Getting around Soweto
Minibus taxis, the Naledi train line, Rea Vaya and PUTCO — how each one actually works, what it costs after the 2026 fare increases, and which routes are suspended.
Most of Soweto commutes — jobs concentrate in Johannesburg, and the trip there stacks up across four very different systems: minibus taxis that run everywhere all day, a cheap Metrorail line that was dead for two years and is back, a Rea Vaya bus network whose feeder routes have been suspended for over a year, and PUTCO buses. Here is how each one actually works and roughly what it costs.
Every way to get around
How do you want to get around?
Minibus taxi
The default — runs everywhere, all day, cash in hand
How it works
- Taxis run all the main corridors — between the townships, to the malls, and into Johannesburg — from ranks and by hailing along the route. The rank at Baragwanath (Bara) is one of the biggest in the country.
- Pay cash. Fares are set by the taxi associations per corridor, so ask the fare for your route when you get in — passengers pass money forward to the driver.
- Fares went up in 2026: associations added about R5 on Soweto–town routes in March, and SANTACO announced R2–R6 increases on local trips nationally in May.
- Soweto – Joburg CBD
- about R20–R25 after the 2026 increases (varies by corridor)
- Hours
- from early morning until evening; frequency drops after dark
Train (Metrorail)
The cheapest way to town when it is running
How it works
- The Naledi–Johannesburg line reopened in November 2022 after two years down to cable theft. Trains call at Naledi, Merafe, Inhlazane, Ikwezi, Dube, Phefeni, Phomolong, Mzimhlophe, New Canada and on to Johannesburg Park Station.
- Buy a single at the station. Off-peak travel (09:00–14:00) is discounted 40–50%.
- Fares rose on 1 August 2025 for the first time in a decade — singles went up by R2.50 (the Soweto single had been R8.50 since 2014, so budget around R11 and confirm at the station). Weekly and monthly tickets were reintroduced at the same time.
- Single to Joburg
- around R11 since the August 2025 increase — confirm at the station
- Off-peak (09:00–14:00)
- 40–50% cheaper
Rea Vaya (BRT)
The bus rapid transit trunk from Thokoza Park to town
Feeder routes suspended
How it works
- Get the blue ABT smartcard for R40 at any Rea Vaya station, load it (minimum R28 balance to travel), and tap in and tap out. A single-use QR ticket costs R30.
- Trunk buses run from Thokoza Park along the Soweto trunk into town (Ellis Park, Braamfontein, Library Gardens), weekdays roughly 05:00–21:00.
- Fares are distance-based: R11 for up to 5 km through R19 for 15–25 km (the official 2025/26 table; off-peak is 10% less).
Where it runs and what it costs
| Route | Runs | Fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 trunk | Thokoza Park → Diepkloof → Ellis Park, with T2/T3 variants to Braamfontein and Library Gardens | distance-based, R11–R19 typical | weekdays ~05:00–21:00 |
Feeder routes into the townships (F1–F12) exist on paper, but see the warning below before relying on one.
- Fare, distance-based
- R11–R19 for typical Soweto–town trips (2025/26 table)
- Card
- R40 once-off; minimum R28 balance to travel
PUTCO bus
The commuter bus company, from its Dobsonville depot
How it works
- PUTCO still runs Soweto commuter services from its Dobsonville depot; fares rose by an average of 5% on 1 January 2026.
- For routes, times and fares, call the Soweto operations line or the call centre — the company publishes notices rather than an online timetable.
- Soweto operations
- 010 003 6225
- Call centre
- 012 003 1791