City Sightseeing Johannesburg

City Sightseeing's red open-top buses are the easiest way for first-time visitors to see Johannesburg's main sights without hiring a car or arranging separate taxis. The Red Route starts at Rosebank Mall and makes a loop of 13 stops before returning to Rosebank, with commentary in several languages along the way.

The stops are Rosebank, Melrose Arch, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Monroe Drive viewpoint, Constitution Hill, the Mining District downtown, the Apartheid Museum and theme park, Gold Reef City, Newtown, Braamfontein, the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre, Johannesburg Zoo and the military museum. Riding the full loop without getting off takes about two and a half hours, but most people hop off at two or three sights and spend a few hours at each. Buses run about every 40 minutes, with the first departure from Rosebank at 09:00 and the last runs in the afternoon, so plan your stops so that you are not stranded late in the day.

The Soweto Extension Tour adds a guided visit to Soweto led by a local resident, lasting at least two hours. It is picked up and dropped off at Gold Reef City Casino Hotel, with several departures through the day, and there is also a Soweto tuk-tuk option. Combination tickets include the bus and the Soweto tour, and other packages add a guided art gallery tour or a meal. Check the current timetable before you travel, as the operator can change departures for operational reasons.

The bus suits families, solo travellers and anyone visiting for a short time, and it is a safe, simple way to get between the inner-city sights. Tickets can be bought online, which is usually the cheapest option, and live tracking is available through the operator's website so you can see when the next bus is due. Guests staying in Sandton can use a free branded shuttle to the Rosebank start point at selected hotels.

Bring sunscreen and a hat for the open top deck, and a jacket in winter or if afternoon storms threaten in summer. Full-fare ticket holders get a discount on City Sightseeing tours in Cape Town and other cities around the world. Rosebank's Gautrain station is a short walk from the start point at Rosebank Mall.