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Getting There By Air:

OR Tambo International Airport (JNB)
Tel: 011 921 6262.
Website: www.airports.co.za

Johannesburg’s airport is located 19km (12 miles) east of the city center. Handling over 11 million passengers each year, OR Tambo International Airport was until 2006 called Johannesburg International Airport, before it was renamed after anti-apartheid activist Oliver Reginald Tambo who died in 1993. It is Africa’s busiest, and many say best airport with top-notch facilities and services. The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has invested billions of Rand in upgrading facilities in the wake of South Africa being awarded the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Approximate flight times to Johannesburg: From London is 10 hours 45 minutes; from New York (via London) is 17 hours 45 minutes; from Los Angeles (via London) is 21 hours 15 minutes; from Toronto (via London) is 18 hours and from Sydney (via Perth) is 17 hours.

Airport facilities: These include 24-hour help phones, 24-hour medical clinic, Wi-Fi access, mobile phone and SIM card hire, bureaux de change, a 24-hour telephone center, banks, ATMs, tourist information, post office, left luggage, car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial and Tempest), an expansive duty-free area, shops, restaurants, bars, a chapel, Muslim prayer room and a 45-room transit hotel.

Business facilities: The Premier Conference Center (tel: 011 390 1084) in the domestic terminal contains several conference rooms that can accommodate 10 to120 people, a media conference room and VIP facilities.

Transport to the city: Various shuttle bus services operate to and from the airport including the Magic Bus (tel: 011 548 0822; website: www.magicbus.co.za) and Airport Link (tel: 011 792 2017; website: www.airportlink.co.za). Both run minibuses to all destinations including hotels in the northern suburbs from R250-275 for the first person and R30-50 per extra passenger. If you haven’t pre-booked a shuttle, then the desks of the shuttle companies are in the Parkade Center opposite the domestic terminal. Alternatively, to get to the Park City Transit Center on Rissik Street in the city center (for onward trains and long-distance buses), as well as to all other locations within Johannesburg, enquire at the itram desks in all the luggage collection areas (tel: 011 390 1275; website: www.itram.co.za). Except during rush hours (0700-0900 and 1600-1800), when there can be serious delays, the trip to Park City Transit Center takes about 40 minutes, while central Sandton is 50 minutes and Midrand 45 minutes. Most luxury and business hotels, if notified in advance, provide transport to and from the airport, and the nearest hotels to the airport provide courtesy buses that are found outside the international terminal.

Taking a taxi from the airport may be quicker than a shuttle bus but it’s more expensive and visitors should make sure the driver knows exactly where to go before setting off. Taxis that are airport approved will display a green, yellow and white sticker. Taxis are metered and cost at least R300-400 for anywhere within Johannesburg. 

Getting There By Road:

South Africa has by far the best-maintained and most extensive network of road transport infrastructure in Africa. National roads (designated by an ‘N’) link all of South Africa’s major cities to Johannesburg, while major routes (designated by an ‘R’) connect Johannesburg to most other areas. The generally high standard of roads means that almost anywhere in South Africa is accessible, without the need for a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

By law, it’s obligatory to wear seat belts. All vehicles must carry two red triangular warning chevrons to be placed 20m (66ft) in front of and behind the vehicle in case of breakdown or accident. Speed cameras are common and fines are high. Random breath tests can be imposed and the penalties for drink driving are severe - the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. Driving is on the left, with the general speed limit being 60kph (37mph) in ‘built-up’ (suburban and city) areas, 100kph (62mph) on the ‘open road’ (rural areas) and 120kph (75mph) on national roads. The latter are toll roads; expect to pay around R0.25 per kilometer. There are 24-hour service stations with convenience stores, restaurants and ATMs at regular intervals along all major routes, but it should be noted that credit cards cannot be used for fuel purchases.

Emergency breakdown service: Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) (tel: 083 84322; website: www.aa.co.za). The AA provides excellent maps, invaluable roadside medical rescue, technical assistance and advice (car hire, insurance, road conditions and recommended routes). The AA can also provide further information on driving in South Africa.

