NATIONAL NEWS - The festive season is officially upon us. Schools have closed operations for the year, certain industries are beginning to cease annual operations for a set period and the palpable taste of December is in the air!
In 2016, South Africa ranked 10th globally in terms of road network size with over 750 000 km of paved and unpaved sections.
Living in a large country so sparsely populated with cities and towns means that many holidaymakers will be endeavouring on long journeys to visit friends or family in faraway places.
Before embarking on these seasonal travels, it is important to know exactly how much it will cost to move along national routes.
The petrol price has been on a downward trajectory since the Russian invasion of Ukraine inevitably sent the price of oil through the roof and costs for December have now been fixed, albeit still significantly higher than the year to date.
Here is how much petrol and diesel cost for December.
Another fixed cost for December is toll tariffs which can easily be calculated for prospective travellers since it forms another significant cost for internal movement. The income generated from the thoroughfare enables organisations like SANRAL to ensure the routes are properly maintained and cared for.
The latest toll tariffs for 2022 have been shared by the AA with locations of each toll gantry. All up-to-date tariffs can be found here.
The most travelled routes during this time of the year include Johannesburg to Durban and Johannesburg to Cape Town. Here is how much they cost in toll fees for travellers in Class 1 or passenger vehicles.
| Route | Distance | Total toll fees | Average travel time |
| Johannesburg – Durban (N3) | 567,4 km | R286,50 | 6 hours 1 minute |
| Johannesburg – Cape Town (N1) | 1 397,8 km | R205,50 | 14 hours 39 minutes |
