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

The cheapest bus tickets from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg start from $48. The average price for this route is around $62. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.

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

The average bus trip duration from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg is 22h 45m, covering a distance of 761 miles (1227 km). The quickest bus can get you there in 22h and is operated by Intercape .

Which bus companies service the Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg route?

Several major bus companies operate on this route with 7 buses available per day, including services from Intercape , Big Sky .

What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

The earliest bus departs from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg at 7:30am. And the latest bus departs at 7:15pm.

What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

A bus trip from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg generates an estimated 31 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly travel option and recommended mode of travel by Busbud.

What is the best bus company from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Big Sky , with an average rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars based on 3015 reviews.

Which bus company has the best Wi-Fi from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

Based on reviews on Busbud, the bus company Big Sky has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 1.5.

Which bus company has the most timely service from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most timely bus company on this route is Big Sky , with a punctuality rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars.

Which bus company has the cleanest buses from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Big Sky , with a cleanliness rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

Bus Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg from $52 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 4
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 5
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	11:45am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 30m	10:15am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	11:45am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 30m	10:15am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 6
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	11:45am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 30m	10:15am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 7
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	11:45am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 30m	10:15am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 8
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Next departures for Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg on December 9
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Cheapest
Bus	6:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h	4:15pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	Fastest
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	7:15pm	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	22h 15m	5:30pm	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags
Bus	8:10am	Bellville - Intercape Office, 8 Mabel Street (turnoff from Durban Road)	1d 1h	9:45am	Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 8:41 PM SAST.

Get from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg

This route is served by bus only

The journey takes about 22 hours 45 minutes and with fares starting at just $48, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

7bus per day

22h 45mAverage Duration

761 milesDistance

31kgCO₂ emissions

Where are the popular stops in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg?

Stops in Cape Town

A
Bellville - 8 Mabel St.
8 Mabel St, Oakdale, Cape Town, 7530, South Africa
Visit page
B
Bus Station - Old Marine Drive
Old Marine Drive Unit 11, Long Distance Bus Facility, Cape Town Station
Visit page
C
Bus Station - Civic Centre
1 Old Marine Dr, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Visit page
D
Civic Centre
8001,, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
E
Bellville
8 Mabel St, Oakdale, Cape Town, 7530, South Africa
F
Bellville - Oakdale
Caltex Garage,, 140 Durban Road,, Oakdale,, Bellville ,, Cape Town

Stops in Pietermaritzburg

A
Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)
Intercape Office, 269 Burger St, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa
Visit page

Compare bus companies

Intercape

3.5/544,269 reviews

Staff4.3

Timeliness3.1

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi1.2

Passengers have shared positive experiences with comfortable buses, professional drivers, and good customer care. Many appreciated the reclining seats and timely stops for refreshments. However, several reviews mentioned issues such as non-functional toilets during long journeys and delays due to bus maintenance problems like faulty air-conditioning or charging points not working properly.

Intercape Mainliner Cape Town Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

The 1st bus broke down in Worcester, we waited+-5 hours for a replacement bus. The 2nd bus had a breakdown at Montrose, setting us back even further. Upon arrival at Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu Natal, I discovered that my luggage was manhandled, resulting in my bag having been broken. (This is assumed happened at Worcester) When luggage was moved over.Some of my clothing were missing.

Faghmiedah S.

November 4, 2025

I enjoyed the comfort of transport and the driving what I did not really enjoyed is the fact that the bus was an hour later with no updates regards the matter

Bongani M.

October 10, 2025

This was first longest trip in a bus . Drivers were professional and patient . Intercape bus was in a good working condition. I nearly died of cold though , if they keep the warmer on at all times since it's winter

Zanini M.

July 25, 2025

Big Sky

3.5/53,102 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.3

Cleanliness4.2

Wifi1.5

ZA bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Big Sky

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg by bus

Please note that schedules, routes, or operator details shown here may be updated or vary at the time of your trip.

How much is the bus ticket from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
The cheapest bus tickets from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg start from $48. The average price for this route is around $62. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.
How long is the bus ride from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
The average bus trip duration from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg is 22h 45m, covering a distance of 761 miles (1227 km). The quickest bus can get you there in 22h and is operated by Intercape.
Which bus companies service the Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg route?
Several major bus companies operate on this route with 7 buses available per day, including services from Intercape, Big Sky.
What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
The earliest bus departs from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg at 7:30am. And the latest bus departs at 7:15pm.
What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
A bus trip from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg generates an estimated 31 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly travel option and recommended mode of travel by Busbud.
What is the best bus company from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Big Sky, with an average rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars based on 3015 reviews.
Which bus company has the best Wi-Fi from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
Based on reviews on Busbud, the bus company Big Sky has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 1.5.
Which bus company has the most timely service from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most timely bus company on this route is Big Sky, with a punctuality rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars.
Which bus company has the cleanest buses from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Big Sky, with a cleanliness rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

12/01

$49

12/02

$71

Today

$53

12/04

$75

12/05

$81

12/06

$71

12/07

$75

12/08

$84

The cheapest trip from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg was searched and found on Dec 1, 2025 with a price of $49

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $49 to $102 for a bus ticket from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $71 which is on 2025-12-06.