Public Transport in Johannesburg 2026 — Gautrain, Metrobus, Taxis and Getting Around South Africa's Economic Hub

Public Transport in Johannesburg 2026

Johannesburg is one of the most car-dependent major cities in the world — the sprawling nature of the Gauteng metropolitan area, decades of apartheid-era spatial planning, and a historically underfunded public transport sector mean that a car is near-essential for most of daily life in Joburg. However, the Gautrain rapid rail system is excellent and the Rea Vaya BRT provides useful coverage on selected corridors. For expats, Uber and Bolt are the practical day-to-day alternatives to driving. This guide covers public transport in Johannesburg in 2026.

Gautrain Rapid Rail

• The Gautrain is the flagship public transit infrastructure of the Gauteng City-Region; 80km network connecting O.R. Tambo International Airport, Sandton, Rosebank, Park (Braamfontein/CBD), Pretoria, and Centurion
• Gautrain is fast, air-conditioned, and very reliable — a genuine world-class rapid rail service by any standard; significantly faster than driving on many Gauteng corridors
• Gautrain Gold Card: Reloadable smart card; required for all Gautrain journeys; available at Gautrain stations; minimum R100 balance required
• Airport express: O.R. Tambo International to Sandton: approximately 15 minutes; Sandton to Park: approximately 5 minutes
• Operating hours: Monday-Friday 5:30am-9:00pm; weekends 6am-8pm; note: NOT 24 hours

Rea Vaya BRT

• Rea Vaya is Johannesburg's Bus Rapid Transit system; operates on dedicated lanes; covers routes from Soweto through Braamfontein/CBD to Ellis Park and Rea Vaya's expanding network; affordable and faster than general traffic on its BRT lanes

Minibus Taxis

• Unregulated shared minibus taxis (similar to Nairobi matatus) dominate public transit by volume; very cheap but unpredictable in quality and safety; used primarily by lower-income commuters

Uber and Bolt in Johannesburg

• Uber and Bolt operate extensively in Joburg; strongly recommended for expats for safety, comfort, and convenience; use in-app payment; share your trip details with contacts, particularly at night

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.