South Africa has a number of airlines flying between its major cities, and to some of its smaller ones, with fares ranging from first-class to cut-price economy. Flights can be booked online from anywhere in the world.

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) operates South Africa's 10 principal airports, including the three major international airports at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The other seven are domestic airports in Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley, Upington and Pilanesberg.

Seven major domestic airlines operate in the country, as well as a number of smaller charter airline companies.

South African Airways, South African Express and Airlink and fly between all the major cities and to some of the smaller ones.

Kulula.com, 1time and Mango offer cut-price flights on the more popular routes, between Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit and George.

British Airways, operated by Comair, operates flights between the major centres.

All flight operators offer online booking services, with payment by credit card or directly into the relevant bank account.

You need to be at the airport an hour before departure for domestic flights.

Kulula.com

Offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town, Durban, George, Port Elizabeth, East London and Nelspruit.

The airline also offers flights from Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George.

• Call centre: 0861 KULULA / 0861 585852
• International bookings (from outside SA): +27 11 921 0111
• General enquiries: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Group bookings: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Kulula.com online bookings

1time

Offers low-cost, single-class flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and George, and from those cities back to Johannesburg.

• Call centre: 0861 345 345, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Head office: +27 11 928 8000, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Group bookings: 0861 345 345, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

• 1time online bookings

Manngo

A no-frills carrier operated by SAA, Mango offers low-cost, single-class flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town Durban, and Bloemfontein.

• Reservations: +27 11 978 1111
• Call centre: 0861 1 MANGO (0861 162 646)
• Call centre from outside SA: Johannesburg: +27 11 359 1222, Cape Town: +27 21 936 1061
• E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Mango online bookings

South African Airways

South Africa's national carrier flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru - as well as into Southern Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. It offers economy, business and first class cabins.

• Reservations: +27 11 978 1111
• Call centre: 0861 FLY SAA (0861 359 722)
• Call centre from outside SA: +27 11 978 5313
• E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• SAA online bookings

Airlink

Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, George, Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Kimberley, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Nelspruit/Kruger, Hoedspriut, Margate, Phalaborwa, Mmabatho, Manzini and Maseru - as well as into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mozambique. Classes are economy, business and first.

• Customer care and head office: +27 11 961 1700
• Call centre: 0861 FLY SAA (0861 359 722)
• Call centre from outside SA: +27 11 978 5313
• Group bookings: +27 11 961 1732
• E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• South African Airlink online bookings

South African Express

Flies locally between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Richards Bay, Hoedspruit, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Nelspruit - as well as into Botswana, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Flights are in economy, business and first class.

• Call centre: +27 11 978 9900
• Reservations: +27 11 978 5577, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Group Reservations: +27 11 978 9905, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• South African Express Online Bookings

British Airways

Offers return flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, and between Cape Town and Durban. Offers economy, premier economy, business/club and first class flights.

• OR Tambo (formerly Johannesburg) International Airport: +27 11 387 9000
• Reservations: +27 11 441 8400
• British Airways online bookings

Online booking services

A number of independent web-based agencies offer pricing comparisons between the airlines, and online booking services. A selection of these are:

• travelstart.co.za
• ifly.co.za
• cheapfares.co.za

SAinfo reporter

Roads

Our road infrastructure is excellent, so driving is a viable option, but South Africa is a huge country not easily traversed in a day, so plan your journeys carefully. If you're not used to driving long distances, rather break the journey, as fatigue is a major contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents.

While most national roads are tarred and in good condition, the more rural the road, the more likely it is to be pot-holed and poorly surfaced.

Road Info, Maps

Current information on the conditions of roads can be obtained through the Automobile Association of South Africa. The AA also provides invaluable guides for road users in the form of strip maps tailored for specific destinations and information for tourists on accommodation en route.

Main roads are identified by colour and number rather than by name, and with a good map which incorporates the route marker system, visitors should have little difficulty in finding their way around.

• South Africa Map
• Automobile Association of SA
• Shell Geostar

Toll Roads

Before you set off, check your route. Many of the national roads between the major centres are toll roads. Check the toll fees before you leave, and make sure that you have either a credit card or cash to pay. Toll fares for a light passenger vehicle vary from R2.50 to R46.00.

• Routes Travel Info Portal: Toll Roads

Watch out for animals in rural areas

Be aware that the roads in many rural areas are not fenced, so you could find dogs, chickens, sheep and even horses or cows on the road, so it may be dangerous to drive at night.

Large antelope crossing the road can also be a hazard in certain areas – watch out for the road signs depicting a leaping antelope, and take it slowly, especially towards evening.

Keep left, belt up, think kilometres

We drive on the left-hand side of the road, and our cars – rental cars included – are right-hand drive vehicles. All distances, speed limits (and speedometers) are in kilometres.

Wearing of seat belts is compulsory. Using hand-held phones while driving is against the law – use a vehicle phone attachment or hands-free kit, if you want to speak on your mobile phone. The law prohibits the use of hand-held phones while driving but that doesn’t stop most of the locals from using them.

Speed limit

The general speed limit on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 120km/h (75mph). On secondary (rural) roads it is 100km/h (60mph). In built-up areas it is usually 60km/h (35mph) unless otherwise indicated. Check the road signs.

Driver’s Licences

Any valid driver’s licence is accepted provided it bears the photograph and signature of the holder and is printed in English.

Filling Up

A variety of petrol (gas) stations are situated on both main and country roads. Most of them are open 24 hours a day, although some keep shorter hours. However, distances between towns (and therefore between petrol stations) are considerable in some parts of the country, so it is advisable to fill up your tank before your car starts giving warning signals.

Different petrol types are available: unleaded, and 95- or 93-octane ("super" or "premium"). The 95-octane petrol is available in the higher altitude, inland regions, while 93 or lower is used at the coast.

If you are hiring a car it is likely to require unleaded petrol, but check before you set off.

South African petrol stations are not self-help: an attendant will fill the car, check oil and water and tire pressure and, if necessary, clean the windscreen – for which he or she will expect a tip of two or three rand.