The N1 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Polokwane to Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe. It forms the first section of the famed Cape to Cairo Road.
Prior to 1970, the N1 designation was applied to the route from Beit Bridge to Colesberg and then along the current N9 to George. The section from Cape Town to Colesberg was designated the N9.
Route
Western Cape
thumb|left|200px|N1 freeway as it enters [[Cape Town]]
thumb|left|200px|N1 near [[De Doorns atop Hex River Pass]]
thumb|A view over the terminus of the N1 in downtown Cape Town where both the N1 and [[N2 (South Africa)|N2 national highways merge into Nelson Mandela Boulevard (left) and its intersection with Walter Sisulu Avenue (right).]]
Within Cape Town
The N1 begins in central Cape Town at the northern end of Buitengracht Street (M62), outside the entrance to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The first section of the N1 is shared with the beginning of the N2; The N1 then heads through the suburbs of Goodwood and Bellville, where the R300 terminates at it, before heading towards Paarl. During week days during peak traffic times (inbound towards the Cape Town city bowl in the morning and outbound in the afternoon) traffic jams extending up to 12 kilometers in length are common. with up to 22,500 vehicles using it daily in peak periods on holidays.
After emerging from the tunnel, the N1 winds through the Molenaar River Valley (which is a short dual carriageway section) before emerging from the valley and heading towards Worcester, bypassing Rawsonville. From Worcester, the route heads through the Hex River Valley, passing De Doorns and then enters the Karoo by ascending the Hex River Pass en route to Touws River. This would have allowed for upgrading of the N1, most especially the opening and construction of the Northern Bore of the Huguenot Tunnel so that two lanes of traffic could pass in each direction through the tunnel, and the building of grade separated junctions along the N1 through Worcester. Although the town centre is bypassed, there are a number of traffic lights on the N1 through Worcester. also, the N1 begins to turn towards the north-east along this stretch of road. Just before Beaufort West, the N12 from George meets the N1; the N12 and the N1 routes are co-signed through Beaufort West and for the next 75 km north-east before splitting at Three Sisters. and is purported to be the busiest stretch of road in South Africa. At the Brakfontein Interchange in Centurion, the N1 meets the N14 and they switch highways, with the N14 becoming the Ben Schoeman Highway northwards to Pretoria Central and the N1 becoming the Pretoria Eastern Bypass (named the Danie Joubert Freeway) towards the north-east, proceeding to intersect with the R21 highway coming from O. R. Tambo International Airport at the Flying Saucer Interchange before Pretoria East. under license from SANRAL.
The N1 then heads past Mokopane (previously Potgietersrus), where the N11 intersects it at the Nyl Toll Plaza (north off-ramp only) (leaving the N18 and the N17 as the only national roads that do not intersect with the N1), before heading to Polokwane (previously known as Pietersburg).
After Polokwane, the N1 heads north, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn before passing Louis Trichardt. The N1 then winds through the Soutpansberg Mountains (containing two short tunnels) as the Wyllie's Poort Pass before heading to Musina (passing the last tollgate before Musina). (The N1 is no-longer the road passing through the town centre). The route then continues for 12 km to end at the Beitbridge border crossing with Zimbabwe on the Limpopo River, where it crosses the river as the Alfred Beit Road Bridge before splitting into two routes, which are the A4 road to Harare and the A6 road to Bulawayo. The border town on the other side of the Limpopo River is also called Beitbridge.
