At OR Tambo take the Gautrain to Sandton. At Cape Town take the MyCiTi A01 or an e-hailed car from the designated pickup in Parkade 1. Do not accept a lift from anyone who approaches you in the terminal.
At OR Tambo take the Gautrain to Sandton - about ZAR 190 and 15 minutes, running from inside the terminal.
It does not run late. After about 21:00 you are taking a car, at ZAR 350 to ZAR 500 by Uber or Bolt.
At Cape Town the e-hailing pickup is not at the kerb - walk to Parkade 1, because drivers cannot come to arrivals.
Cape Town's MyCiTi A01 bus is a genuinely good airport link, frequent and safe, dropping you in the middle of town for about ZAR 80 to ZAR 100.
Do not accept a lift from anyone who approaches you in the terminal. Use the app pickup zone or the authorised rank, and check the plate before getting in.
Johannesburg, OR Tambo (JNB)
Transport from the airport in South Africa
Option
Cost
Time
Notes
Gautrain to Sandton
about ZAR 190
15 min
Fast, safe, air-conditioned. Runs roughly 05:30 to 21:00
Uber or Bolt
ZAR 350 to ZAR 500 to Sandton
30 to 50 min
Use the signed e-hailing pickup zone
Metered airport taxi
ZAR 500 to ZAR 700
as above
Authorised rank outside arrivals
The Gautrain is the right answer if you are going to Sandton, Rosebank or Pretoria. It runs from inside the terminal and needs a Gautrain gold card, bought at the station.
It does not run late. After about 21:00 you are taking a car.
Do not walk out of OR Tambo and get into an unmarked car. Use the app pickup zone or the authorised rank.
Johannesburg is not a walking city. Plan door-to-door transport from the start.
Cape Town (CPT)
Transport from the airport in South Africa
Option
Cost
Time
Notes
MyCiTi A01 bus
about ZAR 80 to ZAR 100
30 min
To the Civic Centre. Needs a myconnect card, sold at the airport kiosk
Uber or Bolt
ZAR 150 to ZAR 250
20 to 30 min
Pickup is in Parkade 1, signed from arrivals
Metered taxi
ZAR 250 to ZAR 400
as above
Authorised rank
The A01 is a genuinely good airport bus, frequent and safe, and it drops you in the middle of town.
The e-hailing pickup at Cape Town is not at the kerb. Walk to Parkade 1; the drivers cannot come to arrivals.
King Shaka (DUR) in Durban has the King Shaka shuttle to the city and e-hailing; a car to central Durban is about ZAR 400.
E-hailing generally
Uber and Bolt are the default and both are cheap by European standards.
E-hailing is now a licensed industry. The National Land Transport Amendment Act came into force on 12 September 2025 and gave the sector 180 days, to 11 March 2026, to regularise: every driver needs an operating licence from the provincial regulator, vehicles must carry branding, and a panic button hard-wired to law enforcement or a security company is required - not just a button in the app.
Check the plate before you get in, always.
At quiet hours and in some townships drivers will not come. Ask your hotel to arrange a car instead of standing on a street.
Minibus taxis
The minibus taxi network moves most of the country and it is cheap.
It is not a good idea for a first-time visitor: the routes are unwritten, the driving is aggressive and the ranks are places where visitors get robbed.
The exception is a guided township tour, where the taxi is part of the experience and you are with someone who knows it.
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