Johannesburg Travel Forum

Towards end of next week, I would have about 6 hours in Johanesburg for connecting my next flight. Wondering if there is anything i can do within these hours? Maybe a shopping spree in any of the mall near the airport? or any recommendation??

hi
the nearest mall is east gate mall .not sure were else you going to is SA but johannesburg malls are quite good for a shopping spree but the best mall in JHB would have to be sandotn city but about 45 min away .anyway have fun

take a 3 hour educational Soweto Tour.

The traffic into and out of JHB is quite hectic. East Rand Mall is the closest. But you will have to take a taxi. Emperor's palace is very close to the airport. It is more a casino but there are some shops and restaurants. Greenstone Mall is a relatively new shopping centre towards Edenvale - about 20 min from the airport. Very nice bookshops, music shops, clothes etc. I prefer Greentone to East Rand Mall.

I would agree with Cleocat especially with the traffic being bad and the load shedding is not making matters any better to be wondering too far from the airport. So you can stick with the places she recommended.

I would agree about East Rand mall. Its the nearest, and has the least possibility of a traffic jam. Eastgate is best during midmorning-mid afternoon before the rush hours. The freeways going and coming from it would be jammed as it gets later in the afternoon. Its more upmarket than east rand mall. They are both named east but they are far apart from each other.

bong

Thanks!
A little confused now. Fatimao mentioned East Gate mall is the nearest but bongski mentioned East Rand Mall is the nearest and they are far apart??? So which is the nearest now? lol

What time does the mall open then?

Also, how is the taxi is JNB airport? do they go by meter or need to buy a ticket from the taxi counter. As i was waiting to transit last week, hanging on the roadside for a smoke, there were many people (driver i presumed) asking me whether i need a taxi or not? So to get to either of the mall, roughly how much??

Thanks

I would agree with Cybernation: a tour of Soweto would be very interesting and could be managed in your time. You could visit Gold Reef City and go down the mine there.

If you do choose to go shopping, then the Bruma Lake flea market is very close to Eastgate and you could try browsing there too. Also close to Eastgate is Chinatown - Derrick Avenue in Cyrildene. Here you can eat, see the grocers selling their produce on the streets, stroll past barber shops. It takes up a single street.

Although I have never used them, the Sandton City website says: "ITRAM is the accredited transportation company of the Johannesburg International Airport and provides public transport, taxi and shuttle services to and from Sandton City. Contact 011 390 1275." I live in Sandton, and it takes me 35 minutes outside peak hours to get to the airport. It can take 1 1/2 hours in traffic.

Can't comment on taxi prices.

Have fun.

I would stand on my view that east rand mall is closer than east gate mall. I take both routes in bringing my visitors to and from the airport.

Direction wise, after coming out of the airport terminal you take the left towards boksburg where east rand mall is. If you take the road straight from the airport going to johannesburg, then it will take you to the direction of the eastgate mall. Taxi wise, from the malls, eastgate will be better since there are metered taxis available at the back entrances of the mall (ground level). From the airport, ask the info desk located at the middle of the arrival area where you can get an acrredited taxi. Dont just take any taxi being offered by the greeters and hangers on in the arrival area.

bong

Thanks for the information..:)

Is that 6 hours including your 3 hours needed to check in or not? I wouldn't take the risk of going too far at all. Traffic gets awful around there. There are places to shop at the airport... it's a modern and well equipped airport. If you do have the full 6 hours to go somewhere, then go to Eastgate Mall.

visit gold reef city, soweto, lesedi cultural village, apartheid museum and there are also some shops to visit any of these would be a good idea to see