Rea Vaya - Bus ride to Soweto

Home

News Archive

July 2010

Bus ride to Soweto

Tuesday, 06 July 2010

Rea Vaya captures the essence of Joburg, a city that prides itself with setting precedence and doing things in rapid motion

The Rea Vaya bus trip from the east of the city all the way across town to Soweto in the west takes only 40 minutes, even in rush hour traffic. Join Lesego Madumo on his journey.

GONE are the days when Sowetans had to depend only on trains and minibus taxis to ferry them to their workplaces in the inner city – now there is a safe, efficient and affordable option in Rea Vaya, the City's Bus Rapid Transit system.

Friendly staff help me buy my R6 ticket

I took a joy ride to Soweto on a Tuesday evening, just to test the efficiency of the system and see how far the travel life of the township's residents had changed since the system was introduced almost a year ago.

My journey started at the Johannesburg Art Gallery Station on Klein Street, in the inner city. The 5.30pm bus took me all the way to Thokoza Park, in Soweto.

The staff was friendly, helping me to buy my R6 ticket. The pink ticket has a disclaimer on the back. Printed on it are the ticket price, the words "Rea Vaya", the Rea Vaya logo and a small blank space where the electronic ticket machine records when the ticket has been used. It is designed according to international standards.

The bus stops where the station doors are level with those of the bus

Getting on the bus is seamless because both station and bus doors are automated, and the bus driver stops the bus where the station doors are level with those of the bus. I've been catching buses since I was in pre-school, but this is a new-fangled concept.

Because Rea Vaya has energy efficient buses running at regular intervals on dedicated lanes –a novelty in the South African transport sector – the drive is brisk. Driving on dedicated lanes on fixed roads helps combat traffic congestion and improves the quality and efficiency of public transport.

I took a seat next to the door to watch every activity. The service is operated professionally and the buses are immaculate. And the blue and red seats recline a little, adding to the comfort factor.

COMMUTERS

Other commuters on the bus were going about their business, some whiling away the time chatting, reading and listening to their MP3 players. I spent the trip alternating between taking notes, reading a book and looking at the view.

The artwork engraved on the stations’ glass panels is attractively noticeable

There are designated seats for the physically disabled and the commissioned artwork engraved on the stations' glass panels is attractively noticeable. The ride is not as treacherous as a minibus taxi or ordinary bus. An electronic screen inside the bus alerts passengers which station it is approaching, putting people at ease.

With this kind of transport, I thought, Soweto had a well-fitted alternative.

I persuaded two gogos sitting next to me to stop their chat and share their thoughts on Rea Vaya. Their sentiments were alike: it was safe and affordable, and carried proof of a Soweto once only imagined.

"Yho mtwan'wam [my child], we've never heard of any reported accidents involving a Rea Vaya bus. I'hamba kam'nandi [the bus ride is smooth]," they said in the colloquial language only spoken in Soweto.

WESTGATE STATION

The ride was swift and we arrived promptly at Westgate Station in the southwest of the CBD. My eyes were met by a congestion of vehicles stretching for over a kilometre, all headed in the same direction as the bus. But this station was not on its schedule; it did not stop and we whisked past on the way to Soweto.

I marvel at the sight of Soccer City, inspired by an African calabash

The bus route from here cascades to the Pat Mbatha Highway, where I marvelled at the sight of Soccer City. The magnificent football pitch, whose design is inspired by an African calabash, is even more resplendent at night, with its lights shining into the dark. There is a Rea Vaya station here, for spectators heading to the stadium.

Swiftly cruising into Diepkloof – an urban sprawl composed of a cluster of modish and old fashioned bungalows, all bearing testament to what Soweto started out as, and where its future is heading – is on the left. This is clearly the affluent part of the township where you find a vibrant mix of households in the middle and high income bracket, living communally.

The Diepkloof Station and the one before it, Noordgesig, is sandwiched between the N1 westbound, two petrol stations and a mine dump forming a plateau. The streets lights are bright and the roads are bustling with life, people going about their business.

THOKOZA PARK STATION

Thokoza Park Station is on Chris Hani Road, the longest street in the township connecting about 70 percent of its suburbs. Traffic was backed up on my journey, all the way from the eastern end of Maponya Mall down to Chiawelo, further south. But Rea Vaya buses are not affected and I got off the bus at 6.10pm.

Thokoza Park Station is on Chris Hani Road, the longest street in the township

The long ride right across Joburg, from east to west, took only about 40 minutes. There was a 20-minute wait before another bus came, and I was on my way back to the CBD.

According to station personnel, motorists park their vehicles at Thokoza Park Station and use the bus to go to work. In the evening they take the bus home again, saving both time and money.

On my way back to the city centre, I got off at Chancellor House Eastbound Station, where a friendly attendant checked the validity of my ticket before I was allowed to walk out.

A mine dump forms a plateau for the Diepkloof Station

Rea Vaya, a colloquial idiom for "we are moving", really captures the essence of Joburg, a city that prides itself with setting precedence and doing things in rapid motion. The buses are environment friendly and reduce carbon emissions, so helping to offset climate change.

The system was designed to provide locals and visitors with an efficient and reliable mode of public transport. More than this, with Rea Vaya, the City has managed to correct past social disparities between the affluent north and the destitute southern part of the metro. The imbalance is a result of apartheid planning policies.

Soweto now has it all, from world-class sporting precincts to alluring tourist destinations, a tapestry of arts, culture, history and heritage; top-notch shopping malls, a university, parks and other social amenities. It is the place to be, and Rea Vaya can get you there in no time.

RIDING REA VAYA

In order to have a successful journey with Rea Vaya you need to plan your journey!
> The Routes
> Ticket Information
> Bus Times
> Phone Numbers

SIGHTSEEING WITH REA VAYA

Use Rea Vaya to explore Joburg.

Inner city map

Soweto map

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Get the latest construction updates here to plan your route better.

NEWS ARCHIVE