Durban to Lusaka on the North-South Corridor

Last checked: 20 October 2026 · Corridors

Cargo from Durban to Lusaka crosses Beitbridge into Zimbabwe and Chirundu into Zambia, or uses the Kazungula bridge through Botswana ^1,6. A SADC study measured 15 days, 21 hours and 5 minutes for northbound cargo from Durban port to Kasumbalesa in Zambia ^1,2. Zimbabwe's Statutory Instrument 154 of 2026 sets a US$150 toll for goods vehicles at Chirundu, as reported ⁴. A 2020 instrument set Beitbridge fees of up to US$300 per entry ⁵.

Measured time, Durban port to Kasumbalesa: 15 days, 21 hours and 5 minutes, northbound ²
Beitbridge truck clearance, February 2025: 3 to 6 hours average for heavy vehicles ³
Beitbridge capacity: Up to 1,000 trucks a day, open 24 hours ³
Chirundu toll, goods vehicles: US$150 excluding VAT, under SI 154 of 2026, as reported ⁴
Beitbridge fee, goods vehicles: US$175 under SI 127 of 2020 ⁵
Kazungula Bridge: US$259 million, commissioned 10 May 2021 ⁶
Durban port tariff, 2026/27: 7.57% average rise approved, as reported ⁹

Route and transit time

SADC describes the North-South Corridor as running from Durban port through the Beitbridge border post and the Chirundu One Stop Border Post to Kasumbalesa in Zambia ¹. A SADC Time Release Study, launched in Harare on 7 February 2025, measured an average of 15 days, 21 hours and 5 minutes for northbound clearance and transit from Durban to Kasumbalesa ^1,2. SADC's summary gives no separate figure for Lusaka ¹.

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Commissioner said the study found multiple agencies at the same control points, various charges acting as tariff barriers, and lengthy processes ². SADC said the report recommends a corridor management agency and a Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System ¹.

Beitbridge

A SADC assessment in February 2025 found average clearance times of three to six hours for heavy vehicles. The border runs 24 hours and can clear up to 1,000 trucks a day ³.

Zimbabwe's Statutory Instrument 127 of 2020 set border user fees at Beitbridge to fund its upgrade. A complaint on the Tripartite non-tariff barriers system said these came on top of a US$23 bridge toll and ZINARA road tolls ⁵. The government reply said the fees fund a 17.5-year concession under which Zimborders invests US$296.7 million. The complaint was marked resolved on 20 October 2022 ⁵.

Beitbridge fee under SI 127 of 2020	Amount
Heavy vehicle ⁵	US$100 ⁵
Goods vehicle ⁵	US$175 ⁵
Abnormal load vehicle ⁵	US$300 ⁵

Chirundu

Chirundu, between Zimbabwe and Zambia, was launched in December 2009 and COMESA calls it the first functioning one stop border post in Africa ⁸. The ZIMRA Commissioner said in February 2025 that refurbishment of the border was under way ².

Statutory Instrument 154 of 2026, the Toll Roads (Chirundu Border Post Modernisation) Regulations, lets the concessionaire, Chirundu Border Consortium, collect tolls from commercial vehicles, as reported by Nqobile Bhebhe in The Herald on 9 October 2026 ⁴. Tolls are payable in US dollars only. They start on a date the transport minister sets by General Notice ⁴.

Chirundu charge under SI 154 of 2026, excluding VAT	Toll	Parking per day
Goods vehicle ⁴	US$150 ⁴	US$40 ⁴
Heavy vehicle ⁴	US$100 ⁴	US$40 ⁴
Abnormal load vehicle ⁴	US$315 ⁴	US$80 ⁴

Kazungula alternative

The US$259 million Kazungula Bridge and one stop border post between Botswana and Zambia were commissioned on 10 May 2021. The bridge replaced a pontoon ferry and was funded by both governments with support from the African Development Bank and JICA ⁶. SADC said it offers an alternative route to Beitbridge ⁶.

In September 2021 transporters said they could drive from Johannesburg to Lusaka and offload in three days on this route, as reported by Eugene Goddard in Freight News ⁷. The same report said the route adds an estimated 200 km to the Copperbelt journey ⁷.

Port and road charges

South Africa's Ports Regulator approved an average 7.57% rise in Transnet National Ports Authority tariffs for 2026/27, against a 9.61% request. Container cargo dues rise 7.80%, as reported by Yogashen Pillay in Business Report ⁹.
Zambia and Zimbabwe are among the countries implementing COMESA harmonised road transit charges of US$10 per 100 km for trucks with more than three axles ⁸.
Zambia's Tolls (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 say a foreign-registered vehicle passing an inland toll point pays local tariffs. A heavy vehicle with four axles or more pays ZMW 150 for single access ¹⁰.
Zimbabwe takes part in the COMESA RCTG Carnet transit guarantee. Zambia is not on the COMESA list of signatory states ⁸.

Common questions

How long does cargo take from Durban to the Zambian Copperbelt?

A SADC study measured 15 days, 21 hours and 5 minutes from Durban port to Kasumbalesa for northbound cargo ².

How long does it take to cross Beitbridge?

A SADC assessment in February 2025 found three to six hours on average for heavy vehicles ³.

What is the toll at Chirundu border?

US$150 for goods vehicles and US$100 for heavy vehicles, excluding VAT, under SI 154 of 2026, as reported by The Herald ⁴.

Can trucks avoid Beitbridge?

Yes. The Kazungula Bridge between Botswana and Zambia, commissioned in May 2021, offers an alternative route ⁶.

How much did Durban port tariffs rise for 2026/27?

An average of 7.57%, with container cargo dues up 7.80%, as reported by Business Report ⁹.

Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.

Sources

Dar es Salaam to Zambia: port, TAZARA and road charges
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