Getting to Sun City
 

Hi, I am spending a few days in Sun City June 19-22. I'm not really sure whats the best way to get there however. I know SA Express operates props for about 130$, but thats kinda expensive. I read that there is an Impala bus service from JNB airport to Sun City, but it won't allow me to book online via computicket. Any suggestions? Think the best way is to wait and buy bus tickets at the airport? I'm not wandering into downtown Jo'burg to find a bus.
Thx

Bossox1, We are planning a trip to Sun City in early July and have decided to drive from JNB (we have four of us). Car rentals seem reasonable, and we are planning to do a couple local attractions outside the complex once we are there. I am estimating a 2-3 hr drive, but really doing it by the seat of our pants. I would also be interested in any responses you get from anyone with any experience there.

Robin

I was a passenger in a car for the drive to Sun City (driven by a JNB resident who was an excellent driver). This was in 1995 so conditions might have changed, but the drive was quite nice. Road was mostly 2 lane country road with light traffic (it would be a problem with heavy traffic). Took about 3 hours driving very fast for the road conditions (doubt you as a US driver could do it in less than 4, but the road may have been rebuilt by now). Be careful about very slow trucks on the road -- you can be doing 70 mph on a blind curve and come up onto a 20 mph truck! And they will win every time. I was quite intrigued by my friends driving style until I realized he was anticipating the possible hazards; and every so often the hazards do pop up. Make sure to schedule your trip so that it is entirely in daylight, you don't want to do this drive in the dark.

Wow, sounds like the roads arn't a very easy way. I'm only 18 and renting a car seems a bit unreasonable to say the least. Maybe I'll just look into the SA Airlink.

There's a bus that runs, I believe, 3 times daily from the airport right into the Sun City complex. By South African standards it is hopelessly overpriced, at close to $30 each way, but obviously convenient. Either the airport or Sun City information will have details of this service.

I have driven JNB to Sun City many times but the first time is definitely awkward as it is not a direct highway. However, it is very nice, broad, 2 lane hard top road.

But like most places in South Africa, driving is not recommended at night on account of danger from wandering animals and drunk drivers.

I've flown, driven and taken the bus to Sun City several times.

The roads are fine, and once you are clear of Johannesburg /Pretoria, traffic is light. If you have no problems with driving on the left, you should be fine. Driving may actually be faster than flying, depending on how much time you have between flights in JNB.

Flying is obviously the most relaxing way of getting to Sun City. The bus is comfortable enough, but last time the airco didn't work properly, so it was a sweltering trip.

Slightly off topic :

I'm always puzzled when people think crime is their major safety concern in SA. At the most a handful of tourists is killed in the course of a crime annually, whereas well over 300 foreigners are killed in traffic accidents, and at least six times that number seriously injured.

johan