How to Get to Durban China City by Car, Taxi or Uber

What this guide covers

1. Getting your bearings first
2. Driving from around Durban
1. From the Durban CBD
2. From Umhlanga and the north
3. From Pinetown, Westville and the west
4. From Chatsworth and the south-west
5. From Phoenix, Verulam and the north-west
6. From Amanzimtoti and the South Coast
3. Minibus taxi
4. Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing
5. Comparing your options
6. Parking and loading bulky goods
7. Safety and timing, briefly
8. Frequently asked questions
9. Ready to come through

Durban China City is at 269 Inanda Road, Springfield Park, Durban, in the flat business and industrial belt along the Umgeni River, just north-east of the city centre. Almost everyone gets here the same way: onto the N2 or the M19, off at Springfield, then onto Inanda Road.

It is one of the easier destinations in Durban to reach, because Springfield Park sits between the N2, the M19 and the older routes out of the CBD. From Umhlanga, Amanzimtoti, Pinetown, Chatsworth or Phoenix you are looking at a fairly direct run on main roads rather than a maze of suburban streets.

Below is the route from each main direction, then guidance on minibus taxis, Uber and Bolt, parking, loading bulky goods and the times of day worth avoiding. We trade 09:00 to 17:00, seven days a week, and the number is 031 577 1615.

Getting your bearings first

Springfield Park, often referred to together with the neighbouring Umgeni Business Park, is a commercial area on the northern side of the Umgeni River, full of warehouses, motor dealerships and light industry. Inanda Road runs through the middle of it before heading inland.

The useful landmarks here are the area names rather than individual buildings. If you are in Springfield Park and on Inanda Road, you are within a couple of minutes of us. The centre is also known locally as China Mall Springfield or Springfield China Mall, so directions asked using those names usually work.

Set your phone map to “Durban China City” or “269 Inanda Road Springfield” before you pull off. Do not rely on a general search for “china mall Durban”, because several centres of that style exist around the city, including in the CBD on West Street and at The Wheel. Our guide to china malls in Durban compared sets out the difference.

Driving from around Durban

Whichever direction you come from, the last leg is the same: into Springfield Park, then onto Inanda Road.

From the Durban CBD

You are heading north-east and crossing the Umgeni River. Get onto the N2 north or a main arterial route out of town, take the Springfield or Umgeni Business Park turn-off and follow it into Springfield Park. Outside peak traffic this is a short run of roughly 15 to 25 minutes.

From Umhlanga and the north

From Umhlanga, Mount Edgecombe and the northern suburbs, take the N2 south and come off at the Springfield or Umgeni interchange. It is highway most of the way, which makes it one of the easier runs in the city. Traffic from the north builds heading south in the morning and north in the afternoon, so a mid-morning arrival is comfortable both ways.

From Pinetown, Westville and the west

The natural route is the M19, which runs east towards Springfield and the coast. Stay on it until you reach the Springfield Park area. The M19 is a busy corridor at peak times, especially on the Pinetown side, so a weekday mid-morning departure avoids the worst of it in both directions.

From Chatsworth and the south-west

Most drivers head north towards the N2 or the M19 corridor and approach Springfield Park from the south or the west. Allow more time than the map suggests during the weekday afternoon peak, when traffic heading back towards Chatsworth is heavy.

From Phoenix, Verulam and the north-west

Inanda Road runs inland in this general direction, and many drivers from these areas use it or a parallel route down to Springfield Park. Others drop onto the N2 and come in from the north. Which is faster depends entirely on traffic on the day.

From Amanzimtoti and the South Coast

Take the N2 north. You pass the airport turn-offs and the southern suburbs, skirt the CBD, cross the Umgeni area and come off at the Springfield or Umgeni interchange. It is a straightforward highway run, but long enough that a phone call before you leave is sensible. Ring 031 577 1615 to confirm trading, particularly on a public holiday, and see our trading hours and address guide for the quiet times of day.

Minibus taxi

Plenty of shoppers get here by minibus taxi, and Springfield Park is well served because it is a working area with people commuting into it every day.

We will not quote route numbers or fares, because routes, ranks and prices change and the only reliable source is the rank itself. What we can tell you is how to ask:

• Ask the rank marshal, not another passenger. The marshal knows which line goes where and can point you at the right queue.
• Ask for “Springfield” or “Springfield Park” first, and then confirm “the China mall on Inanda Road”. Area names travel better than business names.
• Confirm the fare before you get in, and have close to the right money.
• Tell the driver where you want to get off. Say it when you board, and again as you get close.
• Ask about the return trip while you are at the rank. Find out where you catch the taxi back and until roughly what time they run, so you are not stuck at 16:45 with heavy bags.
• Think about what you are carrying. Taxi space is limited, so if you are buying big, plan a different way home.

Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing

E-hailing operates widely across Durban and Springfield Park is a normal pick-up and drop-off area. A few practical expectations:

• Set the pin, do not just type a suburb. Drop the pin on the centre itself so the driver arrives at the right entrance.
• Fares move. Prices vary by time, demand and distance, so treat any figure you have heard as a rough guide and check the app on the day.
• Boot space is the catch. A standard e-hailing car handles bags, not a headboard, a bulk carton of crockery or a garden set. If you are buying volume, arrange a bakkie or make two trips.
• Getting a ride back. Requesting a car at closing time can take longer than usual, so order a few minutes before you are ready to leave.
• Save the address in your app so future trips are one tap.

Comparing your options

Every option trades off cost, time and how much you can realistically carry home. This table is a general comparison, not a price list.

If you are buying stock for a business, transport belongs in your costing from the start. A cheap carton stops being cheap if getting it home costs more than the margin on it. Our guide on how to price products for resale covers building transport into your unit cost.

Parking and loading bulky goods

There is on-site parking. The practical advice is the same as at any busy centre, and it matters most when you are carrying weight:

1. Arrive early on weekends. Before 10:00 on a Saturday makes parking a non-event.
2. Choose a bay you can get out of. A further bay you can reverse into beats a tight one near the door when you are loading boxes.
3. Prepare the car before you shop. Fold seats down, clear the boot, move the pram out if you can do without it.
4. Bring rope or straps if there is any chance of an oversized item. Do not assume a trader will have them.
5. Ask about delivery at the counter. Each shop is an independent trader, so delivery is a shop-by-shop question, not a centre policy.
6. Do a trolley run, not a hero run. Two trips beat one trip where something breaks.
7. Photograph your parking spot. It saves ten minutes of wandering.

Safety and timing, briefly

Springfield Park is a busy working area during trading hours. The sensible habits are the ones you would use anywhere in a South African city: phone in your pocket rather than your hand while walking to the car, bags closed, car locked while loading, and an eye on who is around you at the boot.

On timing, we close at 17:00 and the afternoon peak builds before that. Leave your shopping until late afternoon and you get the shortest browsing window and the heaviest traffic home. A weekday morning arrival solves both, and it is the quietest time inside the centre.

The next thing to sort out is how you will pay. Policies differ from trader to trader, so read our guide on payments, cards and refunds, and browse the shop directory to plan where to start.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to China Mall Springfield in Durban?

Durban China City is at 269 Inanda Road, Springfield Park. From most of Durban you take the N2 or the M19 to the Springfield or Umgeni Business Park area, then turn onto Inanda Road. Set your map app to the full street address before you leave, and allow extra time in peak traffic.

How long does it take to drive from the Durban CBD?

Roughly 15 to 25 minutes outside peak traffic, depending on where in the CBD you start and which route you take. During the weekday morning and late afternoon peaks it takes noticeably longer. Since the centre closes at 17:00, a mid-morning trip gives you easy traffic and a quiet centre.

Can I take a minibus taxi to Durban China City?

Yes. Springfield Park is well served by minibus taxis because it is a busy working area. Ask the rank marshal for Springfield Park, then confirm the China mall on Inanda Road. Agree the fare before boarding, tell the driver where you want to get off, and check where you catch the taxi back.

Does Uber go to Springfield Park in Durban?

Yes, e-hailing operates across Durban and Springfield Park is a normal pick-up and drop-off area. Drop the pin on the centre rather than typing a suburb name. Fares vary by time and demand, so check the app on the day. Boot space limits you to bags and boxes, not furniture.

Is there parking at Durban China City?

Yes, there is on-site parking. Bays near the entrance fill first, especially on Saturdays and in the festive season, so arriving before 10:00 on a weekend makes it easier. If you are collecting bulky goods, choose a bay you can reverse into and fold your seats down before you leave home.

How do I get large furniture home from China Mall Durban?

Plan the transport before you shop. A bakkie, van or borrowed trailer is the practical answer for oversized items, and bring rope or straps yourself. Delivery is a shop-by-shop question because every trader is independent, so ask at the counter before you pay.

What is the best time of day to drive to Springfield Park?

Between 09:00 and 11:00 on a weekday. You miss both traffic peaks on the N2 and M19, parking is easy, and the centre is at its quietest, which gives you room to compare shops and negotiate on bulk quantities. Saturdays are the busiest for both traffic and parking.

Is Durban China City the same as the China mall in the Durban CBD?

No. Durban China City is in Springfield Park at 269 Inanda Road. Other centres of a similar style exist elsewhere in Durban, including in the CBD around West Street and at The Wheel. Search the full street address or “Durban China City” so your map app takes you to the right place.

Ready to come through

The short version: N2 or M19 to Springfield Park, onto Inanda Road, number 269. Open 09:00 to 17:00 seven days a week, with on-site parking. Come on a weekday morning, plan your transport around what you intend to buy, and phone 031 577 1615 first if you are driving in from the coast or shopping on a public holiday.

If it is your first time, read our list of things to know before your first visit before you set off.

Durban China City
269 Inanda Road, Springfield Park, Durban, 4001
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
+27 31 577 1615
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