Baz Bus Road tripping across South Africa: Johannesburg to Cape Town

So it’s your first time travelling to South Africa, you want to see a bit of the country, but you aren’t quite sure how to get around… What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?!

That was my predicament as I planned a 3-week backpacking trip across South Africa.

Travelling by coach seemed like a bit of a hassle (I’d be dropped off at a bus terminal and then still have to take a taxi to get to my hostel), renting a car sounded like a manageable option so long as I remembered to drive on the left, and then there was Baz Bus which calls itself “South Africa’s Convenient Hop-On Hop-Off Door-to-Door Backpacker Bus Service”. Quite the mouthful, but it fit the bill!

Since it was my first time travelling in the country I decided to save the car rental for my next visit and I opted for Baz Bus instead. Over the course of my 3 weeks in the country I used them to travel the full length from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

There were a lot of things I liked about their service, so this post will look at some of the benefits of travelling with Baz Bus as well as a few things to consider:

Door to door pick-up and drop-off.

This is one of things that won me over. Had I been travelling by train or coach bus I would have arrived at a bus terminal or train station in the middle of the city, and I then would’ve had to find my own way over to the hostel. However, Baz Bus offers pick-ups and drop-offs at a number of hostels and lodges across the country, which makes it safer and more convenient for travellers to get around. And if you happen to be staying at a hostel that isn’t affiliated with Baz Bus (I stayed in 2 hostels that weren’t), the owners are usually more than willing to arrange transportation for you.

No limit on how many times you can hop on or off the Baz Bus.

With the Hop-On Hop-Off ticket, you buy one ticket to your final destination and you can then hop on and off as often as you like along the route. This is great if you’re travelling in one direction. Alternatively, you can get a travel pass, which allows you to travel in any direction you want and as often as you like within the time period (7 day / 14 day / 21 days).

The flexibility to spontaneously change your travel plans.

Technically, you are supposed to reserve your seat at least 72 hours in advance to ensure there are enough seats, but also so that the driver knows where to pick you up and drop you off. However, this didn’t stop travellers from getting off the bus earlier if they thought a destination looked interesting; I also saw this work in reverse where travellers chose to skip over a destination because they thought it looked a little too remote for their taste once they arrived.

Fun and personable drivers.

Whether it was Sammy trying to teach us his real name which involves clicking one’s tongue (I couldn’t manage to pronounce it right), or Johnny cracking jokes and imparting his wisdom on things to do in Durban, we had really fun drivers who were chatty and happy to share their insights on South Africa.

You get to see quite a bit of the country.

In a way, Baz Bus is a really great way to scout your next trip to South Africa. Since travellers get off at stops all over the route, you get to see quite a few towns and cities that you many not have previously considered. Over the course of my 3 weeks travelling with Baz Bus, I got off at a total of 7 stops and I also spotted a few places I’d like to go back and visit – Swellendam, I’m looking at you!

There are lots of breaks along the way.

The Baz Bus drivers made a point to stop off every 1.5-2 hours so that we could stretch our legs, pick up some snacks, and have a bathroom break. Sure, there were days when we covered long distances, but we certainly weren’t cooped up in the car for 10 hours straight.

You get to meet other travellers.

Baz Bus allows you to connect with a community of backpackers who are slowly working their way across the country, and even though you may not all be getting off at the same stops along the way, you still get to know each other and swap stories and travel tips. For example, while on safari in Kruger I ended up meeting a group of German girls and a Brit – I never thought I’d see them again but then I ended up running into them twice on the Baz Bus down to Cape Town. I also noticed that some travellers who were backpacking South Africa solo ended up joining other travellers from Baz Bus for a stretch of the journey, so it’s a great way to meet other backpackers.

Things to keep in mind:

This is a budget friendly way to travel across South Africa.

What I mean by this is that you shouldn’t come expecting plush headrests, reclining seats, and movies playing with surround sound. The bus is comfortable enough and it’ll get you where you need to go, but that’s it.

Baz Bus doesn’t run every day.

At the moment, the only daily route is the one that runs from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The other two routes run 5 days a week. This means that you need to put some thought into planning your itinerary and booking your hostels. If you don’t plan this carefully you could end up stuck in a destination for an additional night…which isn’t always a bad thing considering how beautiful South Africa is!

