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JNB OR Tambo International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) serves Johannesburg, about 20 km east of Johannesburg. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATAJNB
ICAOFAOR
ServesJohannesburg
From centre21 km
Non-stop81
Airlines49
TimezoneAfrica/Johannesburg
Elevation1694 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

OR Tambo International Airport — facts & history

We pulled OR Tambo International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 1.5M passengers in 2022, against a peak of 21M in 2017.

Opened
1952
74 years ago
Passengers / year
1.5M
as of 2022
Peak traffic
21M
in 2017
Elevation
1694 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
Airports Company South Africa
Passengers per year, 2011–2022

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Official links

OR Tambo International Airport — official sites

Airport to city

Getting from OR Tambo International Airport to Johannesburg

The airport is about 20 km east of Johannesburg, about 45 minutes by road in normal traffic.

Train & bus: Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.

Taxi & apps: Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage. Estimated fare to the centre: R244–R387.

Tipping: 10% is usual.

Way inTime to centreCost
Train / bus~31 mincheapestCHEAPEST
Taxi~45 minR244–R387
Private transfer~45 minfixed upfront
Car rental~45 min + חניהfrom the terminal
Distances

From JNB to nearby cities

Estimated drive times in normal traffic, and an approximate taxi fare at the local tariff. A pre-booked transfer is usually cheaper.

DestinationDistanceDriveTaxi (est.)
Pretoria44 km62 minR474–R753
Choose and book

Which way suits you from OR Tambo International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people. ~R244–R387 to the centre.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in Johannesburg ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from OR Tambo International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 81 destinations, operated by 49 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: South African Airways · British Airways · US Airways · Mango · Comair · Air Botswana · Air Zimbabwe · Ethiopian Airlines · Qatar Airways · Lufthansa

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at OR Tambo International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sleep nearby

Hotels near OR Tambo International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in Johannesburg shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — OR Tambo International Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Airports nearby

Other options near Johannesburg

Same country

Other airports in South Africa

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from OR Tambo International Airport to the centre of Johannesburg?
Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. The airport is about 20 km east of Johannesburg, about 45 minutes by road.
How much is a taxi from OR Tambo International Airport to Johannesburg?
Roughly R244–R387 (at the local tariff). Many airports have a regulated flat fare — ask at the taxi desk.
Can I use a ride app from OR Tambo International Airport?
Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage.
What's the cheapest way from OR Tambo International Airport to Johannesburg?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.
Can I get from OR Tambo International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from OR Tambo International Airport?
About 81 destinations, including Cape Town, London, Windhoek, Abu Dhabi. 49 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is OR Tambo International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on OR Tambo International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at OR Tambo International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
Johannesburg city guide← South Africa travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

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