The City of Johannesburg is the largest and most populous in South Africa. Johannesburg is home to the famous Soweto Township which was central to the anti-apartheid movement in the country. Johannesburg is situated to the south of Pretoria and is the administrative capital of Gauteng Province.
The city developed largely due to its location in the mineral rich Witwatersrand Region. Johannesburg is also the business capital of South Africa and is home to the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) which is ranked amongst the top ten stock exchanges in the world.
Sports in the City:
Johannesburg will be one of the host cities for the 2010 World Cup which will be held in South Africa. The city is also home to the Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs two of the country’s leading football clubs as well as the Cats (a super 14 rugby side) and the Golden Lions a Provincial Rugby side. Ellis Park Stadium hosted the finals of the 1995 Rugby World cup and regularly hosts soccer and rugby matches.
Transport in Johannesburg:
Johannesburg is served by the Johannesburg International Airport which is the busiest in Africa and a major point of transit for visitors to other parts of the country. The most common means of transport in the city are the minibus “taxis”. There is also a metro rail system, buses and taxis.
Car Hire in Johannesburg:
There are a good number of car hire options for visitors to Johannesburg. A number of established car hire firms such as Hertz Car Rental, Europcar and Avis offer car hire services in Johannesburg. There are also a number of local car hire companies in the country; many of these very reliable.
You can hire a car prior to your arrival in Johannesburg, either online or via your travel agent. Most of the country’s major domestic and international airports have car rental offices.
Car rental services can also be easily found at other major towns and cities including Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Umhlanga, East London and Port Elizabeth.
Johannesburg Airport:
The Johannesburg International Airport is the busiest in Africa and the main hub for South African Airways. The airport is situated about 24 km from the city centre and transport to and from here consists of; taxis, buses and shuttle services.
The Johannesburg Airport was opened in 1952 and has been regularly expanded to cope with increases in passenger and cargo numbers. The airport has six passenger terminals and facilities for passengers include; a hotel, medical clinic, VIP lounge, conference and business facilities, internet access, car hire, travel agents, taxi rank, restaurants, bars, post offices, shops, duty free shops, banks, foreign exchange bureaus and restrooms.
Airlines:
South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Qantas, Emirates, Uganda Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, El Al, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Tanzania, Air Austral, Egyptair, Air Austral, Ethiopian Airlines, Air France, Air Madagascar, Air Gabon, Air Namibia, Olympic Airlines, Malaysian Airlines.
Johannesburg Flights:
There are a number airlines that offer regular flights to Johannesburg. The city is the key hub for air transport in South Africa and most international flights to the country arrive via here. The Johannesburg International Airport is the busiest on the African Continent and is also the main hub for South African Airways which flies from here to a number of domestic and international destinations.
Other airlines offering flights to Johannesburg are; Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Qantas, Emirates, Uganda Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, El Al, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Tanzania, Air Austral, Egyptair, Air Austral, Ethiopian Airlines, Air France, Air Madagascar, Air Gabon, Air Namibia, Olympic Airlines, Malaysian Airlines.
Johannesburg Hotels:
Johannesburg has a number of quality hotels to choose from. The city is visited by numerous people each year on transit, business and leisure. Some popular hotels in the city are;
The Westcliff Hotel Johannesburg: one of the city’s premier hotels, the Westcliff is a five star facility situated at 67 Jan Smuts Avenue in the northern suburb of Westcliff. The hotel offers its visitors a wide range of amenities and services such as; restaurants, bars, swimming pools, tennis courts, gym, access to a number of golf courses and shopping complexes, function rooms and business facilities.
The Palazzo InterContinental Montecasino: another five star hotel in Johannesburg, the Palazzo is situated at Montecasino Boulevard within easy reach of the international airport and the Jo-burg CBD. The hotel offers; restaurant, business services, swimming pool, gym, multi-lingual staff, currency exchange and access to a golf course and shops.