Routes to the city: The north-south road artery of South Africa, the N1, links Johannesburg to Cape Town and Bloemfontein to the south, and Pretoria, Polokwane, Makhado, Musina and Zimbabwe to the north. The N3 provides access to Harrismith, Pietermaritzberg, Durban and the coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The N4 runs west to Rustenburg, from where Sun City can be accessed, and then to Zeerust and on through Botswana and Namibia to the Atlantic Ocean, while the N4 Maputo Corridor runs east to Witbank, Middleberg and Nelspruit and on to Maputo in Mozambique, on the Indian Ocean. The Kruger National Park can be reached by taking the R40 off the N4, which then connects to the R536 toward Skukuza and the Paul Kruger Gate.

Driving times to Johannesburg: From Sun City - 2 hours 45 minutes; Kruger Park (Skukuza) - 5 hours 30 minutes; Durban - 6 hours 15 minutes; Cape Town - 17 hours.

Coach services: Johannesburg is linked by air-conditioned, deluxe and standard bus services to all major destinations in South Africa. These include Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, as well as some international destinations, such as Bulawayo and Harare in Zimbabwe, Maputo in Mozambique and Windhoek in Namibia. The Park City Transit Center on Rissik Street in Braamfontein is the departure point for all bus services.

Service providers include Intercape (tel: 021 380 4400 or 0861 287 287; website: www.intercape.co.za), Greyhound (tel: 011 276 8500 or 083 915 9000; website: www.greyhound.co.za), and Translux (tel: 011 774 3333 or 0861 589 282; website: www.translux.co.za). The national booking agency Computicket (tel: 011 340 8000 or 083 915 8000; website: www.computicket.com), which has branches in most shopping malls, provides centralized information and reservations for all inter-city bus routes.

The Baz Bus (tel: 021 439 2323; website: www.bazbus.com) is a hop-on hop-off bus service aimed at backpackers and picks up and drops off from backpacker hostels. There are two routes between Johannesburg and Durban; one via the Drakensberg and one via Swaziland. From Durban, the service then continues along South Africa’s coast to Cape Town.

Getting There By Rail:

Shosholoza Mehl (tel: 011 774 4555; website: www.spoornet.co.za/shosholozameyl) is South Africa’s passenger train operator. Johannesburg’s station is in the Park City Transit Center on Rissik Street, Braamfontein. This is the city’s main long distance rail and coach terminus, 1km (0.5 miles) from the center of town. Facilities include ATMs, fast-food restaurants, travel information and left luggage.

Rail services: There are eight daily trains that criss-cross the country and services from Johannesburg go to and from Musina on the Zimbabwe border, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. These are cheap, but very slow and most journeys go overnight. Between Johannesburg and Cape Town, for example, takes 26 hours. Simple accommodation is provided in compartments with four or six berths and there’s a snack bar. Children under four years of age travel free. Children aged four to 12 years pay half fare. There are no trains direct to neighboring countries but the Komati Express runs via Nelspruit to Komatipoort on the Mozambique border, from where minibuses run to Maputo.

The Premier Classe train (tel: 011 774 4555; website: www.premierclasse.co.za) runs between Johannesburg and Cape Town twice a week. This is a little nicer than the regular train with a formal dining car and extras such as gowns and toiletries. The Blue Train (tel: 012 334 8459; website: www.bluetrain.co.za) and the Pride of Africa (tel: 012 315 8242; website: www.rovas.co.za) offer luxurious cabins with baths and digital entertainment, and gourmet food and fine wines in the elaborate dining cars. Often dubbed 5-star hotels on wheels, they both run between Pretoria and Cape Town via Johannesburg.

Transport to the city: Although the station is extremely central, it is an area where muggings of tourists are common - visitors are advised to use the metered taxis or shuttle buses available from the transit center.

