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Layover guideJohannesburg · JNB

Eating near the crew hotels in Johannesburg

Cards work nearly everywhere, the service charge only appears for a table of more than six, and everything else you leave is the tip.

Sakibnb / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
All of Johannesburg

A 10% service charge is automatically calculated into the bill only when the number of guests at a table exceeds six. Otherwise nothing is added, and 10 to 20% of the total is the published range for what you leave.

All major credit cards are accepted, particularly MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club, and there are ATMs countrywide.

Carry some cash in rands. The published tips for porters and car guards are small rand amounts, and the tourism authority notes that tips are given in rands, though some establishments will also take dollars.

Banking hours are generally 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays and 08:30 to 11:00 on Saturdays, which is the pattern to plan around if you need a counter rather than a machine.

  1. South African Tourism: tipping culture in South Africa · checked 2026-09-03
  2. South African Tourism: budgeting for a holiday in South Africa · checked 2026-09-03

The rest of Johannesburg

The whole guide
Getting out of the airportA dedicated airport train runs from the terminal to Sandton, and the trap is the last one.Ride-hailingBook in the app, get in the car the app names, and expect to walk to the driver rather than the other way round.Local laws that catch crew outCarry a passport copy, declare your money online before you fly, and do not eat on the train.Staying connectedA South African SIM does nothing until it is registered under RICA, and a passport is the document that does it.WeatherHigh and bright, with storms common in Gauteng and winter nights that can reach freezing.What to buyThe 15% VAT is reclaimable at OR Tambo, but only if you show the goods to Customs before you fly.TippingTipping is commonplace in South Africa and the tourism authority publishes the numbers, so there is little to guess at.