South African bus travellers are set to record the longest Christmas Eve journeys globally at 687 kilometres this year, according to new data from Busbud, the global travel platform built on over 10 million tickets sold worldwide.
The data also shows that Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban remain South Africa’s most-booked domestic destinations, while the capitals of Zimbabwe and Mozambique lead regional cross-border demand, underscoring the continued reliance on bus travel as an essential mobility lifeline.
The findings position South Africa as one of the world’s most active bus markets in 2025, with Busbud ranking the country among the top five globally for ticket sales.
South African travellers are favouring essential domestic hubs and vital cross-border connections, underscoring the critical role bus networks play in keeping the region moving. This pattern highlights the bus network’s role as a lifeline for intercity transit and crucial cross-border links for families and workers across Southern Africa.
“South Africa perfectly illustrates the bus’s role as the primary backbone of regional connectivity,” said Yohnny Raich, Regional Director, EMEA at Busbud. “The high volume of bookings to key economic and social centres like Bulawayo and Maputo, alongside the massive domestic demand for Johannesburg and Cape Town, shows that bus travel is not just an option but the indispensable mode of transport that keeps Southern Africa moving, connecting families and commerce across borders.”
According to Busbud, the countries leading the global bus ticket sales were Chile, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, reflecting the high volume and importance of intercity bus travel across the Americas and Africa. European demand was also robust, with Spain (6th), the UK (7th), and France (8th) driving significant ticket sales, while Portugal and Argentina rounded out the top ten.
Holiday travel trends: Christmas and New Year’s
Busbud’s report also highlights specific behaviour for the upcoming festive season, showing distinct patterns for Christmas and New Year’s Eve:
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Longest journeys globally: South Africans travel the most on Christmas Eve. The average journey length is set to reach 687 kilometres per trip this December 24th, a slight decrease from the 714 km recorded in 2024, but significantly longer than the average for Brazil (401 km) and the United States (326 km).
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Top Christmas destinations: Demand spikes significantly on Christmas Eve, with travellers prioritising connections to major hubs: Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town.
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New Year’s shift: As travellers look to ring in 2026, the focus shifts to major celebration centres, with Cape Town emerging as the top destination, followed by Johannesburg and Durban. Notably, Mthatha is highlighted as one of the top originating cities on December 31st.
Santa’s southern safari: New Campaign Highlights Reliability
The report, released by the Canadian company, is part of the launch of a global storytelling campaign centred on the humorous and heartwarming theme: “Santa’s Sleigh Broke Down… So He Took the Bus.” This campaign aims to showcase the reliability and warmth of bus travel.
For the South African market, the accompanying video creative features Santa struggling with a broken sleigh and intense summer heat. He eventually chooses the air-conditioned bus as the superior, hassle-free option, saving his Christmas delivery schedule. This creative forms part of the “Santa’s Cross-Country Challenge” data visualisation, which is running in 10 different countries, including the UK, USA, and France.