Airport

DUR King Shaka International Airport

King Shaka International Airport (DUR) serves Durban, about 30 km north of Durban. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATADUR
ICAOFALE
ServesDurban
From centre28 km
Non-stop13
Airlines6
TimezoneAfrica/Johannesburg
Elevation90 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

King Shaka International Airport — facts & history

We pulled King Shaka International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 422,909 passengers in 2022, against a peak of 5.5M in 2017.

Opened
2010
16 years ago
Passengers / year
422,909
as of 2022
Peak traffic
5.5M
in 2017
Elevation
90 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
Airports Company South Africa
Passengers per year, 2011–2022

Figures: Wikidata (CC0)

Airport to city

Getting from King Shaka International Airport to Durban

The airport is about 30 km north of Durban, about 40 minutes by road in normal traffic.

Train & bus: Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.

Taxi & apps: Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage. Estimated fare to the centre: R315–R501.

Tipping: 10% is usual.

Way inTime to centreCost
Train / bus~28 mincheapestCHEAPEST
Taxi~40 minR315–R501
Private transfer~40 minfixed upfront
Car rental~40 min + חניהfrom the terminal
Choose and book

Which way suits you from King Shaka International Airport

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in Durban ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from King Shaka International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 13 destinations, operated by 6 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: South African Airways · British Airways · Comair · Mango · Emirates · Air Mauritius

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at King Shaka International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sailing from here?

King Shaka International Airport is the airport nearest Durban's cruise terminal. Cruises from Durban — which lines and where ›

Sleep nearby

Hotels near King Shaka International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in Durban shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — King Shaka International Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from King Shaka International Airport to the centre of Durban?
Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. The airport is about 30 km north of Durban, about 40 minutes by road.
How much is a taxi from King Shaka International Airport to Durban?
Roughly R315–R501 (at the local tariff). Many airports have a regulated flat fare — ask at the taxi desk.
Can I use a ride app from King Shaka International Airport?
Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage.
What's the cheapest way from King Shaka International Airport to Durban?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.
Can I get from King Shaka International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from King Shaka International Airport?
About 13 destinations, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Dubai. 6 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is King Shaka International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on King Shaka International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at King Shaka International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
Durban city guide← South Africa travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026