How do I get from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg without a car?

Taking the bus is the best way to travel to Pietermaritzburg without a car. The bus trip is an affordable, safe and convenient way to travel between the two cities. You also have the choice of using carpooling services.

How long is the bus ride from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

The average travel time from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg is about 6h 10m, but the fastest bus can get you there in about 5h 30m. This is the time it takes to travel the 167 miles (269 km) that separate the two cities.

How far is Mthatha from Pietermaritzburg?

Mthatha and Pietermaritzburg are 167 miles (269 km) apart.

What is the cheapest way to travel from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

The cheapest way to travel this route is by bus. $20 is the starting point for the cost-effective bus ride to Pietermaritzburg from Mthatha.

How much does a bus ticket from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg cost?

The bus ticket costs $26 on average. In the last 30 days, the prices ranged from $20 to $66, so it's good to do your research before booking.

Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg Bus Tickets

Q: What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

Most of the buses traveling from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg leave from Southridge Park - Shell Ultra City and arrive at Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds). These are the most popular departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can also find other options that could better fit your plans.

TodayMay 1

from $21

TomorrowMay 2

from $19

SatMay 3

SunMay 4

MonMay 5

TueMay 6

WedMay 7

ThuMay 8

Cheap buses leaving tomorrow

One passenger / one way

This trip is recommended because it is: Cheapest
Departure time: May 2 at 3:00pm
Departure city: Mthatha
Departure location: Umtata Station
Arrival time: May 2 at 9:30pm
Destination city: Pietermaritzburg
Destination location: PIETERMARITZBURG - Mc Donalds Centre
Operated by: APMWC
Vehicle: BusDuration: 6h 30m
This trip is recommended because it is: Fastest
Departure time: May 2 at 2:05am
Departure city: Mthatha
Departure location: Intercape Office, King Edward Street (opposite Train Station)
Arrival time: May 2 at 7:35am
Destination city: Pietermaritzburg
Destination location: Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)
Operated by: Intercape Mainliner
Vehicle: BusDuration: 5h 30m
Departure time: May 2 at 2:40pm
Departure city: Mthatha
Departure location: Circle Triangle Bus Rank - Mthatha
Arrival time: May 2 at 10:10pm
Destination city: Pietermaritzburg
Destination location: Pietermaritzburg
Operated by: BIGTREE
Vehicle: BusDuration: 7h 30m
Departure time: May 2 at 1:50am
Departure city: Mthatha
Departure location: Shell Ultra City, Shell Garage N2
Arrival time: May 2 at 7:35am
Destination city: Pietermaritzburg
Destination location: Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)
Operated by: Intercape Mainliner
Vehicle: BusDuration: 5h 45m
Departure time: May 2 at 4:00pm
Departure city: Mthatha
Departure location: Shell Ultra City, Shell Garage N2
Arrival time: May 2 at 11:50pm
Destination city: Pietermaritzburg
Destination location: Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)
Operated by: Intercape Budgetliner
Vehicle: BusDuration: 7h 50m

Accepted payments

Bus Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg: Trip Overview

Average ticket price$26

Average bus trip duration6h 10m

Number of daily buses18

Earliest bus departure1:50am

Distance167 miles (269 km)

Latest bus departure7:20pm

Compare bus companies

Intercape

3.5/539,485 reviews

Staff4.3

Timeliness3.2

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi1.2

Many users have praised the service for being convenient, safe, and provided by a caring staff. However, there are some common concerns about delays without communication and non-functional charging ports. Despite these issues, passengers generally enjoyed their journeys due to cautious driving and overall positive experiences with the staff.

Intercape Mainliner Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

The bus I was waiting for was late about an hour and was full so I had to wait for the second one otherwise I enjoyed the journey especially the driver was very cautious.

Prudence Lumka F.

January 9, 2025

I did not enjoy the trip. The driver seemed to be inexperienced in driving. His driving was not right. He had a problem when it came to breaking if the is a car infront of him

Nasiphi S.

January 4, 2025

The bus was late and no one bothered to tell us what was going on The toilet was stinky,half of the bus from the back was smelling urine

Nomxolisi M.

December 11, 2024

Big Sky

3.5/52,106 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.3

Cleanliness4.3

Wifi1.6

Based on 2106 reviews, the company was rated 3.6 stars on Busbud. Travelers were especially satisfied with the ticket access and the staff but often complained with the wifi. Big Sky ticket prices on this trip start at $22.00

Big Sky Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

Bus was extremely delayed.. was scheduled to arrive at the destination at 17.20pm but got there at 20.30pm. Toilets were horrible, passenger got injured in bus toilet and hit her head and bled

Aphelele N.

April 6, 2025

APM WC

2/51,745 reviews

Staff2.5

Timeliness0.9

Cleanliness2.5

Wifi0.4

Eagle Liner

2.5/58,659 reviews

Staff3.7

Timeliness2.3

Cleanliness3.5

Wifi0.7

Eagleliner bus company connects South Africa’s largest cities and beach resorts. They are known for having the most affordable fares in the country, so if the price is your main concern, this might the bus company for you. Their buses are equipped with standard features, like reclining seats, air conditioning and bathrooms. You can travel with up to 25kg of luggage, which is more than enough for most travelers. If your travel plans change, you can reschedule your ticket by paying a 20% fee, up to 6 hours before travel time.