Baz Bus has 3 major routes: Johannesburg to Durban, Durban to Port Elizabeth, and Port Elizabeth to Cape Town. (These same routes are also done in reverse.) These routes will allow you to travel through Gauteng, Kwazulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape, mainly focusing on destinations along the coast. It won’t get you to Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, North-West Province or Northern Cape. Nor will it get you to Lesotho or Swaziland. I’m kind of hoping they expand in the future!

Lastly, on a note completely unrelated to Baz Bus – the Eastern Cape has some stretches of seriously curvy roads so if you get motion sick easily I suggest you stock up on Gravol. I opted for window seat and popped a pill to zonk me out for the journey.

For more info on travel in South Africa visit Baz Bus and Travel Now Now.

Planning Your Baz Bus Journey Today: Practical Tips, Real Costs & Route Reality

Where Baz Bus Actually Goes Today

Before you build an itinerary, it’s worth knowing that Baz Bus’s route has narrowed since trips like the one described above. The scheduled hop-on hop-off network now runs a single corridor between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth — the Garden Route — with buses departing daily in both directions and no time limit on a one-way ticket. Travelers wanting the fuller Johannesburg-to-Durban-to-Wild-Coast style loop will need to arrange that separately, since those legs are no longer part of the regular bus schedule. A Kruger Park safari is still bookable through Baz Bus, but as a standalone add-on package rather than a stop along the route.

This isn’t necessarily a downgrade — the Garden Route corridor packs in Stellenbosch’s winelands, the Wilderness lagoons, Tsitsikamma’s forest trails, and Addo’s elephants into a tighter, more frequent-departure loop. But it does mean the itinerary below looks different from a Baz Bus trip planned a few years ago, and it’s worth building your route around what the bus actually covers rather than an older map of the network.

Sample Garden Route Itinerary

The hop-on hop-off ticket has no time limit, so there’s no penalty for lingering an extra day anywhere on this list.

What It Actually Costs

Where to stay along the route: For a budget base in Cape Town, Ashanti Lodge Backpackers Gardens is a long-running backpacker institution near the foot of Table Mountain, with a pool and communal kitchen — solid for solo travelers wanting an easy social scene. In Knysna, Stannards Guest Lodge is a 4-star guesthouse with a saltwater pool that suits both honeymooners and families, a short walk from the town center. And for a splurge near Addo, RiverBend Lodge is a five-star property on its own private concession inside the park, with guided game drives included — a strong pick for a safari honeymoon or an end-of-trip treat.

Packing Essentials for Life on the Road

• Soft duffel + day-pack: Luggage rides in a trailer; soft bags fit best and hold up better to the jostling.
• Micro-fibre towel & quick-dry swimwear: Between Wilderness’s rivers and Cape Town’s beaches, you’ll be in and out of water often.
• Universal plug + small power bank: Charging outlets on board can be unreliable.
• Headlamp: Useful for evenings in Tsitsikamma’s forest camps, where lighting can be minimal.
• Travel debit card with no foreign fees: ATM withdrawal fees add up fast; minimize trips.

The Story Behind the Name

Baz Bus started in 1995, when a retired backpacker and accountant named Barry Zeidel decided South Africa needed something he’d used on his own travels through the UK and Europe: a door-to-door bus service built specifically for the hostel circuit. He modeled the concept loosely on a similar UK operator, then brought it home and started running buses along the coast. The nickname stuck after a group of Australian travelers he’d met abroad started calling him “Baz” — a common Antipodean shorthand for Barry — and it became the company name once the service launched.

What began as a twice-weekly service between Cape Town and Durban has grown into a long-running fixture of South African backpacking, and the route has flexed over the decades as demand shifted — including the recent narrowing to the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth corridor. The same door-to-door, hostel-to-hostel model that made the original service popular is still the core of how it works today.

Booking & Seating Hacks

1. Departure dates are flexible: Changes can be made repeatedly up until 24 hours before your scheduled departure, which is handy for weather-dependent plans like a hike or cycling day.
2. Window vs. aisle: The Garden Route’s coastal roads curve often; aisle seats are the better call if you’re prone to motion sickness.
3. Traveling with others: Baz Bus offers a discount when booking two or more passengers together, so coordinate bookings with travel companions rather than buying separately.

Safety & Wi-Fi Realities

• Bus Safety: Onboard storage for passports and valuables is available during rest stops; a small padlock is a smart extra precaution.
• After-Dark Moves: Stick to hostel-arranged transport for nightlife in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
• Connectivity: Free Wi-Fi on board can be inconsistent — a local SIM (Vodacom or MTN) picked up on arrival covers you between towns.