Getting Around:




Public Transport
With a fleet of new double-decker buses, Metrobus (tel: 011 833 5538; website: www.mbus.co.za) offers a scheduled bus service covering over 100 routes within the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan area; the service runs 0600-1900. Most routes start and finish in Ghandi Square (formerly Vanderbijl Square) bus terminus, corner of Main and Rissik Streets, and cover six zones with zone one closest and zone six furthest. Ticket prices depend on how many zones are crossed. Books of pre-paid tickets can be bought from Computicket (tel: 011 340 8000 or 083 915 8000; website: www.computicket.com) kiosks in shopping malls, which work out cheaper than regular fares paid onboard the buses. 

Metrorail (tel: 011 773 7092 or 0800 127 070; website: www.sarcc.co.za) is the suburban train service providing daily links to many parts of greater Johannesburg (including Soweto). This service is generally not recommended to visitors because of the danger of theft.

Taxis
The quickest (but not necessarily safest) way to get around Johannesburg is in one of the minibus taxis (sometimes called Zola Budds after the famous South African runner), which depart when full, pick up anywhere and serve the main routes 0500-2100. The main minibus rank in the city center is at the Metro Mall on Ntemi Piliso Street in Newtown. 

However, minibus taxis cannot really be recommended to visitors. Although they are getting more organized and newer vehicles are being introduced, they still have a bad reputation and safety record. Tourists who do choose to use this service should exercise caution and employ common sense at all times. Do not board an empty bus or travel alone, and avoid those that are in dreadful shape - with flat or smooth tires, alarming dents or just a general state of disrepair. 

Metered taxis are infinitely more expensive but far safer and more convenient than minibuses. They cannot be hailed in the street but can be ordered at any time of day or night and can also be hired for day trips. Although the meters are generally accurate, visitors should ask the driver for an estimated price before setting out. Unlike locals, foreigners often tip, and, although it is not expected, a small tip is appreciated.

Rose Taxis (tel: 011 403 0000; website: www.rosetaxis.com) are well established and have a reputation for reliability. Maxi Taxi Cabs (tel: 011 648 1212) are also recommended.

Driving in the City
Johannesburg’s rise fairly closely parallels that of the automobile and this has allowed successive city planners to cater very well for the needs of private motorists. The network of roads and highways is excellent and well maintained and parking is more than adequate. Attractions and shopping malls have car parks and across the city are purpose-built multi-story car parks. If parking on the street, it is customary to pay R2-5 to car guards for watching your car. These usually wear a badge or work vest and this system is well worth supporting as it provides thousands of jobs.

Traffic congestion is generally limited to the rush-hour periods of 0700-0900 and 1600-1800. At other times, most locations within the city can be reached in well under an hour. The main road hazards are poor driving (especially by minibus taxi drivers), a lack of visible traffic policing and the threat of attack by smash-and-grab thieves and armed hijackers. Visitors should never stop for hitchhikers or at accident scenes and always keep their doors locked and windows up. After dark, many motorists also (illegally) ignore red traffic lights (when in isolated or deserted areas, such as highway exits or intersections adjacent to parks), for safety reasons.

Car Hire
A hired car is the easiest way to get around Johannesburg, especially for excursions to outlying areas. Hotels can arrange car hire for their guests, while all major car hire companies have booths at the airport. These include Avis (tel: 0861 113 748; website: www.avis.co.za), Budget (tel: 0861 016 622; website: www.budget.co.za), Europcar (tel: 0860 011 344; website: www.europcar.co.za), Hertz (tel: 0861 600 136; website: www.hertz.co.za) and Tempest Sixt (tel: 0861 836 7378; website: www.tempestcarhire.co.za).

Third party insurance is included in the rates but comprehensive or full cover insurance is usually offered as an optional extra (some companies make this compulsory) and is highly recommended, particularly against theft. Drivers must be at least 23 years old and have a credit card and an International Driving License (unless the driver’s national license is printed in English and bears a photograph of the holder).

Bicycle Hire
Johannesburg’s town planners have made absolutely no provision for bicycles in their grand schemes and consequently many motorists do not view cyclists as being legitimate users of the road. It therefore comes as no surprise that no one hires out bicycles in the city.

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