Delta Coaches

1.5/53,231 reviews

Staff1.9

Timeliness0.8

Cleanliness2

Wifi0.3

Intercity Xpress

3/58,845 reviews

Staff3.9

Timeliness2.5

Cleanliness3.7

Wifi1

Intercity Xpress is a long-distance bus company operating in South Africa. The company established itself as an affordable intercity bus operator, offering services between cities all over the country. Their coaches are equipped with standard seats and they have a generous luggage policy of up to 25 kg. Although they make an effort to respect their timetables, travelers report that delays are expected for Intercity Xpress, so it's good to be flexible with your schedule if you're traveling with them. Their cancellation policy is also flexible, as you can cancel your ticket up to 6 hours before travel time and get a refund of 80% of your ticket value.

Intercity Xpress Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

The bus broke down many times,it was overheating at some point, it was supposed to arrive at 10 pm yesterday,it's still 35kms away, more than 8 hours late,disgusting to say the least.

Nokupiwa V.

February 8, 2025

Not good, pick ups were too many, at some point the bus stopped in the middle of nowhere because of overheating, bus was scheduled to arrive at destination by 10pm, but ended up arriving at 12:30am

Zikhona L.

November 2, 2024

There was a problem with another bus, that they were trying to sort out, the challenge is that they never communicated with the customers on what was going on, we just assumed as we saw the situation unfold

Letele M.

January 12, 2023

BIGTREE

2.5/599 reviews

Staff3.4

Timeliness2.2

Cleanliness3.6

Wifi0.7

Greyhound South Africa

3/57,660 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness4

Wifi1.2

TRANSITLINER

1.5/536 reviews

Staff2.5

Timeliness1.3

Cleanliness1.7

LUVALOBROTHERSTRANSPORT

4/547 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness3.7

Wifi1.8

VILAMORA

2/5776 reviews

Staff2.4

Timeliness1.2

Cleanliness2.3

Wifi0.4

ZA bus companies: Intercape, Big Sky, Intercity Xpress, Greyhound South Africa, Eagle Liner, APM WC, Delta Coaches

Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg Bus

With Busbud, comparing and booking tickets for a bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg is a breeze. Browse through an extensive selection of bus fares and bus schedules to find the best deals.

We make sure you can find a bus service from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg from the most reliable bus companies operating this trip.

Discover how much the bus trip from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg will cost you. Use our filters and sorting features to find the cheapest bus tickets or luxury buses.

Where are the popular stops in Mthatha and Pietermaritzburg?

Stops in Mthatha

A - Southridge Park - Shell Ultra City

B - Umtata Station

Stops in Pietermaritzburg

A - Pietermaritzburg - Intercape Office, Burger Street (opposite McDonalds)

Frequently asked questions for your trip Mthatha - Pietermaritzburg

How do I get from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg without a car?
How long is the bus ride from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?
How far is Mthatha from Pietermaritzburg?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?
What is the cheapest way to travel from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?
How much does a bus ticket from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg cost?

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

04/29

$20

04/30

$22

Today

$21

05/02

$19

05/03

$21

05/04

No data

05/05

$19

05/06

$19

The cheapest trip from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg was searched and found on May 6, 2025 with a price of $19

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $19 to $60 for a bus ticket from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $19 which is on 2025-05-06.

Usually BIGTREE will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Meet and talk to locals at the bus stations while traveling from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg.There is no better way to get inside travel information while exploring a new city than to go straight to its people.

Start sightseeing the minute your bus leaves the station. If you're on the night bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg, get comfy and count the stars.

Buses have one of the smallest carbon footprints of motorized transport modes. A bus going from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg will emit less CO2 than a car or an airplane.

Make a music playlist for your bus ride from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg, and enjoy the scenery to tunes from your own personal soundtrack.

Did you know?

Did you know some bus companies in Germany offer to their passenger low-costs snacks and regional beer based on their destination? Prosit!

It takes 27 hours to go by bus from Lima to Cusco, one of the craziest bus trips on the world. This route is used daily by locals and backpackers.

Did you know that 80% of the buses in North America are equipped with WiFi and power outlets ? And 60% of bus travelers have used their electronic device on board during 2014.

Will you be returning to Mthatha by bus?

Bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg

Top traveled bus routes

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The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

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Bus Tickets from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg

One passenger / one way

Cheap buses leaving tomorrow

One passenger / one way

Bus Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg: Trip Overview

Compare bus companies

Intercape Mainliner Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

Big Sky Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

Delta Coaches Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

Intercity Xpress Mthatha Pietermaritzburg recent customer reviews

Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg Bus

Where are the popular stops in Mthatha and Pietermaritzburg?

Frequently asked questions for your trip Mthatha - Pietermaritzburg

How do I get from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg without a car?

How long is the bus ride from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

How far is Mthatha from Pietermaritzburg?

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

What is the cheapest way to travel from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg?

How much does a bus ticket from Mthatha to Pietermaritzburg cost?

Find cheapest prices for buses

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Did you know?

Will you be returning to Mthatha by bus?

Top traveled bus routes

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

People from around the world trust Busbud

Popular Buses Connecting Mthatha

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Popular Buses Connecting Pietermaritzburg

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Popular routes in this country

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