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.
In some cities taking a taxi is straightforward. But in Johannesburg the taxi ranks are for public transport and the African taxis squeeze 25 passengers into 16 seats. Then there are private taxis but they don"t have a sign indicating they"re for hire, so how to make sense of it all. We talk you through the three different taxi options in Johannesburg and how you can choose the right one.
Pre booked taxis are sometimes hard to distinguish as they don"t have a taxi sign or a metre. These are usually modern saloon vehicles or minivans and are booked directly with a taxi company. These taxis are focused on high end business clients and the tourist market. Expect courteous and professional drivers and a reliability that"s not found elsewhere. In South Africa if you arrive within an hour of the agreed time then it"s a triumph of punctuality. Pre-booked taxis take a more European standpoint and arrive within 10 minutes of what"s expected.
Johannesburg Taxi prices:
For day hire and multiple journeys they are great value and you could pay less than R1000 (€80) for a whole day going around Johannesburg. On our website you can compare different taxi companies like BPMN Executive Transport Services in Yeoville, Randburg Cabs on 355 Long Ave, and Zonke Tours and Shuttles on Adrienne Ave.
Across Johannesburg you"ll see a random assortment of vehicles with the TAXI sign on the roof. These are available for hire and should have a metre. You can either agree to use the metre or negotiate a fare. Be warned that during rush hour times when demand is high, a taxi driver may refuse to use the metre. If an unmarked car offers you a lift then first check the taxi license before getting inside. There are no private taxi ranks but you"ll find these taxis outside big shopping malls or along busy streets.
All across Johannesburg there are taxi ranks. Except these aren"t for a comfortable journey in a private vehicle, they are for the local form of public transport – the African taxi. Drivers blare out music, suspension has long since broken, and it"s rare to find an African taxi whose door shuts without a special technique. However, you can go halfway across the city for less than €1 as long as you don"t mind sharing a seat and having to put your feet on top of your luggage.
Rather than put out your thumb or hand to hail an African taxi, each journey and destination has its own hand system. So three fingers pointing to the right might mean you"re going to Randburg. Raising the thumb and pointing the finger to the left could mean destination Orlando. There are literally hundreds of varieties and the city government even came up with a chart so you can learn the hand signal for your destination.
African taxis aren"t comfortable, nor fast, nor convenient. However, if you dare, they can be a very amusing local experience.
Cab services are one way to get around Johannesburg. If you are looking for other ways to travel around Johannesburg, take a look at car rentals with driver in Johannesburg or mini bus hire in Johannesburg options. For more information and tips about South Africa, visit the travel services page. Get ideas for trips in and around Johannesburg on the transport in Gauteng page.
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