Taking a bus? Here are some alternatives to Greyhound

Travellers who had trips scheduled with Greyhound and Citiliner scheduled for post Valentine’s Day will now have to find alternative liners to complete their trips.

This after Southern African luxury coach service, Greyhound, announced on Wednesday that the company would cease to exist after 14 February 2021.

Announcement: Greyhound and Citiliner are closing operations. Services will run until 14 February 2021. Passengers with tickets booked for services after this date will be refunded. For assistance with refunds, contact Call Centre: 087 352 0352 or email: refunds@greyhound.co.za. pic.twitter.com/n6kFJ0uQaO

— Greyhound (@GreyhoundRSA) February 3, 2021

Whether you’re a Greyhound/Citiliner customer looking to spend your refund on a new bus ticket, or a traveller looking to hit the road by bus, here are a few bus companies to consider.

Intercape

Intercape Bus service is one of the biggest bus companies in Southern Africa, offering trips to seven countries on the continent.

Intercape covers more than 200 stops in countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Pricing and routes

Bus Ticket, a website that facilitates the purchase of bus tickets, listed the Intercape routes on a comparative basis.

When travelling on Intercape from Johannesburg to Durban, one could expect to pay about R210 to R440 per seat. Pricing depends on a number of factors.

An eight-hour Intercape trip from Pretoria to Durban usually costs between R230 to R380.

There are a number of ways to book Intercape tickets:

• online via Intercape’s website
• by phone on 0861-287-287 or +27 21-380-4400 for international travellers
• directly from one Intercape’s many offices across South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

City to City

Covering eight provinces around South Africa, City to City has many buses route options for their passengers.

Buses leave from many cities, such as Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg and others.

City to City also covers more than 50 destination in South Africa and Mozambique.

Pricing and routes

Travellers going from Cape Town to Durban can expect to pay at least R590 for a 22-hour ride. Bus Ticket estimates the going rate at other bus companies between R650 and R680.

A six-hour trip from Bloemfontein to Pretoria can cost anything between R170 and R530 per seat, according to the site.

There are other bus companies that take this same route as Intercape, Eldo Coaches and Translux.

Features

City to City buses offer individual armrests, onboard toilet facilities, three-point safety belts and reading lights.

City to City bus tickets can be bought at a City to City travel agency, booked online via the City to City website at www.citytocity.co.za and passengers who choose this method can pay online using credit cards.

Bus tickets can also be bought by phone through the company’s call centre on 0861-589-282.

Eagle Liner

Eagle Liner buses boast cheap and affordable bus fares on modern and comfortable buses for safe and reliable semi-luxury travel.

Pricing and routes

Eagle Liner has many bus routes that travel from Johannesburg, Harare in Zimbabwe and Durban to a range of destinations across Southern Africa.

As of 3 Feb 2021, pricing on this liner is as follows:

• Johannesburg to Durban standard liner (R300)
• Johannesburg to Cape Town standard liner (R480)
• Johannesburg to Polokwane (R450-R510)

Daily and occasional passengers are able to buy bus tickets in many ways: online through the Eagle Liner official site at www.eagleliner.co.za and at Eagle Liner agencies or at Eagle Liner offices

Features

Eagle Liner buses come equipped with semi-reclining soft seats, heating, air conditioning, a DVD player and radio player.

ALSO READ: Workers fret over retrenchment as Greyhound grinds to a halt

For security reasons, all buses are also equipped with satellite tracking, cameras on board and driver speeds are regularly monitored.

Intercity Xpress

Intercity Xpress is a 10-year-old South African luxury coach operation for daily and seasonal travellers.

The company has a fleet of 65 lux liner coaches that travel a wealth of routes, ferrying an estimated 680,000 locals and tourists yearly.

Pricing and routes

When travelling between Johannesburg to Durban on Intercity Xpress, one can expect to pay between R210 and R440.

Pretoria to Durban can cost anything between R200 and R340, while the trip from Johannesburg to Bulawayo usually costs between R620 and R620.

Features

On this liner, one can expect to find reclining seats, onboard bathroom facilities, audio and visual entertainment (radio and DVD), as well as climate control.

Tickets can be bought online at www.intercityxpress.co.za and paid for using only using a credit card.

For ticket purchases by phone, passengers can call 087-150-1895, or visit an Intercity Xpress travel agency to make their purchases in person.

Translux

Translux is one of the most popular companies in South Africa and offers reliable and safe coach trips to the country’s main cities.

Translux routes cover more than 100 destinations in provinces such as Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Pricing

As of 3 February 2021, pricing on this liner is as follows:

• Cape Town to East London (R350 to R440)
• Cape Town to Johannesburg (R399 to R780)
• Pretoria to Durban (R230 to R380)

Double-decker and the single-decker Translux buses feature heaters and air conditioning, audio and visual entertainment, onboard toilet facilities, reading lights and reclining seats.

Travellers can buy their Translux bus tickets in many different ways:

• Online at www.translux.co.za using a credit card
• By phone on 0861-589-282
• Translux travel agency

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