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Useful tips for Johannesburg bus groups with ‘what to see’ and ‘what to do’ items and ‘bus- friendly’ or must see tourist sites in Johannesburg. Check our list of attractions before planning your bus tour with a stop or departure in Johannesburg. Let us know if your favourite attraction or ‘bus-stop’ is not there and you think we should add it to our list of Johannesburg highlights.
Johannesburg has two airports and is the main international entry point for foreign visitors arriving in South Africa. O.R Tambo International (JBG) is the largest airport in Africa and if you"re coming from abroad you"ll be landing here. Lanseria (HLA) is a domestic hub for budget airlines and situated to the west of the city.
You couldn"t imagine two more different airports. O.R. Tambo is large, unruly, and full of hundreds of things to keep you occupied. Lanseria looks like it"s located on a nature reserve and is surrounded by wilderness and wild animals. We take a look at everything you need to know about these two airports.
The biggest of Africa"s airports is to the south east of Johannesburg. Named after one of the forefathers of the fight against apartheid it was redeveloped for the 2010 football World Cup. Across two different floors the souvenir stalls sell everyone that yells Africa; zebra skins, curios made from recycled beer cans, and life size animals made from wood. The safest and most convenient airport transfer is by a pre booked taxi.
From O.R Tambo allow at least an hour to reach your destination in Johannesburg, even more during rush hour traffic. All passengers come through a central arrivals gate and with a pre booked transfer your driver will be waiting here with a name board. Vehicles will be comfortable and spacious, although you shouldn"t expect luxury. Johannesburg is a vast city, and is best understood by its many suburbs. Few people venture in the centre, and the cost of a transfer depends on the area you are staying.
Expect to pay a minimum of R400 (€33) for one person. The most popular destinations of Sandton and Randburg are to the west of the city and a transfer will cost around R500 (€40) for one person. Add an extra R50 for each additional passenger. A number of companies specialise in airport transfers and have a solid reputation for being safe and reliable. You can check them out on our website and compare the details of companies like Rhino Shuttles in Randburg, Maesela Tours and Shuttle in South Hills, and Transfers South Africa in Mayberry Park.
As you enter through the large arrivals gate a mob of touts will offer their taxi services. There are also a number of taxi booths on the ground floor where you can order a taxi. Using a tout is potentially dangerous and not recommended. The taxi booths are slightly more expensive than pre booking.
Some taxi companies offer shared minibus transfers, operating door to door. It"s R100 cheaper than having a private transfer and if you"re the first drop off then its good value. However, if the minibus has to drop off other passengers in different parts of Johannesburg your transfer could take up to three hours. Furthermore, these taxis charge by passenger. So for two or more passengers a private transfer is cheaper.
It"s straight forward to take a local African taxi or bus from the airport into Johannesburg city centre. However, the centre has a terrible reputation for crime and most foreign visitors aren"t recommended to go to the centre. Walking around there with all your luggage makes you an easy target. If you really want to take public transport then take the Gautrain to Sandton and change to an African taxi from there.
Johannesburg"s rural airport gives a different perspective of the city. It"s only used by budget airlines but when flying domestically Lanseria"s manageable size and location make it a preferred place to land.
Lanseria is in the middle of nowhere and isn"t serviced by any public transport. Usually the only airport transfer is to be picked up by a friend or pre book a transfer. Your driver will easily find you – this is a tiny airport – and the quiet surrounding roads make for a transfer of 30-45 minutes to suburbs in the west of Johannesburg. Expect a fee of R350 (€27) for one person and an extra R50 for each additional passenger.
At Lanseria this could be a problem. There is no public transport and sometimes not even any taxis waiting to take passengers. Eventually a taxi will arrive and it will use a metre that makes the journey far more expensive than pre booking.
Want to know more about travel in South Africa? Read more about things to do and see in Johannesburg, various travel services in South Africa or ideas for trips and transport in Gauteng. A relaxing holiday or successful business trip starts at the airport. Start your trip the best way you can by booking the airport transfer of your choice. Just fill out the form to start receiving airport transport quotes for free and discover the benefits of using RentAutobus first hand!
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