LANGUAGE

English & Afrikaans

CURRENCY

South African Rand

BEST TIME TO VISIT

October to July

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Johannesburg Park Station

NEAREST AIRPORT

R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg (JNB)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Most malls and shops offer limited free wi-fi, and some neighbourhoods, such as Braamfontin and Maboneng, are heading in the same direction. Nearly all hotels, guesthouses, cafes and restaurants will have WI-FI, too.

VISA

Australian, UK, US and most Western European citizens can get a 90-day entry permit on arrival.

Visitors on holiday from most Commonwealth countries (including Australia and the UK), most Western European countries, Japan and the USA don’t require visas. Instead, you’ll be issued with a free entry permit on arrival, which is valid for a stay of up to 90 days. But if the date of your flight out is sooner than this, the immigration officer may use that as the date of your permit expiry, unless you request otherwise.

All children aged under 18 must show an unabridged birth certificate, with additional paperwork needed in some cases. Your airline will likely alert you to these immigration regulations when you buy your flight. If you aren’t entitled to an entry permit, you’ll need to get a visa (also free) before you arrive. These aren’t issued at the borders, and must be obtained from a South African embassy or consulate in your own country. Allow several weeks for processing. For any entry – whether you require a visa or not – you need to have at least two completely blank pages in your passport, excluding the last two pages.

HOTEL

Johannesburg is full of accommodation to suit any type of budget, from the ultimate in luxury and expense, to backpacker lodges. Johannesburg also caters for those who are looking for a luxurious stay, with five-star hotels. Many of these are located in the Sandton area.

LUXURY

Radisson Blu Sandton Hotel: $154 onwards per night

Hyatt Regency: $195 onwards per night

MID- RANGE

Villa Simonne Boutique Hotel- $100 onwards per night

Genesis All-Suite Hotel- $108 onwards per night

BUDGET

Backpackers

Curiocity Backpackers- $26 onwards per night

The Backpacker’s Ritz- $29 onwards per night

Guesthouses / bed & breakfasts

Abbotsford House- $45 onwards per night

Once in Joburg- $30 onwards per night

COST OF LIVING

The average daily price for traveling in Johannesburg is $97. The average price of food for one day is $18. The average price of a hotel for a couple is $112.