Junctions
{|class="wikitable"
! What !! Where !! Coordinates
|-
| Southwest end || in Cape Town ||
|-
| junction || in Cape Town ||
|-
| junction || in Cape Town ||
|-
| junction || near Beaufort West ||
|-
| junction || at Three Sisters ||
|-
| junction || at Hanover ||
|-
| junction || at Colesberg ||
|-
| junction || near Bloemfontein ||
|-
| junction || near Bloemfontein ||
|-
| junction || at Winburg ||
|-
| junction || near Soweto ||
|-
| junction || near Sandton ||
|-
| junction || in Centurion ||
|-
| junction || near Pretoria ||
|-
| junction || near Mokopane ||
|-
| Northeast end || at Beit Bridge ||
|}
Western Cape
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Municipality
!Location
!km
!mi
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="23" |Cape Town
| rowspan="4" |Cape Town CBD
|0
|0
|—
| Buitengracht Street, Walter Sisulu Avenue
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|—
|CTICC P1 Parking
|No westbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|—
| Nelson Mandela Boulevard, Cape Town International
|Eastbound exit only
|-
|0
|0
|1
| Christiaan Barnard Street, CTICC, Cape Town
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
|Woodstock
|0
|0
|3
| Lower Church Street
|
|-
|Paarden Eiland
|0
|0
|4
| Marine Drive, Milnerton, Table View
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Brooklyn
|0
|0
|7A
| Black River Parkway, Muizenberg, Maitland
|
|-
|0
|0
|7B
| Koeberg Road, Section Street, Milnerton
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Century City
|0
|0
|10
|Sable Road
|
|-
|0
|0
|—
|Century City Drive
|Eastbound exit and entrance
|-
| rowspan="2" |Summer Greens
|0
|0
|13A
| north, Malmesbury
|
|-
|0
|0
|13B
| south, Jakes Gerwel Drive, Goodwood
|
|-
|Monte Vista
|0
|0
|15
| Monte Vista Boulevard
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Parow
|0
|0
|16
| Giel Basson Drive, Cape Town International
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|18
| McIntyre Road, Plattekloof Road
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |Bellville
|0
|0
|20
| Mike Pienaar Boulevard, Jip de Jager Avenue
|
|-
|0
|0
|23
| Durban Road, W van Schoor Avenue
|
|-
|0
|0
|25
| Old Oak Road
|No westbound exit
|-
| rowspan="3" |Brackenfell
|0
|0
|27
| Kuils River Road, Mitchells Plain
|
|-
|0
|0
|28
| Brackenfell Boulevard
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|29
| Okavango Road
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Kraaifontein
|0
|0
|32
| Brighton Road, Van Riebeeck Road
|
|-
|0
|0
|34
| Maroela Road, Lucullus Street, Kraaifontein Industria
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Stellenbosch
|Cape Winelands
|0
|0
|39
|, Klipheuwel, Stellenbosch
|
|-
|Klapmuts
|0
|0
|47
|, , Stellenbosch, Klapmuts, Wellington
|
|-
| rowspan="7" |Drakenstein
| rowspan="6" |Paarl
|0
|0
|55
|, Main Road, Franschhoek
|
|-
|0
|0
|57
|Cecilia Street, ,
|Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|59
| Jan Van Riebeeck Drive, Wellington
|
|-
|0
|0
|62A
|Sonstraal Road, Langenhoven Avenue, Worcester
|Signed as exit 62 westbound
|-
|0
|0
|62B
| Langenhoven Avenue
|Eastbound exit only; Truck exit before tunnel
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Huguenot Toll Plaza, Huguenot Tunnel
|-
|Du Toitskloof Pass
|0
|0
|72
|, Paarl
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance; Western end of concurrency with R101
|-
| rowspan="7" |Breede Valley
| rowspan="2" |Rawsonville
|0
|0
|—
| Old N1 Road east, Rawsonville
|At-grade intersection; Eastern end of concurrency with R101
|-
|0
|0
|—
| Old N1 Road west, Rawsonville
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="3" |Worcester
|0
|0
|—
|, Ceres
|At-grade intersection; Western end of concurrency with R43
|-
|0
|0
|108
|, Worcester
|Eastern end of concurrency with R43
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Worcester, Robertson
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="2" |Touws River
|0
|0
|—
|, Montagu
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Ceres
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="2" |Laingsburg
|Matjiesfontein
|0
|0
|—
|, Sutherland, Matjiesfontein
