Johannesburg/Sandton

By car

From O.R. Tambo International Airport, after you exit the airport, follow R24 Johannesburg signs and the R24 to the Gillooly's Interchange, from here follow the N3 North towards Pretoria, take exit 124 (Sandton/M60 Marlboro Drive) turning left into Marlboro Drive, follow Marlboro Drive until the T-junction with Katherine Street, turn left into Katherine Street, and follow Katherine Street into Sandton.
From the M1, take exit 23 (Sandton/M40 Grayston Drive) or exit 26 (Sandton/M60 Marlboro Dr), and follow Marlboro Drive west until the T junction with Katherine Street (400 m), and turn left at Katherine Street into Sandton.
From the N1, take exit 100 (Sandton/M9 Rivonia Road) and follow Rivonia Road south towards Sandton or exit 95 (Sandton/R511 William Nicol Drive) and follow south until it intersects with Sandton Drive, where you turn left.
Rush hour traffic during the week can make getting into and out of Sandton a painfully slow business; you will be wise to avoid 7AM-9AM and 4PM-7PM.
The Gautrain is now operational
Car hire is available from Pace Car Rental in Marlboro.

By metered taxi

Taxis can be found at entrance 12 to Sandton City. Metered cabs can also be hired by calling Safecab on +27 861 66-55-66 or Sandton Taxi Cabs on +2711 039 4402. It is illegal for metered taxis to be hailed as is seen in many other cities (e.g. in New York City). Passengers may catch taxis only if booked in advance(in person or by telephone), the only exception being in demarcated metered taxi zones.

Bus

Several main Metrobus routes serve the Sandton area, running regularly during the day in 30 min to 60 min intervals, as well as in the early evening. The 5C also runs regularly on weekends, including the normal early evening service. The 5C runs along Oxford Road and connects many important tourist attractions, including Sandton City, The Zone@Rosebank, and The Mall of Rosebank. Contact Metrobus on +27 11 375-5555 (Ext. 6) for more information on routes and timetables Metrobus is by far one of the safest and cheapest methods of getting around Sandton, and the City of Johannesburg. It must be noted, however, that Metrobus is not an alternative to private (hired) transport.

By Train

• Park Station is Johannesburg's central station and is in the city center between Rissik (west), Wolmarans (north), Wanderers (east) and De Villiers (south) streets, it occupies several blocks. Whilst the station itself is quite safe, the areas around it may not be. Be careful and try to organise onward transport prior to arrival. All long-distance Spoornet trains are quite safe, as are most MetroRail trains. The best is, prior to using any public transport to ask local people.
• Spoornet is a freight train company but they do have a branch that offers a passenger service called: Shosholoza Meyl. There are 8 primary routes that link South Africa's cities with smaller towns along each route. There are regular inter-city trains to destinations all over the country, including Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Mbombela and Polokwane. Passengers can chose to travel in the tourist class where there is an option of either a coupe that can accommodate two people or a compartment that can seat four people. If traveling over night these compartments become bedrooms. Another option is the economy class which of course is cheaper, with chairs that can recline but not, alas, turn into beds. There is dinning car on the trains where you can buy food. If you are traveling in a coupe or compartment then there is a trolley service available saving you form ever having to leave your compartment
• MetroRail   is a first-world-quality commuter train with two lines, namely Johannesburg-Hatfield and Sandton-OR Tambo airport. Interchange is at Sandton or Marlboro. All journeys are paid using a non-refundable R15 gold card. Gautrain has much fewer stops and shorter travel times than MetroRail but is also significantly more expensive. For example, using Gautrain Johannesburg-Pretoria takes 35 minutes and costs R46 (excluding card purchase), whereas with MetroRail it costs R9 but takes 1 hour 40 minutes. Gautrain is very secure - lots of cameras and guards on the trains and platforms.

By car rental

• Cabs Car Hire (Car Hire)

  phone: +27 21 386 5500

• First Car Rental (Car Hire)

  phone: +27 11 230-9999
  Car rentals in Johannesburg and Johannesburg Airport.

• Pace Car Rental (Car Hire)

  phone: +27 11 262 5500, 087 808 2542 (extra charge)
  address: 34 14th Street, Marlboro
  Long-term car rental.

• Europcar Car Hire (Car Hire)

  phone: +27 11 883-4352
  Car rentals in Johannesburg and Johannesburg Airport.

• Nelson Mandela Statue

  address: Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City
  The 6-m bronze statue of Nelson Mandela is a favourite photo spot for tourists.

• Gallery on the Square

  phone: +27 11 784-2847
  address: Nelson Mandela Square
  Exhibitions of South African and international art.

