TRAVEL TIPS

Air Travel

O. R. Tambo International Airport is about 19 km (12 miles) from the Johannesburg city center and is linked to the city by a fast highway, which is always busy but especially before 9 am and between 4 and 7 pm. The best way to travel to and from it is via the Gautrain, a high-speed train that connects Sandton, Johannesburg, and Pretoria directly with O. R. Tambo. It takes about 30 minutes to travel from the airport to Sandton. The train runs from between 5 or 5:30 am and 9 or 9:30 pm every day, depending on the station.

Alternatively, Magic Bus offers private transfers to all major Sandton hotels (R575 per vehicle for one or two people, R630 for three people, R670 for four to seven people). The journey takes 30 minutes to an hour. Getthere Transfers and Tours charges R450 from the airport to anywhere in Johannesburg for the first rider and R30 for each additional person (R500 to Pretoria and R50 for each additional person). Airport Link will ferry you anywhere in the central Johannesburg area for R490 per person.

Wilro Tours runs from the airport to Sandton (R835 for one to three people, R1,230 for four to seven).

In addition, scores of licensed taxis line up outside the airport terminal. By law they must have a working meter. Expect to pay about R500 for a trip to Sandton. Negotiate a price before you get into a taxi.

Lines at the airport can be long: plan to arrive two to three hours before an international departure and at least an hour before domestic departures. The airport has its own police station, but luggage theft has been a problem in recent years. Keep your belongings close to you at all times.

If your hotel or guesthouse does not have a shuttle, ask a staff member to arrange for your transportation with a reliable company. Most lodgings have a regular service they use, so you should have no problem arranging this in advance.

Prices vary, depending on where you are staying, but plan on R400–R500 for a ride from your hotel or guesthouse in Sandton, Rosebank, or the city center to the airport. Some companies charge per head, whereas others charge per trip, so be sure to check that in advance. The Gautrain is less expensive, quick, and safe, but you’ll have to handle your own luggage. Most guesthouses or hotels will be able to drop you at the closest Gautrain station.

Airport Contacts

O. R. Tambo International Airport. Johannesburg, Gauteng. 086/727–7888; www.acsa.co.za.

Airport Transfers

Airport Link. 011/794–8300; 083/625–5090; www.airportlink.co.za.

Gautrain. Johannesburg, Gauteng. 0800/428–87246; www.gautrain.co.za.

Getthere Transfers and Tours. Johannesburg, Gauteng. 076/6324235.

Legend Tours and Transfers. 021/704–9140; www.legendtours.co.za.

Magic Bus. Johannesburg, Gauteng. 011/548–0822; www.megabus.co.za.

BACK TO

Ready for a trip of a lifetime to Johannesburg?

CONTACT US TODAY