Pricing
Even when everything is pricey…we are committed to providing Joburg commuters with affordable, accessible, safe and convenient public transport.
Our fares are worked out according to distance travelled, with the amount charged per kilometre decreasing as the length of your trip increases. As of 1 July 2018, the fares are as follows:
| Journey length | 2017/18 Fares | 2018/19 Fares | Fares gone up by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 5km | R7.00 | R7.50 | R0.50 |
| 5.1 – 10km | R8.50 | R9.00 | R0.50 |
| 10.1 – 15km | R10.50 | R11.00 | R0.50 |
| 15.1 – 25km | R12.50 | R13.00 | R0.50 |
| 25.1 – 35km | R13.50 | R14.00 | R0.50 |
| More than 35km | R14.50 | R15.00 | R0.50 |
| Single trip card | R15.00 | R15.00 | R0.00 |
10% discount for off-peak travel
People travelling during off-peak hours – between 8:31 am and 2:59 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and any time on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays – will be charged 10% less.
Single/double trip cards
Single/double trip cards for occasional users who don’t want to own a smartcard, single and double trip cards are available for R15.00 (1 trip) and R30.00 (2 trips).
Passenger Smartcards and loading fees:
Rea Vaya Smartcards cost R30.00, and are available at the following stations:
- Orlando Stadium
- Diepkloof
- UJ Kingsway
- Park Station
- Johannesburg Art Gallery
- Carlton Centre
Remember: you must have a minimum of R15.00 on your smartcard to be able to travel.
Penalty Fees
If you do not tap in and tap out at the station gates or bus validators, the system will not be able to work out your correct fare based on the distance you have travelled. In this case, a penalty fee of R15.00 – equivalent to the fare for a trip of over 35km – will be deducted from your smartcard the next time you tap into the system. Penalty fee from inspectors for fare evasion is R33.50.
If you feel you’ve been wrongly penalised, you can lodge an appeal at the Rea Vaya customer care centre.
Do you feel you’ve been wrongly charged or penalised?
If you feel you’ve been charged the wrong fare, unfairly penalised, or penalised as a result of system problems, we encourage you to lodge an appeal by completing and submitting a penalty appeal form at the Pio.Trans customer care centre.
Here’s how to do this:
- Click on one of the following links to download the penalty appeal form:
- Download as PDF file (65 KB)
- Download as MS Word document (153 KB)
- Then fill in and save the document (Word), or print out the document (Word or PDF) and fill it in. Then Either:
- Email the form to info@pioneertransport.co.za
- Drop the form in any of the station suggestion boxes.
Please note:
- Queries take up to seven working days to resolve at Head Office.
- Balance transfers, where charges or penalties are found to be incorrect, take up to 30 days to be effected.
- The total cost of the journey travelled will be deducted when fare corrections are processed.
- Queries older than three months will not be considered.
All you need to know about your passenger Smart Card:
Where to buy your rea vaya smartcard
You can buy your smartcard for R30 from any of the following stations:
- Park Station
- UJ Kingsway
- Johannesburg Art Gallery
- Orlando Stadium
- Thokoza Park
- iNdingilizi
- Diepkloof
- Carlton Centre Westbound
Please note: Rea Vaya’s customer care centres DO NOT sell smartcards.
Where to load your smart card
You can load travel points onto your smartcard at any Rea Vaya station.
How to travel using your smart card
Simply “tap in” with your card as you enter the paid area of a Rea Vaya station or at a bus stop, and “tap out” again as you exit at your destination. Rea Vaya stations have access gates with validators. Hold your card against the validator and the gate will open. There are staff members, wearing Rea Vaya uniforms, standing by to assist you.
If you embark or disembark at a bus stop rather than a station, simply tap in or tap out using the validator near the door of the bus.
The system will automatically deduct the correct fare, based on how far you’ve travelled, from the money pre-loaded on your card. Check the validator display to view your remaining balance.
What’s the minimum balance needed to travel?
It’s important to ensure that there is sufficient points on your smartcard to travel. You need at least R15, which covers the fare for the longest trip on the Pio.Trans routes.
What to do if your card is lost, stolen or damaged
If your smart card is lost or stolen or damaged, you can buy a replacement card for R30.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Keep your card safe at all times
- Treat your card as a bank card
- No lost or stolen card will be refunded
- For damaged cards, you can arrange with the staff at one of Rea Vaya’s customer care centres to have the points left on your old card transferred to your new one.
PLEASE NOTE:
- The money transfer will take up to 30 days.
- If your smartcard was lost or stolen, or the chip on the card cannot be read, you must be able to prove your identity and your entitlement to the remaining money.
To arrange for the money transfer, you should take your new card, your old card if you still have it, as well as your ID book/card to one of Rea Vaya’s customer care centres, which are located at the following stations:
- Orlando Police Station
- UJ Sophiatown Res
- Carlton Centre Eastbound
Know your smartcard number and expiry date
The faster we’re able to trace your details on the smart card database, the sooner we’ll be able to transfer your money. To this end, it will help if you can provide the number of your old smartcard.
For this reason, commuters are encouraged to keep their Rea Vaya smartcard number and expiry date written down somewhere safely in case their card is one day lost or stolen.
- The smartcard number is the 16-digit number on the front of the card.
- The expiry date is the month-year combination (for example, 03/19) under “valid thru”, also on the front of the card.
You should also take care to provide your correct ID number, as the wrong number will also delay the money transfer process.
Do you still have questions about your smartcard? Contact Rea Vaya’s call centre on 0860 562 874.
What to do if money is incorrectly deducted from your card
If you feel you’ve been charged the wrong fare, wrongly penalised, or penalised as a result of system problems, we encourage you to lodge an appeal by completing and submitting a penalty appeal form.
You can download the form by clicking on one of the following links:
- Download as PDF file (65 KB)
- Download as MS Word document (153 KB)
Then fill and save the document (Word), or print out the document and fill it in (Word or PDF). Then Either:
- Email the form to palesara@joburg.org.za; or
- Hand in the form at a Rea Vaya customer care centre; or
- Drop the form in any of the station suggestion boxes.
Forms are also available at the customer care centres, where you can fill in and immediately hand it in.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Queries take up to seven working days to resolve at Head Office.
- Balance transfers, where charges or penalties are found to be incorrect, take up to 30 days to be effected.
- The total cost of the journey travelled will be deducted when fare corrections are processed.
- Queries older than three months will not be considered.
- Terms and conditions of the Rea Vaya smartcard
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