Driving from Cape Town to East London
East London lies 886 km (550 mi) east of Cape Town, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 13 h 30 min without stops, over roughly 1,080 km (671 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
Open East London in Google Maps
| Cape Town | East London | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Africa | South Africa |
| Population | 4.8 million | 478,676 |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) | 48 m (157 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg) | UTC+2 (Africa/Johannesburg) |
| Postal codes | 7100–8160 | 5201–5688 |
Where to book car hire from Cape Town to East London
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in East London
Our booking partner lists 380 places to stay in East London. Of the 221 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (107), and 1 are five-star. Across 162 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.3 out of 10. Guests have left 53,507 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in East London
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is East London from Cape Town?
886 km (550 mi) in a straight line, east of Cape Town; by road roughly 1,080 km (671 mi).
How long does it take to get from Cape Town to East London by car?
About 13 h 30 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Cape Town and East London?
No, both are on Africa/Johannesburg at the moment.
Where can I stay in East London?
Our booking partner lists 380 places to stay in East London, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.