|At-grade intersection
|-
|Laingsburg
|0
|0
|—
| Van Riebeeck Street, Ladismith
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="3" |Prince Albert
| rowspan="2" |Prince Albert
|0
|0
|—
|, Prince Albert
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Prince Albert
|At-grade intersection; Western end of concurrency with R353
|-
|Leeu-Gamka
|0
|0
|—
|, Fraserburg, Leeu-Gamka
|At-grade intersection; Eastern end of concurrency with R353
|-
| rowspan="3" |Beaufort West
| rowspan="3" |Beaufort West
|0
|0
|—
|, Oudtshoorn
|At-grade intersection; Western end of concurrency with N12
|-
|0
|0
|—
| Voortrekker Street, Beaufort West, Aberdeen
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Loxton
|At-grade intersection
|-
|Ubuntu (Northern Cape)
|Three Sisters
|0
|0
|—
|, Victoria West
|At-grade intersection; Eastern end of concurrency with N12; Formerly exit 538
|-
|Beaufort West
|Murraysburg
|0
|0
|—
|, Murraysburg
|At-grade intersection; Formerly exit 580
|-
| colspan="7" | continues into Northern Cape
|}
Northern Cape
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Municipality
!Location
!km
!mi
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |Ubuntu
| rowspan="2" |Richmond
|0
|0
|—
|, Richmond, , Merriman
|At-grade intersection; Western end of concurrency with R398
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Middelburg
|At-grade intersection; Eastern end of concurrency with R398
|-
| rowspan="3" |Emthanjeni
| rowspan="3" |Hanover
|0
|0
|—
|, Middelburg, De Aar
|Quadrant interchange
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Philipstown
|At-grade intersection; Western end of concurrency with R389
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Noupoort
|At-grade intersection; Eastern end of concurrency with R389
|-
| rowspan="3" |Umsobomvu
| rowspan="3" |Colesberg
|0
|0
|795A
|, Sluiters Street, Colesberg
|Signed as exit 795 eastbound
|-
|0
|0
|795B
|, Noupoort
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|798
|, Philippolis, , Venterstad, , Petrusville
|
|-
| colspan="7" | continues into Free State
|}
Free State
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Municipality
!Location
!km
!mi
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="9" |Kopanong
| rowspan="2" |Gariep Dam
|0
|0
|8
|, Gariep Dam, Bethulie
|
|-
|0
|0
|21
|Ruigtevlei, Driekuil
|
|-
|Springfontein
|0
|0
|—
|, Springfontein, Bethulie
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="2" |Trompsburg
|0
|0
|75
|, Trompsburg, Smithfield
|
|-
|0
|0
|84
|Stofkraal, Kruger
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Edenburg
|0
|0
|105
|Courland, Meadows
|
|-
|0
|0
|113
|, Edenburg, Reddersburg
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Reddersburg
|0
|0
|128
|Wurasoord, Reddersburg
|
|-
|0
|0
|148
|Sophiasdal, Tierpoort
|
|-
| rowspan="11" |Mangaung
| rowspan="11" |Bloemfontein
|0
|0
|153
|Koppieskraal, Riversford
|
|-
|0
|0
|167
|Onze Rust, Kaalspruit
|
|-
|0
|0
|177
|, M30 Church Street, Mangaung
|
|-
|0
|0
|181
| Curie Avenue, Jagersfontein
|
|-
|0
|0
|186
| west, M19 Walter Sisulu Road
|Southern end of concurrency with N8
|-
|0
|0
|190
| east, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bram Fischer International
|Northern end of concurrency with N8
|-
|0
|0
|198
| Kenneth Kaunda Road, Bultfontein
|
|-
|0
|0
|202
|M30 Raymond Mhlaba Street, Mangaung, Bram Fischer International
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|205
|Avenham, Floradale
|
|-
|0
|0
|208
|, Brandfort
|Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|213
|Maselspoort, Glen
|
|-
| rowspan="6" |Masilonyana
| rowspan="3" |Brandfort
|0
|0
|222
|Witfontein, Welgegund
|
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza
|-
|0
|0
|255
|, Verkeerdevlei, Excelsior, Brandfort
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="3" |Winburg
|0
|0
|293
|Winburg, Excelsior, Brandfort
|
|-
|0
|0
|298
|, , Senekal, Theunissen
|
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Virginia
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="2" |Matjhabeng
| rowspan="2" |Ventersburg
|0
|0
|346
|Pienaar Street, Ventersburg
|Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|347
