South Africa's three established intercity bus companies are Greyhound, Intercape and Translux; between them, they reach most towns in the country. Travel on these buses (commonly called coaches) is safe, comfortable and good value. Fares vary according to distances covered. Generally, you can expect to pay a peak fare of roughly R375 (US$30/£22) from Johannesburg to Cape Town (1434km), and a similar amount from Cape Town to Durban (1639km). Peak fares correspond approximately to school holidays, and you can expect about thirty percent off at other times.

If you plan to make several long journeys, it's worth investing in a pass.By joining Greyhound's Travel Pass (fill in the form at one of their offices), each journey you make earns you points that can eventually buy you a free bus journey. Greyhound also offers a pass that gives seven days' unlimited travel over a thirty-day period for around R950 (US$80/£55); fifteen days over thirty days for R1825 (US$150/£110); or thirty days over sixty days for R2890 (US$240/£170). At the time of writing Translux was planning a similar system of passes.

The Baz Bus operates an extremely useful hop-on/hop-off system aimed at backpackers and budget travelers. The Baz route runs up and down the coast in both directions between Cape Town and Durban. From Durban it goes to Johannesburg and Pretoria through Swaziland or via an alternative route that heads up along the Drakensberg.

As well as the major bus companies, there is a national network of inexpensive buses, some of which are operated by Translux's sister company Transcity (sometimes called Transtate), and others operated by a host of small private companies. It's difficult to get much information about them from travel agents and tourist information offices, though Translux offers some information about the Transcity service. To find out more - and to enquire about other private company services - enquire at the main bus station the day before you travel. Apart from saving money, traveling on these buses also enables you to meet black South African travelers, who are distinctly thin on the ground on the luxury coaches.