Durban eSIM
In Durban you connect to Vodacom or MTN, whichever is performing better where you are standing. The typical speed across the country is 42 Mbps. Your data starts working the moment you land, before you reach the immigration hall.
- Networks
- Vodacom and MTN
- Typical speed in South Africa
- 42 Mbps typical, 10 Mbps at busy times
- 5G
- yes, non standalone
- Throttle
- None on metered plans
- Tethering
- Allowed on every plan
Plans that cover Durban
| Data | Validity | Price per GB | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | Never expires | $7.89 | $7.89 | |
| 3 GB | Never expires | $4.63 | $13.89 | |
| 5 GBMost travellers | Never expires | $3.78 | $18.89 | |
| 10 GB | Never expires | $3.09 | $30.89 | |
| 20 GB | Never expires | $2.84 | $56.89 |
How South Africa compares across Africa
- Regional typical speed
- 29.5 Mbps
- Upstream networks
- 2, Vodacom, MTN
- 5G
- Yes, non standalone
- Next fastest nearby
- Mauritius, 52 Mbps
- Next slowest nearby
- Seychelles, 41 Mbps
- Cities with their own page
- 3: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban
Landing at King Shaka International Airport (DUR)
- Airport
- DUR / FALE
- Distance
- 35 km from the centre of Durban
- Wifi on arrival
- Free wifi in the terminalThe free network is # AIRPORTS FREE, giving 1 GB or 4 hours. Connect, open a browser, follow the redirect to the login page and register with an email address. Paid # AIRPORTS PREMIUM continues after that.
- SIM on arrival
- SIM counters or vending in the terminalMTN and Vodacom stores are both listed in Domestic Arrivals at King Shaka.
Getting into Durban
- Airport shuttle bus (DUR)
- N2 freeway and R102 via the M65 (DUR)
- People Mover City Loop and Beach Line
Worth knowing about Durban
- King Shaka is 35 km north of central Durban - much further out than the old airport it replaced when it opened on 1 May 2010.
- There is no rail link to the airport: a rail connection was planned for later phases and a light rail feasibility study was announced only in late 2024, so arrivals depend on shuttle bus or taxi.
- King Shaka's free wifi is branded # AIRPORTS FREE and gives 1 GB or 4 hours, the same allowance as O.R. Tambo and Cape Town. Registration asks for an email address for verification.
- Once the free airport allowance runs out, access continues on a pay as you go basis through the # AIRPORTS PREMIUM Wi-Fi network.
- MTN and Vodacom both hold stores in Domestic Arrivals at King Shaka, and ATMs for ABSA, Capitec, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank sit in International Arrivals.
- Under South Africa's RICA law every Vodacom SIM must be registered before use. A foreign national registers with a valid passport, and proof of address may also be required depending on the registration type.
- RICA proof of physical address can be any document carrying your name and address, such as a bank statement, an insurance policy, a TV licence or a vehicle licence.
- Vodacom sells a Travel SIM aimed at tourists entering South Africa, through its airport stores and participating retailers. Bundles last 30 days and start at R299 for 3 GB with 30 minutes.
- Vodacom's self RICA runs inside the VodaPay app. You photograph the new SIM, proof of address, your ID and a selfie, then record a video. Checks use AI, biometrics and Home Affairs records.
- Durban's Muvo smartcard, launched in July 2012, is one card valid across three bus operators: Durban Transport, the People Mover and Mynah.
- The People Mover runs two routes, the City Loop and the Beach Line. The adult cash fare is R6.00 and a cash day pass is R16.50.
- Cash and the Muvo card are both accepted on Durban Transport, the People Mover and Mynah, so a visitor does not need to buy a card before riding.
- Durban Transport is priced across 15 fare stages, with adult peak cash fares from R11.50 to R45.00. Off peak fares are lower, and Muvo sells 10 and 12 journey packages.
- Shuttle buses at King Shaka leave from outside the International Arrivals terminal and are run by Airbus, Margate, Skyways and Southern Shuttle. About a dozen taxi firms work the arrivals terminal.
- Durban Container Terminal, Africa's biggest and busiest, runs as two facilities, Pier 1 and Pier 2, with combined capacity of 3.6 million TEU a year and 65% of South Africa's container volumes.
Sources for this page
Other cities in South Africa we cover
- Johannesburg
- 501 km from Durban, nearest airport JNB
- Cape Town
- 1272 km from Durban, nearest airport CPT