|, Ventersburg, Hennenman, Senekal
|Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
|-
| rowspan="6" |Moqhaka
| rowspan="6" |Kroonstad
|0
|0
|371
|Wonderkop, Holfontein
|
|-
|0
|0
|393
|, Odendaalsrus, Welkom
|No westbound entrance; Southern end of concurrency with R34
|-
|0
|0
|394A
| South Road north, Kroonstad
|Signed as exit 394 westbound
|-
|0
|0
|394B
| South Road south, Bethlehem
|Eastbound exit only
|-
|0
|0
|398
|Reitz Street, Kroonstad Central, Doornkloof, Kroonstad Airport
|
|-
|0
|0
|402
|, North Road, Vredefort, Heilbron
|Northern end of concurrency with R34
|-
| rowspan="6" |Ngwathe
|Edenville
|0
|0
|426
|Heuningspruit, Fraaiuitzicht
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Koppies
|0
|0
|446
|Rooiwal, Vredefort
|
|-
|0
|0
|458
|, Koppies, Vredefort
|
|-
|Vredefort
|0
|0
|472
|, Heilbron, Vredefort
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Parys
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Vaal Toll Plaza
|-
|0
|0
|498
|, Sasolburg, Parys
|
|-
| colspan="7" | continues into Gauteng
|}
Gauteng
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Municipality
!Location
!km
!mi
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="4" |Emfuleni
| rowspan="3" |Vanderbijlpark
|0
|0
|3
|, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|9
|Potchefstroom Road, Vanderbijlpark, Potchefstroom
|
|-
|0
|0
|20
|, Vanderbijlpark, Sasolburg, Vereeniging
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
|Sebokeng
|0
|0
|31
| Randfontein Road, Sebokeng, Randfontein
|
|-
| rowspan="19" |Johannesburg
| rowspan="2" |Ennerdale
|0
|0
|46
| Ennerdale Road, Walkerville, Ennerdale
|Tolled exit
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Grasmere Toll Plaza
|-
| rowspan="2" |Soweto
|0
|0
|60
| Moroka Bypass, Potchefstroom, Kimberley
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance; Southern end of concurrency with N12
|-
|0
|0
|64
| Golden Highway, Soweto, Johannesburg South
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |Diepkloof
|0
|0
|67
| Southern Bypass, Rand Show Road, O. R. Tambo International, eMalahleni
|Northern end of concurrency with N12
|-
|0
|0
|69
| Soweto Highway, Diepkloof, Nasrec
|Northbound exit only
|-
|0
|0
|71
|, Soweto, Nasrec
|Southbound exit only
|-
| rowspan="3" |Roodepoort
|0
|0
|75
| Albertina Sisulu Road, Bosmont, Roodepoort
|
|-
|0
|0
|78
|Gordon Road, Florida
|
|-
|0
|0
|80
| 14th Avenue, Northcliff
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Randburg
|0
|0
|85
| Beyers Naude Drive, Honeydew, Northcliff
|
|-
|0
|0
|90
| Malibongwe Drive, Lanseria International, Strydompark
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |Sandton
|0
|0
|95
| Winnie Mandela Drive, Fourways, Bryanston
|
|-
|0
|0
|100
| Witkoppen Road, M9 Rivonia Road, Fourways, Sunninghill
|
|-
|0
|0
|104A
|Continue on , Roodepoort, Pretoria
| rowspan="2" |Signed as exit 104 southbound
|-
|0
|0
|104B
| Ben Schoeman Freeway, Johannesburg, Eastern Bypass, Germiston
|-
| rowspan="3" |Midrand
|0
|0
|108
| Allandale Road, Grand Central Airport, Kyalami, Kempton Park
|
|-
|0
|0
|111
| New Road, Crowthorne, Grand Central Airport
|
|-
|0
|0
|115
| Olifantsfontein Road, Noordwyk
|
|-
| rowspan="23" |Tshwane
| rowspan="9" |Centurion
|0
|0
|118A
| Samrand Road, Kosmosdal
|
|-
|0
|0
|118B
|Ultra City Service Area
|
|-
|0
|0
|121A
| Old Johannesburg Road north, Rooihuiskraal
|Signed as Exit 121B southbound
|-
|0
|0
|121B
| Old Johannesburg Road south, Brakfontein Road, Midrand
|Signed as Exit 121A southbound
|-
|0
|0
|124A
|Continue on , Johannesburg
| rowspan="2" |Signed as exit 124 northbound
|-
|0
|0
|124B
|, Pretoria, Krugersdorp
|-
|0
|0
|128
| John Vorster Drive, Witch-Hazel Avenue, Highveld
|
|-
|0
|0
|130
| Botha Avenue, Irene, Lyttelton
|
|-
|0
|0
|134
|, Kempton Park, O. R. Tambo International, Pretoria
|
|-
| rowspan="9" |Pretoria
|0
|0
|136
| Rigel Avenue, , Delmas, Erasmusrand
|
|-
|0
|0
|139
| Garsfontein Road, Waterkloof, Brooklyn
|Northbound exit only
|-
|0
|0
|140
| Atterbury Road, Menlo Park, Menlyn
|
|-
|0
|0
|141
| Lynnwood Road, Mering Naude Road, Lynnwood
|
|-
|0
|0
|145
|, Pretoria, , eMalahleni
