Accommodation and Travel

Accommodation

Numerous guest houses, hotels and lodges in the Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo and Bloemfontein area offer a range of overnight accommodation that promises to suit every taste and budget.

Guest houses in all residential areas range from truly luxurious to basic bed and breakfast or self-catering. Several establishments have gained distinction by achieving top scores in national ratings, while most offer excellent value for money. Most South African hotel chains are represented in MANGAUNG, offering tried and tested quality standards. Large groups such as school groups and sports teams often prefer to overnight inexpensively in school or university hostels, which are available during long weekends and during school and university holidays. Holiday resorts in the vicinity generally offer self-catering accommodation facilities, chalets, caravan parks and camp sites.

Travel

Many visitors to MANGAUNG travel by air, making use of regular flights to and from the Bloemfontein Airport. This airport is the third-largest airport under the jurisdiction of the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

The airport is only 10km from Bloemfontein's city centre and transports about 200 000 passengers per year. Visitors travelling from abroad get connecting flights to Bloemfontein in either Cape Town or Johannesburg. The airport facilities are currently being upgraded.

Road travel from the north or south is via the N1 highway, which passes by Bloemfontein. This road is a toll road to the north with a good quality tar surface. The route to the east (KwaZulu-Natal) passes through the picturesque Eastern Free State, while the Northern Cape capital of Kimberley is less than 200km to the west. Several national coach companies provide the area with regular luxury bus services arriving at and departing from the Bloemfontein's Tourist Centre daily. The railway station in Bloemfontein links to a rail network covering the entire country.