Johannesburg, South Africa — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Airlines offering flights to Johannesburg include British Airways, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Iberia Airlines and KLM.
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.The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) invested billions of rand in upgrading facilities before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Airport facilities
These include 24-hour medical clinic, Wi-Fi access, mobile phone and SIM card hire, a 24-hour telephone center, bureau de change, banks, ATMs, tourist information, post office, left luggage, car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial and Tempest), shops, restaurants, bars, a chapel, Muslim prayer room and a transit hotel.
Transport to the city
Various shuttle bus services operate between the airport, the city center and the northern suburbs. These include the Magic Bus (tel: (011) 548 0822; www.magicbus.co.za) and Airport Link (tel: (011) 792 2017; www.airportlink.co.za). Booking desks are in the Parkade Center opposite the domestic terminal.
Alternatively, to get to the Park City Transit Center on Rissik Street in the city (for onward trains and long-distance buses), or to any other location within Johannesburg, enquire at the itram desks in all the luggage collection areas (tel: (011) 390 1275; www.itram.co.za). The trip is about 40 minutes (except in rush hour), while central Sandton takes 50 minutes and Midrand 45 minutes. Some hotels also provide pre-bookable transport to and from the airport.
If taking a taxi from the airport, visitors should make sure the driver knows the destination before setting off. Airport-approved taxis display a green, yellow and white sticker. Taxis are metered and cost at least R300-400 for anywhere within Johannesburg.
Approximate flight times to Johannesburg
From London - 10 hours 45 minutes; from New York - 17 hours 45 minutes; from Los Angeles - 21 hours 15 minutes; from Toronto - 18 hours; from Sydney- 17 hours.
Getting There By Road
Johannesburg is accessible from almost anywhere in the country. Driving is on the left and drivers must be aged 18 years or over. 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. The speed limit is 60kph (37mph) in suburban and city areas, 100kph (62mph) in rural areas and 120kph (75mph) on national roads. The latter are toll roads; expect to pay around R0.30 per kilometer. There are 24-hour service stations with convenience stores, restaurants and ATMs at regular intervals on major routes.
Emergency breakdown services
Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) (tel: 083 84322).
Routes to the city
The north-south road artery of South Africa, the N1, runs north to Johannesburg from Cape Town and Bloemfontein, and south from Pretoria and Zimbabwe. The N3 links to Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal coast. The N4 offers access to the west including Sun City, Botswana and Namibia, while the N4 Maputo Corridor goes east to Nelspruit and Mozambique. Access from Kruger National Park is via the R536, R40 and N4.
Driving times to the city
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 deluxe and standard bus services from all major cities in South Africa and many other southern African cities including Bulawayo, Harare, Maputo and Windhoek. The Park City Transit Center on Rissik Street is the terminus. Coach operators include Intercape (tel: (021) 380 4400; www.intercape.co.za), Greyhound (tel: (011) 276 8500; www.greyhound.co.za) and Translux (tel: (011) 774 3333; www.translux.co.za). The national booking agency Computicket (tel: (011) 340 8000; www.computicket.com) provides centralized information and reservations for all routes. The Baz Bus (tel: (021) 439 2323; www.bazbus.com) offers a hop-on hop-off backpackers's bus service to Johannesburg from Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
Trains to Johannesburg arrive at 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 Operators
Shosholoza Meyl (tel: (011) 774 4555; www.shosholozameyl.co.za) is South Africa's passenger train operator. 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 and very slow. The journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town takes 26 hours. Simple accommodation is provided in compartments with four or six berths and there's a snack bar. There are no direct 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; www.premierclasse.co.za) runs between Johannesburg and Cape Town twice a week, and offers a formal dining car and extras such as gowns and toiletries. The Blue Train (tel: (012) 334 8459; www.bluetrain.co.za) and the Rovos Rail Pride of Africa (tel: (012) 315 8242; www.rovas.co.za) offer luxurious cabins with baths, digital entertainment, gourmet food and fine wines in elaborate dining cars. They both run between Pretoria and Cape Town via Johannesburg. The luxury Shongololo Express (tel: (011) 483 0657, www.shongololo.com) runs from Cape Town to Johannesburg and other sightseeing spots in southern Africa.
Transport
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 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Public Transport
Metrobus (tel: (011) 833 5538; www.mbus.co.za) offers scheduled services within the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area between 0600-1900. Most routes start and finish in Gandhi Square bus terminus, corner of Main and Rissik Streets, and cover six zones. Fares depend on how many zones are crossed. Pre-paid tickets can be bought from Computicket (tel: (011) 340 8000 or 083 915 8000; www.computicket.com) kiosks in shopping malls, which are cheaper than buying onboard fares.
Metrorail (tel: (011) 773 7092 or 0800 127 070; www.sarcc.co.za) provides daily train links to many parts of Greater Johannesburg but is considered to be unsafe for visitors.
Taxis
Shared minibus taxis are fast and cheap but not necessarily safe: some are poorly maintained. They depart when full, pick up anywhere and serve the main routes between 0500-2100. The main city minibus rank is at the Metro Mall on Ntemi Piliso Street. Newtown.
Metered taxis are much more expensive but safer and more convenient than minibuses. They cannot be hailed in the street but can be pre-ordered during the day, night and for day trips. Although journeys are metered, visitors should ask the driver for an estimated price before setting out.
Rose Taxis (tel: (011) 403 0000) and Maxi Taxi Cabs (tel: (011) 648 1212) are recommended.
Driving in the City
Johannesburg's roads and highways are excellent and parking is more than adequate, with purpose-built multi-story car parks across the city. If parking on the street, it is customary to pay R2-5 to security guards identifiable by a badge or work vest.
Expect traffic congestion during rush-hour periods. The main road hazards are poor driving, 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 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 021 111; www.avis.co.za), Budget (tel: 0861 016 622; www.budget.co.za), Europcar South Africa (tel: 0861 031 000; www.europcar.co.za), Hertz (tel: 0861 600 136; www.hertz.co.za) and Tempest (tel: 011 552 3900; 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 and is highly recommended, particularly against theft. Drivers must be at least 23 years old, own a credit card and International Driving License, unless the driver's national license is printed in English and bears a photograph of the holder.
