Hop-On, Hop-Off Buses For Jozi

[RODDAS]

Four hop-on hop-off open top tour buses will start operating in Joburg next year, giving locals and visitors a different view of the city’s treasures.

JOZI’S first City Sightseeing open top tour bus was introduced to the public with a trip around the inner city to see its various attractions.


Claus Tworeck: Buses will change people's perception of Jozi
On Friday, 8 June, Gauteng Tourism Authority rolled out one of four hop-on hop-off buses in the inner city, and the MEC of economic development, Qedani Mahlangu, was one of the first passengers aboard. It was just a glimpse of the bus, though. They will officially start operating in the city of gold in January 2013, in downtown Jozi.

The City Sightseeing buses are a global brand. They already operate in Cape Town, and in another 100 countries. Friday’s tour started outside the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on the corner of President and Hall streets in the CBD, where the red and yellow bus was parked.

The four buses are state-of-the-art, with super-low emissions that comply with all Euro emission standards for environmental impact. Claus Tworeck, the chief executive of City Sightseeing, spoke briefly about the vehicles. “The buses will change people’s perception of the city,” he said.

“The City Sightseeing tours promise to open up a whole new side of this amazing city for locals and tourist alike and in doing so we will grow tourism spend while providing employment for local city residents, now working with City Sightseeing Johannesburg as passionate ambassadors for our golden metropolis,” said Tworeck.

It can carry 22 passengers on the bottom in single and double seats, and 55 passengers on top in double seats. Each seat has an FM radio and passengers are given headsets when they board. They can listen to music while waiting for the bus to departure. But once the bus gets on the road, the music stops and a tour guide tells the history of Johannesburg.

Domestic tourism
With the bus tours, the tourism department aims to reach 60 percent of local residents and to bring back the city’s vibe. “Our goal is to promote domestic tourism,” said Tworeck.

Dawn Roberston, the chief executive of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, said: “We are very excited about the new hop-on hop-off buses. They are sure to become a premier tourism experience in Johannesburg. In future we are looking at bringing the buses to Pretoria too.”


Tours will be safe and reliable
Tours will take an exciting route through the city of gold, offering locals and tourists alike a chance to explore the vibrant city and visit many attractions to sample the sights, sounds, colours and culture as well as the rich heritage sites that are all synonymous with Jozi.

Buses will run at 30-minute intervals to allow guaranteed frequent, safe and reliable transport that is cost effective, informative and fun.

The tours will operate on a hop-on hop- off basis, allowing passengers to get off at any of the 10 designated stops along the route and then get back on a later bus when they are ready to take their journey further. “Good news for parents is that our buses are kid-friendly because children receive a free activity book in the bus and they can join our kids club,” said Tworeck.

Tours will run from 9am until late seven days a week. Tickets for the bus tours will cost R140 for the whole day trip, and will be 20 percent cheaper if bought online. School groups are able to book the tours on Mondays to Fridays during school terms.

No smoking or consuming alcohol is allowed inside the bus. The City Sightseeing buses in Johannesburg are an element of the Joburg 2040 strategy, an aspirational document that defines the type of society Joburg wants to become by 2040.


Read more: http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?o...#ixzz1xivS0l6g

[Jakes1]

I hope this takes off. At present tourists easily pay R400 to R800 a day for similar tours - sadly these guys will loose some revenue. The fact that our tourist centers (Rosebank and Sandton) are close to the bus in terms of public transport will definitely make it easier to keep going. People are keen to see Johannesburg. Cost has been a debilitating factor. And at R140 even locals can afford it!

[Caisson Boy]

These buses are wonderful. We've been having them in Cape Town for a few years, and they add a little something to the cityscape. And they provide some very nice views - even to us locals. You get to see your city through the eyes of a tourist, which is very nice. Hope this goes well for Joburg too.

[Jakes1]

Originally Posted by Caisson Boy

These buses are wonderful. We've been having them in Cape Town for a few years, and they add a little something to the cityscape. And they provide some very nice views - even to us locals. You get to see your city through the eyes of a tourist, which is very nice. Hope this goes well for Joburg too.

If they manage this well, it should be busy. Many people are looking for ways to see the city in a day (and most tours are too pricey). Holding thumbs!

[Lydon]

Definitely something I'd be keen on trying out! Hope it's a success.

[waltjie]

Originally Posted by Jakes1

If they manage this well, it should be busy. Many people are looking for ways to see the city in a day (and most tours are too pricey). Holding thumbs!

I agree. Most people wouldn't dare to drive around in the CBD, especially with all the one-ways, and this makes for an easier, safer option.

[dysan1]

great to see this initiative, but only 10 stops? what does it cover? cbd only?

[Jakes1]

Only CBD it seems

[dysan1]

so then how do tourists link into it as they will be staying in Sandton. The success of these types of hop on hop off systems is ease of connectivity. You need to step out of your hotel and be able to get on it, or get to it easily.

[Jakes1]

Gautrain to Park. Much easier to do a 8min trainride compared to a 40 to 60min busride in peaktimes. As far as I understand the bus will be close to the station

[dysan1]

well that is at least a better step, but would have thought it would have included things in the northern suburbs too, like Parkhurst, Emmerentia, Koppies etc to make it more viable

[Lydon]

How would that make it more viable? They would need to purchase more equipment and hire more staff, thus have to attract a far larger initial ridership in order to make the system more viable.

It makes sense that they would launch a single route in the CBD in order to raise awareness and gauge public interest, which is commonplace with the launch of public transport systems. If that proves to be a success then they can launch routes elsewhere in the city. Cape Town has a CBD-only route which seems to be extremely popular, so I don't see why Joburg's can't be as well. Personally, I would have no interest in touring the northern suburbs, but would love to tour the CBD.

[dysan1]

I disagree. The Cape Town offering and the Durban Rickshaw Bus operate around existing attractions in the middle of their tourist belts. This Joburg one is well removed from the tourist belts if it only serves the CBD. Therefore you would have to really excite people about it to even get them to consider it as it is out of their way and tourists already do not go to the CBD. I believe there is great value and prospect for this service, but starting out so disconnected from where people currently are is a flaw.

And why would it need more equipment and Staff? you just change the route loop. If they are including the constitutional court all of that is not far from it at all.

[kulani]

Originally Posted by dysan1

I disagree. The Cape Town offering and the Durban Rickshaw Bus operate around existing attractions in the middle of their tourist belts. This Joburg one is well removed from the tourist belts if it only serves the CBD. Therefore you would have to really excite people about it to even get them to consider it as it is out of their way and tourists already do not go to the CBD. I believe there is great value and prospect for this service, but starting out so disconnected from where people currently are is a flaw.

And why would it need more equipment and Staff? you just change the route loop. If they are including the constitutional court all of that is not far from it at all.

I fully agree with you on this one. the best way to get the tourists and South Africans to see downtown again is to make it part of a tour that goes to places that people are currently interested to see such as Soweto, Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Hill and obviously the northern suburbs because most of these tourists will tend to stay there when visiting Joburg.

[Olesch]

Germany´s biggest magazine "Der Spiegel" (comparable to Time Magazine) published an article about the Citysightseeingbus Joburg in today's online edition. While the writing is not worth mentioning (many sterotypes - little information), the photos are quite nice:

http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fo...cke-95435.html

If you bother reading the article (and are able to understand German;-) click the link "Zum Artikel", which also contains a little video of the tour.