|Southern end of concurrency with N4
|-
|0
|0
|148
| Stormvoël Road, Mamelodi, Gezina
|Tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|152
| Sefako Makgatho Drive, Cullinan, Pretoria North
|Tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance; Diverging diamond interchange
|-
|0
|0
|156
|, Rustenburg, Wonderboom National
|Tolled exit; Northern end of concurrency with N4
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Pumulani Toll Plaza
|-
| rowspan="2" |Soshanguve
|0
|0
|163
| Old Warmbaths Road, Pyramid, Wallmannsthal
|
|-
|0
|0
|172
| Old Warmbaths Road, Petronella, Murrayhill
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hammanskraal
|0
|0
|183
|R734, Hammanskraal, Boekenhoutskloof
|Tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|192
|Carousel Hotel
|Closed exit; Northbound exit only
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Carousel Toll Plaza
|-
| colspan="7" | continues into Limpopo
|}
Limpopo
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Municipality
!Location
!km
!mi
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="4" |Bela-Bela
| rowspan="2" |Pienaarsrivier
|0
|0
|196
|, Maubane
|
|-
|0
|0
|205
|, Pienaarsrivier, Rust de Winter
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Bela-Bela
|0
|0
|224
|, Settlers, Codrington
|
|-
|0
|0
|238
|, Settlers, Bela-Bela
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |Modimolle-Mookgophong
| rowspan="3" |Modimolle
|0
|0
| colspan="2" |SANRAL Kranskop Toll Plaza
|
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Marble Hall, Modimolle
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|273
|, Modimolle, Pretoria
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
| rowspan="2" |Mookgophong
|0
|0
|289
|, Mookgophong, Polokwane
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|300
|, Mookgophong
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance
|-
| rowspan="4" |Mogalakwena
| rowspan="4" |Mokopane
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Nyl Toll Plaza
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Marble Hall, , Mokopane
|Northbound exit, southbound entrance
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Mokopane, Zebediela
|Truck exit; Part of Mokopane Traffic Control Centre
|-
|0
|0
|352
|, Mokopane, Marble Hall
|Southbound exit, northbound entrance; Tolled exit
|-
| rowspan="5" |Polokwane
| rowspan="5" |Polokwane
|0
|0
|396
| Thabo Mbeki Street, Polokwane, Mokopane
|
|-
|0
|0
|400
| Church Street, Polokwane, Mashishing
|
|-
|0
|0
|402
|Dorp Street, Silicon Road
|
|-
|0
|0
|408
| Grobler Street, Munnik Avenue, Giyani, Tzaneen
|Signed as exit 410 southbound
|-
|0
|0
|416
| Landdros Mare Street, Polokwane
|No southbound entrance
|-
| rowspan="7" |Makhado
| rowspan="2" |Bandelierkop
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Capricorn Toll Plaza
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Morebeng
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="5" |Louis Trichardt
|0
|0
|—
|, Elim, Giyani
|At-grade traffic circle
|-
|0
|0
|—
| Rissik Street, Louis Trichardt, Vivo
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|—
| Songozwi Street, Thohoyandou
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |Hendrik Verwoerd Tunnels
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Waterpoort
|At-grade intersection
|-
| rowspan="5" |Musina
| rowspan="4" |Musina
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |SANRAL Baobab Toll Plaza
|-
|0
|0
|—
|, Tshipise
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0
|0
|604
|Old National Road, Musina
|
|-
|0
|0
|610
| Old National Road, Musina
|
|-
|Beitbridge
|0
|0
| colspan="3" |Beitbridge Border Post; Alfred Beit Road Bridge
|-
| colspan="7" | ends; A4/A6 continues into Zimbabwe
|}
Trans-African Highway Network
The section of the N1 from Cape Town to the split with the N12 national route at Three Sisters, Northern Cape is declared part of the Trans-African Highway Network no. 4 or Cairo-Cape Town Highway, which is the route designated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa between Cairo and Cape Town. (The route continues as the N12 northwards from Three Sisters.)
