Transportation in the Eastern Cape

Cities in the Eastern Cape are well connected to the other cities of South Africa by train, bus, and plane. The authorities ramped up the South African transportation infrastructure before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and therefore facilities are continually improving.

Getting to Port Elizabeth and Addo is easy because of its excellent connectivity with the surrounding areas. International visitors need to disembark at the nearest international airport and take a connecting flight or bus to the city!

Our Eastern Cape Transportation Guide below tells you about the methods of transportation available for getting around and getting to the city. Working out a Port Elizabeth and Addo tour with your travel agent before you start for the city is a good option. More general information about getting to and from South Africa, as well as travelling around the country, can be found at our South Africa Transportation Guide.

Port Elizabeth and Addo Transportation Guide

Getting to the Eastern Cape

By Air

The Port Elizabeth Airport was built in 1929. It caters to more than eight million passengers annually, and facilitates more than 30,000 flights. Flights operated by South African Airways (SAA) and British Airways connect Port Elizabeth to South Africa's major destinations. Besides these major airlines, smaller budget carriers also operate flights to the city. Air charter services are popular with tour groups.

For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.

By Road

Hiring a luxury tour bus in Port Elizabeth is a cheap and comfortable option to go sightseeing in nearby cities. There are many buses between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, covering the entire Garden Route. From Cape Town, you can take a bus to Johannesburg while passing through Windhoek, Upington, and many other notable tourist destinations of South Africa. Have your cameras handy, because you will be passing through some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country.

You can also hire a car in Port Elizabeth to reach the Addo Elephant Park from nearby cities. The airport has provisions for car rentals.

By Train

The city is connected to Cape Town and Johannesburg by train. This is a comfortable way to take in the beauty of the land, something you might miss if you travel by air.

Getting Around the Eastern Cape

One of the major complaints that visitors to Port Elizabeth have is that the city has no efficient public transport. Most travellers prefer to hire a car for getting around. Buses are few and far between and generally far too cramped for comfortable travel, particularly for sightseers. Communal taxis often replace buses on many routes, but these are crowded and not safe after sunset. Of course, if you love the adventure of not knowing exactly where the next "bus" stop is, or crave the convenience of being able to wave down a taxi-bus at any point on the road, this might be an experience worth having. If you are not a budget traveller, you can hire a regular taxi for touring the city.

Inside Addo Elephant Park, you are allowed to go on a self drive safari without a guide. It is better though, to opt for an organised Eastern Cape safari tour. There is no public transport inside the park and you are not allowed to walk outside demarcated areas due to dangerous animals.