Chauffeur service in South Africa

BlaakLane.com provides chauffeur, black car and limousine service in 4 South Africa cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria. Every city page lists the airports served, the pickup rules, the business districts and hotels we drive to most and the intercity runs booked from there. Trips are booked on one account at a fixed fare shown before you confirm, with flight tracking on every airport pickup.

Chauffeur service across South Africa: what to know

OR Tambo International (JNB) in Kempton Park is one of Africa's busiest airports. The drive to Sandton is about 25 km and usually takes 30-60 minutes. Lanseria (HLA), north-west of the city, handles domestic flights and many private jets, and is often quicker for Sandton and Pretoria. Cape Town International (CPT) is 20-35 minutes from the city bowl and the V&A Waterfront. King Shaka International (DUR) sits north of Durban at La Mercy, 15-20 minutes from Umhlanga. Chauffeurs wait at each airport's designated pick-up area. A name-board greeting inside arrivals is an add-on, and add-ons are only available in selected locations.

Many nationalities, including those of the EU, the UK and the USA, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days. The Department of Home Affairs publishes the current list.

Main routes by car in South Africa

Distances are long, and roads between the main centres are generally good.

Winelands tours are often booked by the hour, with a 3-hour minimum, through city tours and day trips.

Driving in South Africa: roads, seasons and events

South Africa drives on the left. The Gauteng freeways are busy at peak hours, and the Sandton and Rosebank areas slow sharply in the late afternoon. National routes such as the N1, N3 and N4 have toll plazas. Traffic signals can fail during storms, and chauffeurs then treat junctions as four-way stops, as the road rules require. OR Tambo and Cape Town parking fees and the chauffeur's tip are not in the fare; each is added at its actual value.

Dates that shape demand:

• February: the Mining Indaba at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
• March: the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which closes roads around the peninsula.
• June: the Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
• July: the Durban July horse race at Greyville.
• May to September: the dry season, and prime game viewing in Kruger.

Which vehicle suits which trip in South Africa

A Luxury Executive Sedan is the usual choice between OR Tambo and Sandton. An Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) suits senior guests at the Winelands estates. Safari travellers with soft bags, and families, fit best in a Standard Black SUV or Executive Black SUV. Cruise passengers heading to the Cape Town cruise terminal, and conference groups, use a Sprinter Van. See the fleet.

Business and leisure hubs in South Africa

Sandton is South Africa's main financial district, so corporate and Fortune 500 travel is constant. Pretoria holds the embassies and government departments. Cape Town combines conferences, film production and tourism, and Durban has the country's busiest container port. South African Tourism lists events, and rates explains fares.

Booking tips for South Africa

The Gautrain links OR Tambo with Sandton in about 15 minutes, but travellers with heavy luggage or onward meetings usually prefer a car. Umhlanga, north of Durban, holds most of the city's international hotels and is 15-20 minutes from King Shaka. Many Winelands estates around Franschhoek and Stellenbosch have gated entrances, so share the estate name when booking. Safari lodges in the private reserves beside Kruger are reached by a short charter flight or a long road transfer, so tell the desk which lodge you are visiting. Child seats are free on request in most South African cities. Outside the home dispatch area, South African affiliates vetted to the written standard drive each trip, and the operator and chauffeur appear on the confirmation. Airports Company South Africa publishes terminal information.