Distance from Cape Town to Knysna
Cape Town to Knysna is 490 km by road, roughly a 5h 9m drive on the N2. Fuel cost for your car is below.
490 km
Driving distance
5h 9m
Drive time
at 95 km/h avg
426 km
Straight line
N2
Main road
What the drive costs in fuel
One-way energy cost over 490 km at R25.58 a litre (inland 95 ULP, effective 2026-08-05). Consumption figures are manufacturer combined-cycle numbers, so treat them as a floor — real-world use on a loaded car runs higher.
| Vehicle | One way | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Polo Vivo | R740 | R1 479 |
| Toyota Corolla Quest | R877 | R1 755 |
| Toyota Fortuner | R1 003 | R2 005 |
| Toyota Hilux | R1 065 | R2 131 |
| BYD Atto 3 | R203 | R406 |
Electric vehicle cost is home-charging electricity, not petrol. Want a different car? Browse all 42 vehicles →
Why the drive is longer than the map suggests
Cape Town and Knysna are 426 km apart in a straight line, but the road covers 490 km — an extra 64 km, or about 15% further. Roads bend around terrain, follow passes and link the towns in between, so the driving figure is always the one that matters for fuel and time planning. The straight-line number is only useful for flights.
Going the other way?
The return leg is the same 490 km — see Knysna to Cape Town. For any other pairing, the distance calculator covers 121 South African towns.
Open the distance calculatorRelated distances
Frequently asked questions
How far is Knysna from Cape Town?
Cape Town to Knysna is 490 km by road, travelling mainly on the N2. In a straight line the two towns are 426 km apart, so the drive is about 15% longer than the direct route a plane would take.
How long does it take to drive from Cape Town to Knysna?
About 5h 9m of driving time, based on an average of 95 km/h over 490 km. That average allows for a mix of 100 and 120 km/h limits and does not include stops — add roughly 15 minutes for every fuel or rest break, and allow extra time on public holiday weekends.
How much fuel does the Cape Town to Knysna trip use?
At R25.58 a litre, a car using 7.5 L/100km burns about 37 litres over 490 km, costing roughly R940 one way. The table on this page shows the cost for specific South African models.
Which road do you take from Cape Town to Knysna?
The N2 carries most of this route. Always check live traffic and roadworks before you leave — SANRAL runs long-term maintenance on several national routes and detours can add time.
Data: Effective 2026-08-05 · Driving distances verified against Google Maps and AA South Africa · Fuel price — DMRE · Vehicle consumption — manufacturer combined-cycle specifications · See methodology
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