Tiny Detours That Pay Off Big

• Storms River Suspension Bridge: Ask the driver to drop you at the Tsitsikamma National Park gate and hike the hour-long round trail — emerald water meets forest cliffs.
• Winelands Hop (en route from Cape Town): Disembark in Stellenbosch for a day of vineyard cycling before rejoining the bus.
• Cape Peninsula add-on: Bookable separately from Cape Town, a full day covering Cape Point and the penguin colony at Boulders Beach pairs well with a few extra nights in the city before heading toward Port Elizabeth.

FAQ: Baz Bus Road Tripping Across South Africa — Everything You Need to Know Before You Hop On

Planning to explore South Africa’s Garden Route by Baz Bus? Here are the most common questions travelers ask.

How does the Baz Bus work?

It’s a hop-on hop-off backpacker bus with door-to-door service between partner hostels along the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth corridor. You buy one ticket toward your final destination and can stop at towns along the way for as long as you like. The bus picks you up and drops you off at partner accommodations, so there’s no navigating taxis from bus terminals.

Is it cheaper than renting a car?

Often, yes, especially for solo travelers, since you skip petrol, insurance, and navigating unfamiliar roads. Group discounts and hostel tie-ins can lower the cost further. For a group of three or four splitting a rental, a car can be competitive on price, but Baz Bus still wins on ease and not having to worry about driving.

Do I need to book each leg in advance?

You don’t need to lock in every stop upfront. Departure dates can be changed as often as you like up until 24 hours before your scheduled pickup, so it’s easy to adjust your plans as you go.

How often does the bus run?

The Cape Town–Port Elizabeth route runs daily in both directions, so you’re not stuck waiting for an off-day the way earlier, longer versions of the route sometimes required.

Is Baz Bus safe for solo travelers?

Yes. It’s one of the most popular ways for solo backpackers to get around this part of South Africa. Drivers are friendly and keep track of everyone, pickups are from trusted hostels, and you tend to run into the same travelers again further down the route. Stick to hostel-arranged shuttles at night in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth for extra peace of mind.

What’s the vibe like on board?

Pretty social. Expect a mix of solo travelers, couples, and small groups. Drivers keep things lively with local knowledge and stories, and frequent rest stops break up the longer stretches. It’s not luxury travel, but it’s fun.

What’s included in the ticket price?

The ticket covers transportation between stops, including hostel pick-ups and drop-offs. Accommodation, meals, and activities are extra, though some partner hostels offer small discounts to Baz Bus riders.

Where does the Baz Bus actually go?

The scheduled route now runs between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth along the Garden Route, taking in stops like Stellenbosch, Wilderness, Knysna, and Tsitsikamma. It no longer covers Johannesburg, Durban, the Drakensberg, or the Wild Coast as part of the regular hop-on hop-off network — those would need to be arranged as separate transport. A Kruger Park safari package is still bookable through Baz Bus as a standalone add-on.

How flexible are the hop-on hop-off passes?

Very. The one-way ticket has no time limit at all, so you can take as long as you like to travel from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (or the reverse). If you’d rather move back and forth along the route, an 8, 14, or 21-day Travel Pass gives you unlimited direction changes within that window.

What should I pack for the trip?

• Soft duffel (it fits best in the trailer)
• Quick-dry towel & swimwear (you’ll hit beaches, lagoons, and rivers)
• Universal plug & power bank (charging can be unpredictable)
• Headlamp (handy for forest camps and remote stays)
• Motion sickness meds (Garden Route coastal roads curve a lot)
• Local SIM for reliable data (Wi-Fi can be spotty)

What’s a good itinerary for the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth route?

A relaxed 10–12 day run might include:

• Cape Town (Table Mountain & City Bowl)
• Stellenbosch (winelands cycling)
• Wilderness/Knysna (kayaking & the Knysna Heads)
• Tsitsikamma/Storms River (suspension bridge hike)
• Port Elizabeth/Addo (Big Five safari)

You can stretch or shorten depending on time — the one-way pass won’t penalize you for lingering.

Who is Baz Bus best suited for?

• Backpackers and solo travelers who want to see a lot without driving
• Budget travelers who don’t mind basic comfort
• People who like meeting others along the way
• Anyone wanting a low-stress, flexible way to travel the Garden Route

Have you travelled around South Africa?
What do you think is the best way to get around?