Cape Town to Johannesburg by hire car is a one-way rental: the car is collected at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and returned at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), 1,426 km away by road. The form above opens with Johannesburg as the drop-off, so the search shows only cars that can end at O.R. Tambo. The other drop-off on the list of one-way drop-offs from Cape Town is George Airport.
How long is the drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg?
From CPT to O.R. Tambo is 1,426 km, about 15 h 40 without traffic or stops, and to central Johannesburg 1,393 km, about 15 h 10. That is more than a day's driving for one driver, and most of it is on one road: the route leaves the airport on the N2 and the R300 for about 17 km, joins the N1, and stays on it for about 1,357 km before the N12 and the R24 take it to the airport.
| Stretch | Roads | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CPT to the N1 | N2, R300 | about 17 km |
| The long stretch | N1, partly signed N1/N12 | about 1,357 km |
| On to O.R. Tambo | N12, R24 | about 35 km |
| Total | 1,426 km, about 15 h 40 without traffic or stops |
Which cars can I take one way to Johannesburg?
Only cars whose rental company accepts a return at O.R. Tambo appear once Johannesburg is the drop-off, so the list is shorter than for a return to CPT. Check the kilometre allowance shown on the selected car for your dates against the 1,426 km direct route. Any detour or driving at an overnight stop comes out of the same allowance. Beyond the allowance the car's page shows a rate per extra kilometre, and some cars offer Unlimited mileage as an extra. Cape Town listings include automatic and manual gearboxes and seat counts from 4 to 9, and each listing states which it has.
How many rental days does the drive need?
Rental time is charged in 24-hour days from the pick-up time, with a minimum of 24 hours. A car collected at CPT at 09:00 on a Monday and dropped at O.R. Tambo at 15:00 on the Wednesday is charged three days, and its kilometre allowance is the one shown for that car and booking. Compare it with the 1,426 km drive; extra kilometres are charged at the car's rate unless the car has Unlimited mileage. If the drive takes longer than planned, tell the rental agent before the booked drop-off to extend the rental.
What documents does the rental agent ask for?
The documents for renting a car in South Africa are the same for a one-way trip: a valid national driving licence with its details in Latin script and an expiry date no earlier than the drop-off day, never a copy or an electronic licence. Carry an International Driving Permit if your licence is only valid in its home country. Some cars need a physical embossed credit card in the main driver's name; where a debit card is accepted, the booking and the voucher say so. The driver's minimum age and experience are listed on each car's page.
What will I pay on the road?
Fuel, tolls, parking and fines are the driver's cost. The N1 tolls and speed limits apply to a hire car as to any other: the SANRAL plaza at the Huguenot Tunnel charges R54.50 for a light vehicle from 1 March 2026, and the limit is 120 km/h where the N1 is a freeway. Keep receipts for fuel: the car goes back with the level it had at pick-up, a lower level is charged at the rental company's rates, and extra fuel is not refunded.
What are the rules on the N1?
South Africa drives on the left. The general limit is 120 km/h on a freeway, 100 km/h on other roads outside urban areas and 60 km/h in towns, unless a sign sets another. Every adult in the car wears a seatbelt where one is fitted. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.05 g per 100 ml of blood, and it is under review: in January 2026 the Department of Transport announced a process to amend the law and scrap the legal alcohol limit. The safe rule is not to drink at all before driving. Rental cars may only be driven on paved public roads, so stay on tar for any detour.
What happens if the car breaks down or is damaged on the way?
Call the rental agent on the number in your voucher at once. After an accident or theft you also need a police report, unless the agent agrees otherwise; without them the insurance issued for the car stops applying. Standard insurance does not cover the wheels, the undercarriage, the windscreen or the interior, and deliberate damage or neglect voids it.
How does the drop-off at O.R. Tambo work?
The voucher gives the office address and the rental agent's contact details; ask the agent where the car is handed back at O.R. Tambo. Keep the phone number you booked with reachable until the car is handed back. Return the car clean enough to inspect: a car too dirty to check is washed at your expense.