• Theatre on the Square

  phone: +27 11 883-8606
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

• Sandton City

  phone: +27 11 217-6000
  address: 5th St
  An extremely vibrant and popular shopping mall that dominated the Sandton area. It is affordable, but be prepared to pay a bit for the good quality that you buy. There are many unique shops here as well as typical South African franchises and even some British stores. You could easily spend an entire day here,

Sandton City Mall

Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton City offers a number of restaurants to choose from, as well as a food court with fast food outlets.

• Baglios

  address: Nelson Mandela Square
  Eat delicious hand-made ice cream at the "Bagelos" store.

• The Bull Run

  phone: +27 11 884-1400
  address: 20 Maude Street, Sandton

• The Butcher Shop & Grill

  phone: +27 11 784-8676
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

• Lekgotla

  phone: +27 11 884-9555
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

• Montego Bay Seafood & Sushi Bar

  phone: +27 11 883-6407
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

• Pappas on the Square

  phone: +27 11 884-9991
  address: Nelson Mandela Square
• Saxon Hotel has one of the best restaurants in Johannesburg. It is the hotel where Nelson Mandela stayed shortly after being released from prison and where he wrote his book ´Long Walk to Freedom´. This is where you will have one of the best gourmet meals in the city, but you need to have deep pockets.

• Trumps International Grillhouse

  phone: +27 11 784-2366
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

• Wangthai

  phone: +27 11 784-8484
  address: Nelson Mandela Square

Sandton Area

The Greater Sandton areas has many modern excellent restaurants.

• Col’Cacchio

  phone: +27 11 783-7650
  address: Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre, Cnr Benmore Road & Grayston Drive
  Excellent stylish pizzeria chain found across South Africa. Offers a large variety of pizza and pasta

• Riverside Café & Bistro

  phone: +27 11 784-3390
  address: Village Walk Shopping Centre, Maude Street Entrance
  Offers excellent pasta.

• The Raj

  phone: +27 11 807-0471
  address: Rivonia Junction, Cnr Rivonia Road and Mutual Ave
  Delicious rich Indian food.

• Ocean Basket

  address: Melrose Square Melrose Arch Corlett Dr Melrose & Sandton City Mall
  Really good fish restaurant chain found across South Africa, good prices and quality food. The reality is that this is a franchised model - so if you really are on a holiday and want to taste the flavors of South Africa, avoid such franchised places (including the likes of KFC and McDonald's).

• M&A

  phone: +27 11 783-4134
  address: Edward Nathan Building, Cnr West & Maude Street
  Good selection of Italian food.

• The Blues Room

  phone: +27 11 784-5527
  address: Village Walk Centre, Sandton
  Have a couple of drinks while listening to some of the best live jazz.

• Taboo

  phone: +27 11 783-2200
  address: 24 Central, Cnr Fredman Dr and Gwen Lane

• Vida e Cafe

  address: Found scattered all across Sandton area
  Great coffee and vibrant service.

Budget

For cheap accommodation, you need to go to look in the other areas.

Mid-range

• City Lodge

  phone: +27 11 444-5300
  address: Cnr Katherine Street and Grayston Drive

• Glenalmond Hotel

  phone: +27 11 783-7127
  address: 130 Daisy Street

• Balalaika Hotel

  phone: +27 11 322-5000
  address: Maude Street

• Southern Sun Grayston

  phone: +27 11 783-5262
  address: Cnr Rivonia Rd and Grayston Dr.

• Town Lodge

  phone: +27 11 784-8850
  address: Cnr Grayston Dr and Webber Rd

Splurge

• Blue Chip AccommodationProvides various self-catering apartments around the Sandton/Johannesburg area which enables the traveler to feel more at home. The apartments have fully equipped kitchens as well as a lounge with a television/prepaid telephone, bathroom/s, bedroom/s and either private balconies or gardens. All located in secure complexes with 24 hr guard and swimming pool.

• The Colony

  phone: +27 11 784-1930
  address: 130 Daisy Str

• The Courtyard

  phone: +27 11 884-5500
  address: 130 Rivonia Rd

• Execulet

  phone: +27 11 326-4532
  Fully furnished apartments for short-term and long-term rental. A full range of more than 100 privately managed apartments ranging from budget studios to luxury executive suits.

• Garden Court Sandton

  phone: +27 11 884-5660
  address: Cnr Katherine Str and Rivonia Rd

• Garden Court Sandton City

  phone: +27 11 269-7000
  address: Cnr West and Maude Str

• Michelangelo

  phone: +27 11 282-7000
  address: Sandton City

• Park Plaza

  phone: +27 11 555-4000
  address: 84 Katherine Str

• Sandton Hilton

  phone: +27 11 322-1888
  address: 138 Rivonia Rd

• Sandton Sun

  phone: +27 11 780-5000
  address: Cnr Fifth and Alice Str

Cheap Wi-Fi is available in many locations throughout Sandton:

• Sandton City
• Nelson Mandela Square
• Sandton Convention Centre

Many hotels are also have their own Wi-Fi hotspots.