Gauteng routes
Johannesburg to Pretoria:
the daily commute, done properly
Around 60 kilometres between the two city centres, and one of the busiest corridors in the country. What the Gautrain, driving and a chauffeur each really cost you in time.
6 min read · Updated August 2026 · GoLula
Johannesburg to Pretoria is roughly 60 km up the N1 or the R21. Off-peak that is about 45 minutes. In the weekday peak, in either direction, it regularly becomes an hour and a half — and occasionally a great deal worse.
The Gautrain
For this specific corridor the Gautrain is excellent. Sandton to Hatfield takes around 40 minutes, it is unaffected by traffic, and it runs frequently through the working day. If your origin and destination are both near stations, it is difficult to beat.
The weakness is the same as always: the first and last mile. Pretoria is spread out, and Hatfield station is nowhere near most government departments, corporate parks or Centurion. You will need onward transport at the far end, usually at the least convenient moment.
Driving yourself
Viable, and most people do it. The costs that get underestimated are e-tolls, parking at the far end, and the fact that an hour and a half each way is three hours of your day where you cannot do anything else.
For a single meeting, that is often the whole argument for not driving.
A chauffeur
The case here is not comfort, it is the working time. Between Johannesburg and Pretoria you have a realistic two to three hours in the car on a return trip. In the back seat that is calls, email and preparation. Behind the wheel it is nothing.
GoLula charges a fixed R1,190 from Sandton to Pretoria, agreed before you travel. The traffic risk on the N1 sits with us, not with your invoice.
Sandton to Pretoria from R1,190
Fixed fare, quoted before you travel. For a day of meetings, hourly hire keeps the car with you between stops.
If you are coming from the airport
Going straight from OR Tambo to Pretoria avoids Johannesburg entirely — the R21 runs almost directly between the two. We cover that run on the same fixed-fare basis, and we have written it up separately in our OR Tambo to Pretoria guide.
Timing, honestly
Anything scheduled in Pretoria before 09:00 means leaving Johannesburg before 06:30. Anything ending after 16:00 means the return is slow no matter what you do. The most common planning mistake on this route is trusting an off-peak map estimate for a peak-hour trip.
How far is Pretoria from Johannesburg?
About 60 km between the city centres, typically 45 minutes off-peak and up to 90 minutes or more in peak traffic.
Is the Gautrain faster than driving to Pretoria?
In peak traffic, usually yes — around 40 minutes Sandton to Hatfield. The trade-off is getting to and from the stations at each end.
How much is a chauffeur from Sandton to Pretoria?
A fixed R1,190, agreed at booking and unaffected by traffic or time of day.
Book this trip
Fixed fare quoted up front. No meter, no surge.
Ready when you are.
Fixed fare, silent cabin, a chauffeur already watching your flight.