Old Route
thumb|300px|A section of dual-carriageway freeway on the N1 near [[Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng (2008)]]
In numerous places in South Africa, specifically near major cities, the N1 route has been rebuilt to freeway standards. The original routes usually carry the designation of R101 and are often alternative routes to the newer, sometimes tolled, highways. Two examples are the R101 over Du Toitskloof Pass, where the new N1 highway bypasses the pass altogether by use of the Huguenot Tunnel, and the R101 through Polokwane Central, where the new N1 highway bypasses the city centre by use of the Polokwane Eastern Bypass.
There are exceptions to the usual R101 alternative route designation:
- The old N1 route from Colesberg to Bloemfontein is designated R717 up until Reddersburg, where it's designated N6 to Bloemfontein.
|-
! Light vehicle
! Heavy vehicle (2 axles)
! Heavy vehicle (3/4 axles)
! Heavy vehicle (5+ axles)
|-
| Huguenot Toll Plaza
| Paarl <br />
| R41.50
| R115.00
| R179.00
| R290.00
|-
| Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza
| near Verkeerdevlei <br />
| R59.50
| R119.00
| R179.00
| R251.00
|-
| Vaal Toll Plaza
| near Parys <br />
| R69.50
| R130.00
| R157.00
| R209.00
|-
| Grasmere Toll Plaza
| Lenasia <br />
| R21.00
| R62.00
| R73.00
| R96.00
|-
| Pumulani Toll Plaza
| N4 exit to Rustenburg <br />
| R12.50
| R31.00
| R36.00
| R44.00
|-
| Carousel Toll Plaza
| between Pretoria and Bela Bela <br />
| R58.00
| R155.00
| R171.00
| R198.00
|-
| Kranskop Toll Plaza
| between Bela Bela and Modimolle <br />
| R46.50
| R119.00
| R159.00
| R195.00
|-
| Nyl Toll Plaza
| between Modimolle and Polokwane <br />
| R60.50
| R113.00
| R137.00
| R183.00
|-
| Capricorn Toll Plaza
| between Polokwane and Louis Trichardt <br />
| R48.50
| R133.00
| R155.00
| R195.00
|-
| Baobab Toll Plaza
| between Louis Trichardt and Musina <br />
| R47.00
| R128.00
| R176.00
| R211.00
|}
e-tolls in Gauteng
thumb|220x220px|An e-toll gantry on the N1 northbound near Lynnwood, Pretoria.
As a result of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, the section of the N1 from the R553 Golden Highway off-ramp in-between the Misgund and Diepkloof interchanges in Soweto to the Proefplaas Interchange with the N4 in Pretoria East was effectively declared an e-toll highway (with open road tolling) from 3 December 2013 onwards.
The South African government announced on 28 March 2024 that e-tolls in Gauteng would officially be shut down on 11 April 2024 at midnight. As a result of the e-toll discontinuation, this section of the N1 (which includes the Johannesburg Western Bypass, part of the Ben Schoeman Freeway and part of the Pretoria Eastern Bypass) became toll-free.