getting to george and getting around: a practical guide for professionals

if you’re considering george as a place to work remotely, relocating to the area, or visiting for business, one of the practical questions is how to get there and how to get around once you arrive.

george is not remote in the way that some garden route towns are. it has an airport with daily scheduled flights, good road connections to cape town and the rest of the country, and a compact cbd that’s easy to navigate on foot.

here’s what you need to know.

getting to george by air

george airport (IATA code: GRJ) is the most time-efficient way to travel between george and the major metropolitan centres.

from cape town: direct flights take approximately 40 minutes. flysafair, airlink, and cemair all service this route with multiple daily departures. the airport is small and uncomplicated — check-in times are shorter than cape town international, and the process from arrival to exiting the terminal is fast.

from johannesburg: direct flights take approximately 2 hours. the same operators service this route, with several departures per day. for professionals who need to attend meetings in johannesburg and return the same day, an early-morning departure and afternoon return flight makes this feasible — tight, but doable.

george airport is about 10 minutes from the cbd by car. car hire is available at the airport from the major south african rental companies.

getting to george by road

the n2 is the primary road connection between george and the rest of the western cape.

from cape town: the drive is approximately 4 hours in normal traffic, following the n2 through the overberg and along the garden route. the route passes through notable towns including swellendam, wilderness, and sedgefield before reaching george. it’s one of the more scenic long drives in south africa, which is either a reason to drive instead of fly or a reason to make a road trip of it when the schedule allows.

from knysna and mossel bay: george is roughly 70km from knysna (about an hour) and 50km from mossel bay (about 40 minutes). for business professionals commuting between these towns, the n2 corridor is well-serviced.

intercape and translux operate bus services between cape town, george, and east london, for those travelling without a car.

getting around george

the george cbd is compact. market street, york street, and the surrounding blocks contain most of the banking, professional services, retail, and coffee shops that make up the business centre of town. walking between appointments in the cbd is practical and common.

kanwerk is at 23 market street, george cbd — centrally located, within walking distance of the major banks, most professional services, and the main commercial areas. parking is available nearby, and for members who live in central george, the walk to kanwerk is often the commute.

for reaching areas outside the cbd — george’s residential suburbs, the industrial areas, nearby towns — a car is the practical choice. george doesn’t have an extensive public transport system, and while the city is compact enough that many daily needs are walkable from the cbd, a car opens up the rest of what the area offers.

the airport advantage for professionals

one aspect of george that’s underappreciated until you’re living here is the practical value of having an airport with direct flights to both cape town and johannesburg.

for remote professionals whose work occasionally requires face-to-face meetings in major cities, george’s connectivity changes the risk calculation of being based outside a metropolitan area. the question isn’t “do i have to give up my clients in cape town?” — the answer is no, you just have to be willing to fly occasionally.

for professionals whose clients are international or national and who meet in person a few times per year, this calculus works well. for professionals who need to be in cape town or johannesburg every week, it’s a harder fit.

practical notes for visitors

if you’re coming to george for a few days of work and want to use kanwerk as your base:

• george airport to kanwerk cbd takes about 10 minutes by car (hire is available at the airport)
• accommodation in george cbd is available and typically walkable to kanwerk
• the n2 from wilderness and sedgefield to george cbd takes about 15-20 minutes if you’re staying near the beach

book a day pass or contact us about visitor workspace if you’re coming to george and need a professional base for the visit.