Rietvlei Backpackers Lodge
Rietvlei Farm, Swartkoppies Road, Johannesburg, 1456, South Africa
More about Johannesburg
Photos
The road along which the '76 protesters advanced
Full steam ahead!
Jacarunda Trees In Johannesburg
South-African Airways
Forum Posts
safety
by mayukhaa
hi, i am travelling to jhb shortly. i would like to know whether it is safe to take grey hound bus from transite centre at 10 in the morning??????????
Re: safety
by Odinnthor
Not knowing the who/where from/gender/age, I will give you a general answer. Yes it is as safe as any other big diverse city.
Re: safety
by Odinnthor
Not knowing the who/where from/gender/age, I will give you a general answer. Yes it is as safe as any other big diverse city.
Re: safety
by mayukhaa
thank u for repling
i am a 30 yr old women travelling 4m india to S A
i will comong to jhm ,staying for 1 day and planning to move ahead to durban the next day by taking grey hound.
can i get reservation / seats on arrival
pls help
Re: safety
by Odinnthor
Thanks for adding that. You will likely meet many people from India, on your journey. I will still say that you will be just fine there. Unfortunately I am not really well versed in the bus schedules or booking rules, however I expect "lynnhamman" to chime in shortly, and she will undoubtedly give you good information. In the meantime you should check out here pages, both for India and South Africa.
Re: safety
by faurec
Hi,
Odinnthor is correct. You are as safe as in any other big city.
You can book tickets on arrival but I suggest you book in advance. Try Greyhound (www.greyhound.co.za) or as alternative, Intercape (www.intercape.co.za)
Re: safety
by Odinnthor
I thought you might check in Faure. Good on ya mate....d:o)
I should have included yur page as well.
Re: safety
by faurec
Peter
Yes, I agree, we are not proud of our overall crime situation but I do not think this is the right place to try solve our problems. Just one question - when have you been here last?
I have lived here all my life, and have travelled to many parts of the world. In all this time, I had two security problems. One was in NYC at knife-point, and the other was in Rome when my passport and other documents were taken from me. So I still think Johannesburg is no more, or no less, different from other big cities.
Re: safety
by Moirads
Yes. It is safe. Like any other transit centre you need to keep control of your luggage at all times and you need to be aware of your surroundings. Do not flash cash, cameras etc. This applies at both ends of the journey.
The Greyhound bus trip itself is usually fairly pleasant from Johannesburg to Durban, although it is longer than a car trip would be.
Travel Tips for Johannesburg
Johannesburg, E’goli, place of gold
by cosmopolit
What goes for most major cities applies on Jo'burg too. Lots of hustle bustle plus some very nice sights.
Though nowadays I'm not sure whether it's still save to explore on foot as it used to be.
The city today has progressed far beyond the status of a mere gold rush settlement, becoming a vibrant, violent and unpredictable place, where fortunes as well as lives can be lost and found like a small child’s toys.
New commercial, retail and industrial districts have risen to replace the towering yellow mine dumps.
In ancient cities, one may be able to find a sense of permanence within the walls of a formidable fortress but Johannesburg is a city in flux, a place where change is the only enduring feature.
Technology may have claimed the mine sands but millions of trees have risen from the sprawling suburbs an unexpected backdrop to a formidable array of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, as well as concrete, chrome and glass skyscrapers. My oldest memory, it was back in 88 under apartheid when I got to Jo'burg for the first time.
Makeshift shacks of scrap, reflected in the glossy glass façade of the old Johannesburg Stock Exchange building on Diagonal Street, bear testimony to the chasm between the fantastically wealthy and the desperately poor that still divides this city.
I wanted to know what it was like and had to see both. So I also went to Soweto only to discover the most unexpected situation under given circumstances but this is rather travelogue stuff...
Johannesburg is icy in winter!
by GitaP
1. If you're travelling between April and August, bring warm clothing.
2. Bring clothing that you can layer - morning and nights are very cold with temperatures anywhere between 0 degrees celsius to 8 degrees. SA has first rate private hospitals and pharmacies.
But always bring your prescription if you are on chronic medication. The forex exchange makes SA a great destination. Food, clothes and jewellery are all much cheaper than Europe. So anything you forget can easily be purchased at the hundreds of malls in Johannesburg.
Squatter Camps
by cokes
Many People from Rural Villages far away from Johannesburg move to the City in search of work to provide for their families in these villages.
When they come to the city and they can`t find any work , they have no place to stay so they turn to informal settlements known as squatter camps. Many people in these squatter camps turns to crime as poverty and starvation stares them in the eyes.
Getting Aroung Johannesburg
by eckleyn
Johannesburg has very little public transport, the busses and trains are not safe to catch. There are many Taxi compaies that will take you where you would need to go, otherwize you could hire a car, in which case a street map is a necessity as Johannesburg can be quite cofusing if you are not used to it. People on the roads can be quite pushy, as all Joburgers are always in a hurry. Traffic can also be a problem in the mornings and evenings.
Ocean Basket - good value seafood chain
by sue_stone about Ocean Basket
Friends told us about this great value seafood place close to where we were staying called Ocean Basket, and we had lunch there one day. It is part of a chain, as most places were that we visited. We ordered a big glass each of icy white wine and a Seafood platter 'for two'. The platter had juicy prawns, mussels, fish, calamari, baby octopus, and most importantly chips ; ) It was all very tasty and more than enough food for two people.
We were impressed with the quality of the food and the very reasonable price. Now we just need an Ocean Basket to open up near our flat in London!
Hotel Helper
Johannesburg
Questions and Answers
Q: Is it safe for a single girl to visit Johannesburg? "Hello, I'm new to all this but I wanted to get some expert advice on the safety of traveling to Johannesburg alone. My original..."
A: "Hi Lori
And welcome to VT!
Good questions, which address valid concerns. However, remember that the sites that you have consulted are very conservative, so although..."
Read 12 Replies »
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