BEYOND THE PICK-UP DESK
Places to visit from Johannesburg
Use Johannesburg as your starting point to explore Johannesburg. Two substantial heritage visits provide context for Johannesburg and South Africa's recent history.
Constitution Hill
The former prison and fort now forms a heritage precinct around South Africa's Constitutional Court.
Check guided-tour arrangements and allow time for the difficult history presented here. Use the venue's recommended visitor access and parking information, rather than relying on an improvised route through surrounding streets.
Apartheid Museum
The museum examines apartheid and its place in twentieth-century South African history.
Reserve enough time to absorb the exhibits instead of treating this as a brief stop. Confirm opening days and the recommended arrival arrangements before driving across the city.
These are separate visit ideas, not a timed one-day itinerary. Map links use a general starting point: set your actual hotel or pick-up address and check visitor access, parking and current conditions before travelling.
A car for the parts of your trip that need it
Compare the total rental price and the deposit, payment and mileage terms for your dates. Walk or use local transport where that is more practical.
VRENTY CAR is an independent comparison service. The search above is provided by our partner Localrent and lists local agencies side by side; you book directly with the provider. Always confirm the price, insurance and deposit before you pay.
📍 O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB): at Kempton Park, about 25 km east of Sandton and 50 km south of Pretoria, with the R21, N12 and N3 motorways around it.
Why Rent a Car at Johannesburg Airport
Johannesburg and Pretoria are spread out over a huge area, and the best nearby places — the Cradle of Humankind, Pilanesberg, the Magaliesberg and the road east to Mpumalanga — need a car. Kruger National Park and the Panorama Route are a long drive away, so most visitors take them as an overnight or multi-day trip rather than a day trip.
Our advice: after an overnight flight, pick up the car at your hotel the next morning rather than driving into the city in the dark, and book accommodation with secure parking.
Drive Times from JNB
Times are approximate and change a lot with the hour and the season; use a live navigation app for the real figure.
| Destination | Approx. distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Sandton | ~25–30 km | 35–60 min, longer at rush hours |
| Johannesburg centre | ~30–35 km | 40–70 min |
| Pretoria | ~50–55 km | about 50–80 min |
| Cradle of Humankind | ~60–70 km | about 1–1.25 hours |
| Pilanesberg / Sun City | ~180–190 km | about 2.5–3 hours |
| Kruger (southern gates) | ~400–450 km | about 5–6 hours |
| Blyde River Canyon | ~400–450 km | about 5–6 hours |
Picking Up at JNB: Meeting Points and Late Arrivals
How the car is handed over depends on the agency: some meet you in the arrivals area, some in a car park, some at a nearby yard with a shuttle, and many deliver to a hotel in Sandton, Rosebank or Pretoria. Use the "Specify location" option in the search to choose, and do not rely on a named counter unless it is written on the car card. If you arrive late, give the provider your flight number.
Late arrival? Many international flights land late at night. Give the provider your flight number, confirm the meeting point and any out-of-hours fee, and check that the phone number on your voucher answers messages.
Documents and Age
- Valid driving licence, usually held for at least a year; minimum age is typically 21 (23 or 25 for larger or premium cars)
- a valid driving licence in English with your photo and signature, which agencies generally accept; if your licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is normally needed alongside it — rules can change, so confirm with the agency before you travel
- Passport and the booking voucher
- A payment method that matches the offer: many agencies block the deposit on a credit card; use the No deposit or No credit card filter if you need an alternative
What Affects the Price of a Rental at JNB
We do not quote a fixed price here, because rates for the same car change with dates and availability. Look at the live search for your exact days. The main factors:
- Season: the southern-hemisphere summer, roughly December to February, and the Easter and school-holiday weeks are the busiest and dearest; the winter months from about May to August are usually quieter and cheaper, except for peak game-viewing weeks
- Car class: an automatic SUV or pick-up costs clearly more than a compact car
- Rental length: weekly and longer rentals usually lower the daily rate
- Insurance level: full coverage adds a daily amount but often removes the deposit
- Pick-up and return place: airport and out-of-hours pick-up, delivery and one-way returns can carry fees
When you compare, look at the total with full coverage, not the base rate alone.
South Africa Insurance and Deposit Explained
With basic insurance the excess — your share of any damage — can be large and the agency blocks a deposit. Full coverage brings the excess close to zero and, with many local agencies, means no deposit. Typical exclusions are tyres, glass, the underbody, interior damage and lost keys, and the cover is not valid off-road. Toll-road charges, fines, parking and the fee for crossing a border are billed separately. Photograph the car with the agent at pick-up and return and make sure all damage is in the acceptance document.
Motorways, Tolls and Rush Hours
The airport connects to the R21, N12, N3 and N1 motorways. Rush hours, roughly 6:30–9:00 and 15:30–18:30, are slow on the N1, N3 and M1, so avoid them if you can. Toll plazas on N roads outside the city, and electronic tolling in Gauteng, have changed over the years: ask the agency how tolls and any e-toll charges are handled, and keep a card or cash ready at the plaza.
- Plan your route and parking before you start; use navigation with live traffic
- Keep doors locked and windows up at junctions, especially in the city
- Fines from cameras and patrols are sent to the agency, which charges you after the rental
Personal Safety and Power Cuts
Hijacking and smash-and-grab theft happen in some areas, so keep bags and phones off the seats and out of sight, drive with doors locked, and avoid stopping for strangers. Prefer main routes, avoid unlit roads at night and leave the car in guarded or secure parking. During load-shedding traffic lights can fail; treat a dark junction as a four-way stop and give way to everyone.
Driving Near JNB: Roads and Habits
Gauteng drivers are fast and tailgating is common. Minibus taxis stop anywhere, so keep a large gap and do not pull alongside them. On the highways to Kruger, trucks are frequent; overtake only on clear straights and watch for livestock and pedestrians in rural stretches.
- Traffic drives on the left; look right when pulling out and take roundabouts clockwise
- Speed limits are signed and enforced by cameras and patrols (typically 60 km/h in towns, 100 km/h on open roads and 120 km/h on motorways); check the signs
- Strict drink-driving limit with heavy penalties — the safest rule is zero alcohol before driving
- No handheld phone; seatbelts are compulsory for all occupants and children need a suitable seat
- At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive goes first; when traffic lights are out during a power cut ("load-shedding"), treat the junction as a four-way stop
- Minibus taxis stop and pull out without warning; keep a safe gap and do not race them
- Keep doors locked and windows mostly up in cities, and keep bags and phones out of sight
- Do not take the car off the paved road: insurance is not valid on unpaved or off-road surfaces unless the car card says otherwise
- Driving into a neighbouring country needs written permission from the agency and a fee; see the cross-border notes on this page
- On the N4 and N12 towards Mpumalanga, trucks and roadworks are common; allow a margin for delays
- Fuel stations have attendants who fill the tank; check the pump shows zero and keep your doors locked at the pump if you are alone
Best Day Trips from Johannesburg Airport by Car
Car Rental at Other South Africa Pick-Up Points
If your trip starts elsewhere, pick up closer to your first night and save a long drive after landing.