faster than you think, even more during busy seasons. Remembering this rule you will have all the bus seats to choose from on the available chart. Let's start with the safety factor which should be a priority in any kind of travel, short or long. According to the Department of Transport, from all accidents occurred on roads, most of the time it is rear-end collisions representing about 25% of total collisions. This map illustrates a bus viewed from above. It shows the most dangerous and safest seat spots on the bus in events such as frontal & rear collisions and vehicle rollovers. Even if it is more pleasant to travel in the first rows in "red" (seats 01 to 12), just because of the road view, along with the latest "red" (37 to 40), those are the most dangerous seats. In the case of any accident, the first and last rows are the most affected. Following the scale of most dangerous seats to safer seats, "oranges" (Seats 09/10/15/16/33/34/35/36) still have a certain risk. As for the other places in "light orange" and "blue" (numbers 13 to 32), those are actually recommended for a safe bus ride. And finally the green seats (22 and 24), in the middle of the bus corridor are the safest. Remember that this scheme's numbers are just a visual reference. According to the size and model of the bus, the security points will change. Consider this information when choosing bus seats for your next trip. And don't forget to always use a seat belt!

Important Warning

Get Earlier on Boarding Bus

It's important to arrive at the terminal one hour before your bus departure, at least. So you have enough time to check your ticket without problems. Before the boarding procedure, baggage dispatch will take some time.

Baggage Size and Weight Limits

Each bus company has its own rules about carrying luggage. Some allow transporting just one luggage per passenger with a max weight up to 30 kilograms. Passengers can carry on board one hand luggage not exceeding 5 kilograms. This type of luggage may have sizes that can fit on lap or fit on overhead racks, the compartment above seats and under the seat in front of them.

Traveling with Pets on Bus

All South African bus companies don't allow transporting any kind of animals on buses. Yet, trained assistance dogs have permission. They can travel inside the bus helping disabled passengers.

Traveling by Bus between African Countries

In any case of International bus travel, all passengers must have a valid passport and in some cases the required visas for the destination.