With the weather properly turning and another fuel hike on the horizon, this coming long weekend might be an opportunity for South Africans stuck in the capital to head for the coast.
No matter the price of petrol, travelling to Durban is a luxury often reserved for a longer break in the year, especially considering additional costs like toll fees.
Despite the additional costs, taking the N3 to Durban could be cheaper than flying, depending on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
According to a calculation by TopAuto, anyone who plans to drive down to the coast this month can expect to spend a minimum of R1,836 on a round-trip.
This is quite a bit more than it cost only a few months ago, but much less than was expected only last month.
What it costs to drive from Pretoria to Durban
Using central Pretoria as a starting point to central Durban gives a distance of approximately 615km, which should take drivers around six-and-a-half hours to complete.
Since the start of April, Petrol 95 retails for R23.36 per litre inland, following the fuel price adjustment that took effect on 1 April.
Holidaymakers opting to get away this weekend will be doing so just in time, with adjusted prices taking effect on Wednesday, 6 May.
Here is a breakdown of what it could cost you to see the beach this long weekend:
| Fuel economy | Fuel needed | One-way trip | Return trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0l/100km | 25 litres | R584 | R1,168 |
| 5.0l/100km | 31 litres | R724.16 | R1,448.32 |
| 6.0l/100km | 37 litres | R864.32 | R1,728.64 |
| 7.0l/100km | 43 litres | R1,004.48 | R2,008.96 |
| 8.0l/100km | 49 litres | R1,144.64 | R2,289.28 |
| 9.0l/100km | 55 litres | R1,284.80 | R2,569.60 |
| 10.0l/100km | 62 litres | R1,448.32 | R2,896.64 |
| 11.0l/100km | 68 litres | R1,588.48 | R3,176.96 |
| 12.0l/100km | 74 litres | R1,728.64 | R3,457.28 |
| 13.0l/100km | 80 litres | R1,868.80 | R3,737.60 |
Petrol is not the only expense when heading towards the coast, as there are no fewer than five toll plazas to pass en route.
Fees for the five plazas – De Hoek, Wilge, Tugela, Mooi, and Mariannhill – are as follows:
- De Hoek – R65
- Wilge – R90
- Tugela – R96
- Mooi – R67
- Mariannhill – R16
Unless you make use of an alternative route, you will be passing through all five, accumulating an extra R334 in toll fees either way, though an alternative route may result in a higher fuel spend.
Considering all of this, the best-case scenario means paying a minimum of R918 to get to Durban in a fuel-efficient car.
Conversely, it may cost as much as R2,202.80, or even more, if your car’s efficiency is on the opposite side of the range.
Calculating the cost to get to Durban is only half of the equation, unless you are planning on moving there, meaning these numbers can easily be doubled for a round-trip.
That being said, someone in an economical car making the trip can expect to budget as little as R1,836 to drive to Durban and back, while others may need to budget as much as R4,405.20.
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