What it costs to drive from Joburg to Durban this December
Households planning to drive from Johannesburg down to Durban this December can expect to pay at least R1,907 to do so, based on the current price of petrol.
South Africa was unfortunately hit with fuel price hikes this month, leading to higher travel costs for Gautengers wishing to get out of town for a few weeks to enjoy the blue skies and warm waters of KwaZulu-Natal.
City to coast at R21 per litre
Using central Gauteng as a starting point, the route down to Durban will be roughly 584km long and take about six hours.
The cost of fuel, meanwhile, is currently set at R21.47 per litre for petrol 95 at inland rates, following the latest increases.
Consequently, this is how much you will need to budget for petrol based on your car’s fuel efficiency:
| Efficiency | Fuel needed | One-way trip | Return trip |
| 5.0l/100km | 29.20 litres | R627 | R1,254 |
| 6.0l/100km | 35.04 litres | R752 | R1,504 |
| 7.0l/100km | 40.88 litres | R878 | R1,756 |
| 8.0l/100km | 46.72 litres | R1,003 | R2,006 |
| 9.0l/100km | 52.56 litres | R1,128 | R2,256 |
| 10.0l/100km | 58.40 litres | R1,254 | R2,508 |
| 11.0l/100km | 64.24 litres | R1,379 | R2,758 |
| 12.0l/100km | 70.08 litres | R1,505 | R3,010 |
| 13.0l/100km | 75.92 litres | R1,630 | R3,260 |
This isn’t the only cost involved with the journey, however, as there are also five separate toll plazas along the N3.
These are the up-to-date fees for each of the toll booths:
- Mooi – R66
- Wilge – R88
- Tugela – R94
- De Hoek – R63
- Marian Hill – R15.50
Putting it all together, you’ll need to add another R326.50 to your trip’s expenses.
Luckily, e-tolls were shut down at the start of April this year, which removes a small but appreciable part of the final travel cost.
Combining the toll fees with the fuel tab then shows that motorists will be spending a minimum of R953,50 to head to the coast this holiday, assuming you have an economical car.
On the opposite extreme, any individual who drives to Durban in a powerful and thirsty set of wheels will end up spending around R1,956.50 to do so.
This is only for the first leg of the adventure, mind you, as we have to double these sums for the return trip, meaning road users will fork out between R1,907 and R3,913 this December to drive to and from Johannesburg and Durban.
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