INTERCAPE BUS TRIP FROM HELL

I booked an Intercape bus for Tuesday, 3 June 2025, traveling from Plettenberg Bay to Alice. The trip was scheduled to depart at 02:45 AM and arrive in Alice by 10:10 AM—a journey Intercape estimated would take 7 hours and 25 minutes. Instead, it turned into a 15-hour nightmare that raises serious concerns about the safety, maintenance, and operational oversight of your fleet.

The problems started before boarding. I received an SMS informing me that the bus would be 1 hour and 15 minutes late due to “operational circumstances”—which, in basic terms, meant the bus had broken down. The replacement vehicle arrived just after 5 AM.

Unbelievably, two hours into the journey, the bus broke down again. We were stranded roadside for three hours while repair attempts were made. At this point, I should have already reached my destination. But the ordeal continued: a few hours later, the bus broke down a third time.

Let me be clear: this is completely unacceptable. A single breakdown is frustrating. Three in one trip is a safety hazard. Who is servicing these buses? Are they being inspected by independent, qualified professionals before being sent out onto the road?

I ultimately arrived at Alice just after 5 PM, having spent the better part of the day on the side of the road, exhausted, delayed, and deeply frustrated.

Intercape once had a reputation for safety, professionalism, and reliability. That standard clearly no longer applies. Unless you are willing to waste an entire day and gamble with unreliable transport, I strongly advise finding another travel provider. I would like to know from INTERCAPE how ffected passengers will be compensated for the extreme inconvenience and safety risk??