Getting to Johannesburg

6 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

Most safaris to the Kruger and the Pilanesberg on this site start in Johannesburg. Long-haul flights land at O.R. Tambo International Airport, which Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) says handles more than 21 million passengers a year. Pretoria is about 50 km to the north, and the Gautrain links the airport with Sandton, Rosebank, central Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Flights from Europe

The airport’s airline list includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Condor, KLM, Air France, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways. The list is not fully up to date, so check routes with the airline itself.

From German-speaking countries, recent schedule news gives some figures. Lufthansa raised Munich–Johannesburg from three to five flights a week from the end of October 2026, flying on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and SWISS flies daily from Zurich with an A350. Condor added a fourth weekly Frankfurt flight from 11 May 2026; whether that continues in the winter schedule is not confirmed.

Arriving at O.R. Tambo

The airport, formerly Johannesburg International, has a domestic terminal and a central terminal building. Germany’s Foreign Office notes that checked luggage is sometimes opened without permission, so keep valuables and documents in your hand luggage. The British and US governments both report travellers being followed from the airport and robbed at their destination, and the British advice is to leave public areas promptly and arrange your pickup in advance.

The Gautrain runs from the airport station to Sandton in about 15 minutes, usually from about 05:30 to 20:30. For Rosebank and Park Station you change at Sandton, and for Pretoria at Marlboro. You pay at the gates with a contactless bank card or a Gautrain Card, as cash is not accepted, and the airport trains have cars with space for luggage. Accredited metered taxis are booked at the ACSA information desk, and private transfers meet you in the arrivals hall with a name board. The airport transfers page compares the options in detail.

Lanseria

Lanseria International Airport lies north of Randburg and Sandton, north-west of Johannesburg. It gives the road journey to Sandton as about 45 minutes and 30.9 km, to Randburg 40 minutes and to Pretoria 41 minutes and 59.8 km. Lanseria is not on the Gautrain network, so arrange a transfer. It is close to the north-west: Lion & Safari Park near Hartbeespoort, for example, is about 13 km away.

By long-distance bus

Intercape buses from Cape Town arrive at the Park Station bus terminal on Rissik Street in central Johannesburg, after 18 to 20 hours and about 1,400 km. Park Station is also the southern end of the Gautrain’s north-south line. Canada’s travel advice describes the station and its surroundings as dangerous because of high crime, so take the Gautrain or a booked ride onward rather than walking.

By car

Traffic in South Africa drives on the left. Germany’s Foreign Office says a German licence is only valid together with an International Driving Permit. It advises against driving between towns after dark because of accidents, potholes and animals on the road, and warns of smash-and-grab thefts at red lights and in heavy traffic. The British government suggests asking the rental company for anti-smash-and-grab film on the windows and keeping the tank more than half full.

From Johannesburg, SANParks gives about four hours’ drive to the Kruger National Park. Airlink flies from Johannesburg to Skukuza, next to the park’s main camp, in about an hour. The Cradle of Humankind lies roughly 45 to 50 km to the north-west. See Kruger safari and day trips for the routes.

Before you travel

German citizens need no visa for a short tourist stay and get a visitor’s permit for up to 90 days on arrival, on showing a return ticket. The passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond departure and have at least two blank pages for stamps, a rule Canada’s advice confirms. Minors travelling without an adult need, among other documents, an international birth certificate or one with an English translation, and an English consent letter from the parents. Other nationalities should check with their own government.

South Africa is on GMT+2 all year, without daylight saving. The currency is the rand, divided into 100 cents. Electricity is 220 to 230 volts, and most sockets take round-pin plugs, either three-pin 15-amp or two-pin 5-amp, so bring an adapter or buy one locally.