Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) Information
(Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)
In 2006, Johannesburg International Airport was officially renamed after former African National Congress president Oliver Tambo. A decade earlier, the facility earned its status as Africa's busiest, a title that it has kept ever since. The facility now ranks amongst the world's 100 busiest, with nearly 19 million passengers presently entering its six terminals per annum.
The Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport is one of only a handful of worldwide air hubs offering non-stop flights to every continent except
Australia. Its direct flights to
New York City,
Atlanta and
Washington D.C. are some of the world's longest. However, these destinations are just a handful of the nearly 60 cities that passengers can reach from the facility's six terminals.
Africa welcomed its first Airbus A380 flight in 2006, when one of these large jets landed at the Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport during a test flight between the South Pole and
Sydney, Australia. Of interest, the airport was earlier chosen as a Concorde test site because of its high altitude.
Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB)
Address: Airports Company South Africa, Private Bag X1, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 1627, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 11 921 6262 / +27 (0)11 921 6911
The heart of Johannesburg lies about 22 km / 14 miles west of the OR Tambo International Airport's Kempton Park location. This complex serves as a major gateway to not only South Africa's biggest city, but to the entire country.
OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) Guide
Facilities:
- Information desks at all six terminals
- Five Big Five duty free shops and 100 more retail shops
- Approximately 40 restaurants serving a wide variety of meals
- Banks and ATMs in Terminal A and Terminal B
- Car hire available from ten different local and international companies, including Europcar, Avis and Budget
- Multi-room Premier Conference Centre within the Domestic Terminal
- Vodacom Superstore with mobile phones for rent
- First aid facilities and medical clinic
- Post office in International Arrivals
- Baby changing facilities
- Public observation decks in the International and Domestic Terminals
Cars
The city of Johannesburg was constructed around the vehicle, which remains the most practical way to travel here despite this sprawling city's growing traffic problems. Fortunately, traffic is usually moderate between the OR Tambo International Airport and the city centre, a half-hour drive. Worth noting, local car hire companies tend to offer better deals than international chains.
Buses
Several private bus companies and hotel shuttles make the 40-minute journey between the airport and city centre. The International Arrivals hall provides further hotel shuttle information, while six long-distance bus lines stop at the Park Station. Rea Vaya is the safest, most affordable and most reliable of Johannesburg's city bus lines.
Trains
The Gautrain high-speed rail network connects the airport with
Pretoria and Johannesburg, while MetroRail commuter trains travel throughout the surrounding Witwatersrand region. Seats on Spoornet's passenger rail network are divided into economy seats (without beds) and tourist class seats (with beds).
Taxis
The taxis parked outside the OR Tambo International Airport's Arrivals area can be costly, especially during South Africa's national holidays and late at night. Foreign visitors should avoid the shared minibus taxis, which are popular among locals, and instead use regular, fixed price or metered taxis.
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