BootsnAll Travel Community

Another SA question (I'm leaving in two weeks for my one month trip through the country-YAY!)...

I'm thinking about traveling by Baz Bus, which sounds great, as far as getting to/from most the places I'm thinking about visiting and meeting other backpackers, but I have a few questions.

Does it ever get crowded/overbooked?
Same question for the hostels they have services to/from...

I was looking at the timetable online, and I noticed that for certain routes, the Baz Bus doesn't run everyday, which means either careful planning or possibly getting stuck somewhere longer than I want to. (Which also means potentially missing out on other cool sites - I only have a month!) So, I am wondering about supplementing with other busing services...

How are Greyhound and other coaches as far as service and safety?
Am I going to end up spending too much on transit if I am buying random Greyhound tickets when Baz Bus can't meet my needs?

Any other thoughts on getting around SA? I'm traveling alone, so safe travel is a concern, and I generally hate driving, so self-drive isn't my thing!

Thanks!
Michelle

I don't have any first hand experience on Baz Bus... i'll get trekker onto this thread! from what i can work out the service is pretty regular between the major cities and because of the time of the year you are arriving, i don't think the hostels will be full... it's off season now!

As far as buses go... they are pretty safe and reliable, check out this site for a list of companies. I wouldn't recommend the train to get between provinces... it's not that safe for a solo traveller!

We have a 3 very good budget airlines, Kulula, Mango and One Time, they could be an option as well!

hi
BAZ bus is great: it is VERY popular so you have to book in advance
its best to plan yer whole trip if you can and get it all booked prior to gettng there...but in many cases I believe BAZbus arranges teh stays too

greyhound are good but expensive

pick up lifts at the hoistels if you can

dont miss Coffee Bay, Island Vibe at J-Bay, and try Bettys Bay (nr. Hermanus) too

enjoy!

The Baz Bus is certainly popular, but when I traveled alone on it (Cape Town to Johannesburg via the Swaziland route) not that long ago, I was always able to get a seat on the bus by calling and reserving it the day before. Usually I booked it 3 days ahead, though, and that's probably what you should do if you're on a tight schedule.

Bjørn