Tourists arriving at OR Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International) have the option of catching a shuttle bus, renting a car or taking a metered taxi to their hotel. A public transport information desk can be found on the public concourse in domestic arrivals.
Hotel shuttle bus services
Tourists arriving at OR Tambo International, a half-hour drive from most
major parts of the city, will be relieved to learn that the big hotels operate their
own shuttle bus services to and from the airport, which visitors are advised to make use of. You should inquire about shuttle services and book your seat in advance when you make your room reservation, ensuring that you are met at the airport - although arrangements can be made by calling your hotel on arrival.
Other minibus services
Other minibus services to various key parts of the city are also available and can be booked at kiosks in the
international arrivals hall, close to the airport entrance. These are probably the cheapest option for those not able to use hotel shuttle services; they are certainly a cheaper option than taxis. Make sure you book one of the commercial services with kiosks inside the airport - there are plenty of informal minibus services for hire at the airport, but their quality of service cannot be guaranteed.
Car rental
Cars are readily available for hire at the airport, and this is the option preferred by
experienced visitors to the city, for whom a car is the only flexible form of
transport. Be warned: the spaghetti-like freeway interchanges between the airport and the city are not easily negotiated by novices, who are liable to get lost quickly.
All the major car rental agencies serve Johannesburg International, and you should have no problems finding a car to suit both your pocket and your required level of comfort and performance. The agencies' kiosks are all to be found in the domestic arrivals public concourse, and a golf cart shuttle service operates to and from the parking areas.
- For rental company websites, see the box on the right.
Metered taxis, recognisable by the yellow "taxi" lights on the car roofs, are also available at the airport. These are considerably more expensive than the bus services, but do at least ensure that visitors are dropped directly at the front doors of their destinations. Although locals tend to avoid metered taxis, foreigners may find this the quickest form of transport and the tariffs relatively affordable.
The taxi rank is located just outside the arrivals area, and the journey to the centre of Johannesburg should take 30 to 45 minutes. Minibus taxis will transport larger groups of up to 12 passengers.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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