Minibus taxis, the Naledi train line, Rea Vaya and PUTCO — how each one actually works, what it costs after the 2026 fare increases, and which routes are suspended.
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Most of Soweto commutes — jobs concentrate in Johannesburg, and the trip there stacks up across four very different systems: minibus taxis that run everywhere all day, a cheap Metrorail line that was dead for two years and is back, a Rea Vaya bus network whose feeder routes have been suspended for over a year, and PUTCO buses. Here is how each one actually works and roughly what it costs.
How do you want to get around?
The default — runs everywhere, all day, cash in hand
The cheapest way to town when it is running
The bus rapid transit trunk from Thokoza Park to town
Feeder routes suspended
| Route | Runs | Fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 trunk | Thokoza Park → Diepkloof → Ellis Park, with T2/T3 variants to Braamfontein and Library Gardens | distance-based, R11–R19 typical | weekdays ~05:00–21:00 |
Feeder routes into the townships (F1–F12) exist on paper, but see the warning below before relying on one.
The commuter bus company, from its Dobsonville depot
Fares here come from official notices and press reports checked on 9 July 2026: the Rea Vaya 2025/26 fare table (no 2026/27 table published yet), PRASA's August 2025 increase announcement, PUTCO's January 2026 increase notice, and 2026 press reports of the taxi-association increases. Taxi fares are set per corridor by associations and move with fuel prices — treat every figure as a starting point and ask the fare before you ride.
Worth knowing
Rea Vaya's feeders were halted in February 2025 amid a conflict involving taxi associations, and the operator PioTrans has been in business rescue since December 2023. By January 2026 the city was paying millions monthly for suspended services, and in May 2026 unpaid invoices led to more routes being scaled down. Until it settles, the taxis and the train carry the load.
Rea Vaya official siteThis page describes how the local services actually run day to day — there is no official timetable behind it. Where a fare is negotiated, agree the price before you get on.
Fares move with fuel prices and can change without notice. Treat the figures here as a recent reference, not a promise.
Source: Rea Vaya, PRASA/SAnews, PUTCO and press reports, checked 9 July 2026 (last month).
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