Backpacker Bus

Q: Some time back you wrote about a bus service used primarily by young people to travel around South Africa. Could you please provide details of this service, as a nephew of mine from the UK is interested in travelling around South Africa for three weeks? - Pam Whitford

A: The Baz Bus service runs between Cape Town and Johannesburg/Pretoria. There are two routes, one via the Drakensburg and the other via Swaziland. The service is very popular among backpackers, as the operators have links with more than 180 backpacker hostels and lodges on the route. The service is considered very safe as passengers are dropped and collected right outside their guesthouses or lodges. There are various ticketing options, the most popular being the 7, 14 and 21 day passes which allow passengers to stop over wherever they wish within the specified time period on any route. The price of these passes, including a fuel surcharge, is R1250 (7-day), R2250 (14-day) and R3050 (21 day). There are also tickets without any time limit. A return ticket between Johannesburg and Cape Town is R4450, while a one-way ticket between Johannesburg/Pretoria and Durban is R1400. For further details, contact Baz Bus on telephone 021 439 2323 or check out thewww.bazbus.com website.