How much it will cost to drive from Joburg to Durban at R26 per litre this Easter
Families planning to travel this upcoming Easter weekend may be in for a price shock due to the surging cost of fuel.
While petrol was retailing at a four-year low of R20.10 per litre in February 2026, March has been dominated by headlines about the war in the Middle East and its impact on global oil prices.
Unfortunately, the conflict will likely result in massive fuel price hikes next month, as the latest date from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) indicates that petrol will go up by roughly R6 per litre in the first week of April, right before the four-day Easter holiday.
Based on this, TopAuto calculated that anyone in Gauteng who plans to make the trip down to Durban next month will need to spend a minimum of R1,904.80 on fuel and other travel costs.
What it costs to drive from Johannesburg to Durban
We used central Johannesburg as a starting point to measure a route along the N3 to the CBD in Durban.
This route is approximately 570km long and is expected to take six hours.
Right now, petrol 95 is retailing for R20.19 per litre at inland rates, but if the CEF’s predictions hold true, motorists will be paying R26.30 per litre next week.
Consequently, this is how much you can expect to pay for petrol to travel from Joburg to Durban and back again, depending on your car’s fuel efficiency:
| Fuel economy | Fuel needed | One-way trip | Return trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0l/100km | 23 litres | R604.90 | R1,209.80 |
| 5.0l/100km | 29 litres | R762.70 | R1,525.40 |
| 6.0l/100km | 34 litres | R894.20 | R1,788.40 |
| 7.0l/100km | 40 litres | R1,052.00 | R2,104.00 |
| 8.0l/100km | 46 litres | R1,209.80 | R2,419.60 |
| 9.0l/100km | 51 litres | R1,341.30 | R2,682.60 |
| 10.0l/100km | 57 litres | R1,499.10 | R2,998.20 |
| 11.0l/100km | 63 litres | R1,656.90 | R3,313.80 |
| 12.0l/100km | 68 litres | R1,788.40 | R3,576.80 |
| 13.0l/100km | 74 litres | R1,946.20 | R3,892.40 |
Fuel is not the only thing that has become more expensive, as the South African National Roads Agency recently raised prices at toll plazas around the country.
There are five toll gates on the N3 to Durban – De Hoek, Wilge, Tugela, Mooi, and Mariannhill – which charge the following rates:
- De Hoek – R67
- Wilge – R94
- Tugela – R100
- Mooi – R70
- Mariannhill – R16.50
Altogether, this will add R347.50 to the cost of the journey.
Adding this to our fuel bill, we can see that it will cost a minimum of R952.40 to drive to Durban, which doubles to R1,904.80 for a return trip.
This is assuming you have a very fuel-efficient car, mind you, as a particularly thirsty model can cost its owner R2,293.70 to make the same drive to the coast, which increases to R4,587.40 to make the trip back home.
For reference, the same return journey would have cost motorists a minimum of R1,592.60 back in February, meaning that consumers will be spending at least R313.20 more on fuel once April’s price adjustments kick in.
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