Taxis are the most common form of public transportation in Johannesburg, although there are other varieties.
Over ten million people in South Africa use taxis because they are an affordable, convenient option. They also offer the opportunity to connect with others while on the way to your destination.
Taxis operate on designated roads, and the first step to getting a taxi is knowing where to stop. There are four main taxi ranks: Bree, Noord, Wanderers and Faraday. However, you can also get a taxi on routes such as Commissioner, Klein and Small streets.
Getting a taxi that goes to your destination
Multiple taxis might use the same route. Therefore, it is important to use the correct hand signal so that the taxi going to your desired destination will stop.
Pointing your index finger down indicates that you desire a local ride, meaning you want to go from one location to another inside the same zone.
An index finger pointed up means you are going to town.
Folding your fist and moving it up and down means you want to go to the train station.
Indicating when you want to get off
While in a taxi, there are common phrases used to indicate where you want to get off.
'Shot right' means you want the driver to stop at the next junction on the right.
When you say ‘circle’, you indicate that you want to get off before or after the roundabout.
Saying ‘after the robot’ means you want to get off after the traffic lights.
When you say ‘bridge’, you want to get off next to the bridge.
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