Door-to-door hostel drops from Johannesburg, not from JNB itself
Bazbus runs a hop-on, hop-off backpacker bus linking Johannesburg with hostel doors in cities like Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town, but it does not pick up at O. R. Tambo’s A–E terminals. Think of it as the second leg of your trip: fly into JNB, then get into town first, then ride Bazbus between hostels across South Africa.
Most Bazbus pickups in Johannesburg are from specific hostels in areas like Melville and Rosebank, not from the airport, so plan on a 25–35 minute Uber or Gautrain + Uber combo from JNB to your first hostel. Tickets are typically priced by segment; a Jo’burg–Durban run can run several hundred rand more than a basic Intercape coach, reflecting the hostel drop-off service. Buses usually run once daily on each route, so missed connections hurt.
Backpackers like Bazbus because it drives to the actual hostel front door at both pickup and drop-off, which cuts out 70–100 rand taxi rides from distant bus stations at night. One Reddit user called it “great if you’re staying in hostels” and especially handy when arriving after 20:00 in smaller towns. Luggage rides in the trailer, and drivers help match bags to names at each stop.
The trade-off is speed: the hop-on, hop-off format means detours into multiple coastal towns, so a Johannesburg–Durban leg can take several hours longer than a direct coach. Another traveler noted Bazbus is slower and more expensive than public buses but felt the extra cost was worth it for the hostel drops and perceived safety on late arrivals. Build that into your timing; don’t plan tight next-day tours before midday.
How to use Bazbus from OR Tambo in 6 steps
- 1. Land at JNB and clear immigration and customs in Terminal A; this can take 45–60 minutes around morning banked arrivals.
- 2. Pre-book a Bazbus ticket online for a specific route and date before you fly; many legs only have one bus per day.
- 3. Choose a Johannesburg hostel that is an official Bazbus pickup, then book at least one night there to buffer your arrival.
- 4. From JNB, ride the Gautrain from the airport station to Sandton (about 15 minutes) or grab an Uber straight to your hostel (often 25–40 minutes, traffic dependent).
- 5. Check Bazbus’s emailed pickup time window for your hostel; expect an early-morning to mid-morning collection and be ready in reception 15 minutes before.
- 6. On board, confirm your drop-off hostel and city with the driver, then keep essentials in a daypack in the cabin as your main backpack goes into the trailer.
What regulars do and what to watch out for
Regular Bazbus users usually land at JNB, head into town, and crash one night at a partner hostel before catching the bus the next morning, especially after 10+ hour long-hauls from Europe or the Middle East. Complaints focus on delays when other passengers run late and on long routing days with many hostel stops. One practical tip: schedule Bazbus for Day 2 after arrival at O. R. Tambo and keep a printed and digital copy of your booking to smooth check-in with the driver.