Johannesburg to Pretoria: No-Toll Drive Guide

The Johannesburg to Pretoria drive is technically the shortest in this guide set — 58 km and no SANRAL toll plazas. At R 40 for a sedan one-way in fuel, the economics are trivial. The variable that makes this route worth knowing is time: peak-hour traffic on this corridor is among the worst in Africa. Midday the same drive takes under an hour. On a weekday at 8am, factor 90 minutes as a realistic expectation.

Route options

Unlike most South African intercity drives, the Joburg–Pretoria corridor has multiple viable route choices:

N1/Ben Schoeman Highway: The primary freeway, running north from Johannesburg through Midrand to Pretoria. Fast when clear; very heavy during peak hour. Most direct for central Pretoria.

N14/R28 (Western Bypass): A longer arc through Centurion on the western side. Less congested than the N1 at peak times and often faster in practice. Delivers to Pretoria West and the Voortrekker Monument area.

R21 (Pretoria–Johannesburg highway via the airport corridor): Routes through O.R. Tambo International Airport’s surrounds. Useful if departing from or arriving near the East Rand.

Menlyn/N1 East approach: For destinations in Pretoria East — Menlyn Mall, Hatfield — the N1 east-of-city approach via Bapsfontein is sometimes used, though the extra distance makes it mainly relevant for East Rand origins.

No tolls

This is one of two routes in this guide with no SANRAL tolls (the other is Cape Town to George). The Gauteng freeway e-toll system was discontinued and no tolls apply. Total cost is fuel only: around R 40 for a sedan.

Traffic patterns

To avoid: Weekday mornings 7–9am (southbound from Pretoria into Joburg slightly better than northbound, but both bad). Weekday afternoons 4–7pm, particularly Friday afternoons when the volume is highest.

Best times: Weekdays after 9am and before 4pm. Weekends are significantly lighter. Saturday late morning and Sunday midday are the fastest of the week.

December: Light traffic in the corridor from mid-December as Gauteng residents leave for their December holidays. January return traffic (usually the first two work weeks of the year) can be heavy on Sunday afternoons.

Pretoria as a destination

Pretoria (officially Tshwane) is South Africa’s administrative capital — the seat of the executive government, the diplomatic quarter, and home to the University of Pretoria and several major research institutions. The jacaranda trees that flower purple in October are genuinely spectacular and well worth timing a visit around. The Union Buildings, Church Square, and the National Zoological Gardens are all central.

For visitors arriving from Johannesburg, the N1 deposits you most naturally in Pretoria’s central and southern precincts — Church Street runs east-west through the city and is a useful orientation landmark.

What it actually costs

• Fuel: around R 40–45 for 58 km (sedan, 7 L/100km, ULP 95)
• Tolls: R 0
• Total: around R 40–45 one-way

The cost is genuinely negligible. This route guide is more about time management than financial planning.

Practicalities

• Distance: 58 km
• Drive time: 45–50 minutes off-peak; 90–120 minutes in peak hour
• GPS: Essential in Pretoria — the city’s grid is logical but the freeway exits are not intuitive
• Parking in Pretoria: Central areas have parking garages; expect to pay R 20–40 for a half-day in the CBD
• Fuel: Fill up before leaving Joburg rather than hunting for a station on the highway; forecourts in the northern Joburg suburbs have competitive pricing
• Monthly commuters: If you do this drive daily, factor it into your total transport cost — at R 40 one-way, monthly costs add up quickly. The Gautrain offers an alternative for Sandton–Pretoria specifically, though not for the full corridor.

Verified May 2026. We refresh after major route changes or toll tariff increases.