Flying versus driving to Durban and Cape Town – The price winner is clear

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Flying versus driving to Durban and Cape Town – The price winner is clear

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula recently gazetted the new toll tariffs for 2020, outlining fee increases for toll roads across the country.

The gazette also included the fees schedule for the controversial Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) – also known as e-tolls.

These toll fee increases mean it is even more expensive to drive from Johannesburg to Durban and Cape Town, but many South Africans may still prefer this to the perceived expense of flight tickets.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Except its not cheaper to fly, even for 1 person.

The flight merely gets you to King Shaka or Cape Town International... now you have to factor in the car rental/uber to get you to and from wherever you are going...

You only need to be in a city for 2 or 3 days before driving actually becomes cheaper (even for a single person)

 

[susefan]

Except its not cheaper to fly, even for 1 person.

The flight merely gets you to King Shaka or Cape Town International... now you have to factor in the car rental/uber to get you to and from wherever you are going...

You only need to be in a city for 2 or 3 days before driving actually becomes cheaper (even for a single person)

I was coming to say the same.

 

[Zophos]

I agree with @ToxicBunny , although you also have to consider who is flying.

For a private trip, no business and time costs considered, driving is far cheaper.

For a Business Trip (Managers etc) you also need to factor in the Cost to company lost due to time of the person travelling.

 

[NeonNinja]

Except its not cheaper to fly, even for 1 person.

The flight merely gets you to King Shaka or Cape Town International... now you have to factor in the car rental/uber to get you to and from wherever you are going...

You only need to be in a city for 2 or 3 days before driving actually becomes cheaper (even for a single person)

Get your family/friend to fetch you from the airport.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Get your family/friend to fetch you from the airport.

That would make it even more expensive since you have to factor in their maintenance costs as well as time.

 

[furpile]

And how do you get from your house to the airport? And from the other airport to wherever you are going? This is not a fair comparison because the driving cost includes these trips. If you live close to an airport it might not be a big issue, but the Gautrain was R150 just for the airport leg last time I checked. If you rent a car at the other end that is another R500+ a day. Public transport in South Africa is not quite at the point where you can get around without your own transport, unless you are going for something very specific.

 

[ToxicBunny]

And how do you get from your house to the airport? And from the other airport to wherever you are going? This is not a fair comparison because the driving cost includes these trips. If you live close to an airport it might not be a big issue, but the Gautrain was R150 just for the airport leg last time I checked. If you rent a car at the other end that is another R500+ a day. Public transport in South Africa is not quite at the point where you can get around without your own transport, unless you are going for something very specific.

I had forgotten to factor in the trip to the airport, as well as parking...

Then driving becomes even cheaper then.

 

[Pilgrim]

Is this "article" sponsored by SAA?

 

[rpm]

Is this "article" sponsored by SAA?

Even if it was I think we can still claim that we did not receive any payment for the article

 

[furpile]

I had forgotten to factor in the trip to the airport, as well as parking...

Then driving becomes even cheaper then.

Yip, and the further you live from an airport the worse it becomes. From Richards Bay it is 1,5 hours drive to King Shaka, with almost R100 toll fees one way. Parking for the weekend is close to R200. From OR Tambo to my family is another hours drive. That quickly becomes more expensive than driving. You are paying for the convenience only.

Which is also why flying from Richards Bay directly to OR Tambo is typically R1500 one way.

 

[GhostSixFour]

Everyone talking about convenience, when you have to be at the airport 2 hours before your flight, so you end up leaving your house 30minutes before that. Arrive at the airport in durbs and well, the location of the airport means it'll take an additional to get to closest family member, add in the flight time of an hour and the total travel time is 4.5hours. Driving down takes me 5.5hours. So, no real saving in time there either.

Yes, I get you don't actually need to be 2 hours early, and yes some people don't need to travel an hour once they get there. However, for me, it doesn't even make sense from a timing perspective.

This ofcourse refers to durban. CT is a different ball game.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Precisely that @GhostSixFour

The JHB - DBN leg is not really more convenient to fly from a time point of view.. from a comfort point of view maybe... but that doesn't really factor into the costing aspect.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

honestly flying makes a lot more sense, especially if you live closer to the airport here in JHB.

yes car rental/uber costs and so on, but again this depends on what your purpose is in Durban.

 

[Darynv]

Is this "article" sponsored by SAA?

Can't be, SAA no longer flies to Durban

 

[ToxicBunny]

honestly flying makes a lot more sense, especially if you live closer to the airport here in JHB.

yes car rental/uber costs and so on, but again this depends on what your purpose is in Durban.

How does it make a lot more sense (other than for CPT, where its usually cheaper and WAY faster)?

 

[ShaunSA]

So we fly to Jhb and then what? Walk around all over the place?

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

How does it make a lot more sense (other than for CPT, where its usually cheaper and WAY faster)?

again like I said in the previous thread, what do you intend to do in DBN and how long are you going for?
2 weeks with 4 people,
drive rather

but 3 days just yourself and a laptop,
rather fly and either collect a rental car or get somebody to pick you up.

I mean one could actually expand it and say, whats cheaper? bus or train or driving yourself.

 

[ToxicBunny]

again like I said in the previous thread, what do you intend to do in DBN and how long are you going for?
2 weeks with 4 people,
drive rather

but 3 days just yourself and a laptop,
rather fly and either collect a rental car or get somebody to pick you up.

I mean one could actually expand it and say, whats cheaper? bus or train or driving yourself.

3 days with yourself and a laptop its cheaper to drive. and the additional time component would add up to around an hour, maybe 2.

Bus/Train is a minimum 12 hour trip these days, if not more. and cost wise doesn't outweigh the additional time it takes.

 

[Sepeng]

One last thing I'll throw in is - driving costs the same no matter when you're travelling. Flying on a Friday/ Sunday jacks those flight prices up mighty fast.
Going solo, I'll fly. Every day. Family of four for a long weekend, road trip.