ATMs airside in JNB?
 

I'm arriving in JNB and connecting to a flight to Victoria Falls. However, I need some rand for the local payment portion of the tour I'm joining in VFA. I can't remember if there an ATM airside that I can use for the withdrawl? I'm not opposed to exiting the terminal to use the facilities in international arrivals as I have 4 hours between flights, but I'd rather not if possible.

I can't recall ever having seen one airside, but then again, I've never looked for one either.

As you probably know, there are plenty on the upper level just above international arrivals. After customs, but before the SAA transfer desks, take the "secret" escalator hidden around the corner on your left, it will take you straight up to the ATMs.

Johan

Good question. I can't recall ever seeing an ATM in the international departures area. I think you may have to exit and reenter. The only information I can find online says

Have looked and never found in a recent trip. But, sorry, I was not scanning the entire int'l airside terminal. I'll look again during an early June departure.

Maybe I'm over thinking this but could this be some funky currency restriction in action? They don't want you clearing (or - since you're in transit - beyond the control of) outbound border controls (where, presumably, they could query you about currency you're taking out of the country) and then sucking a large (by ATM standards) amount of ZAR to carry out of the country.

Oh, hey, just re-reading this. You could just exchange $ for ZAR while in the international departures area. Right? This could, of course, encounter the same currency restriction issue. But, then again, I could be overthinking.

Are you sure you can't pay for the Vic Falls tour in USD instead?

When I last checked (December '13) there were no ATMs airside at JNB.

I would just use the currency exchange desk close to the passport control area.

Are you asking if there are ATMs inside of JNB, O.R. Tambo airport? If so, I can assure you that there absolutely are. I withdrew from them when I last flew in in 2012. There is at least one small bank branch, and there are ATMs next to it. On the ground level floor. If I'm remembering correctly, if you come down from the upper floor when you land, and go down the escalators, if you are facing out to the street, they are over to your left. But just ask the information desk people, they can tell you. I think it's cheaper (and overall more convenient) to withdraw from an ATM than to exchange. Well, okay, they are equally convenient in an airport.

But as someone else mentioned, if you are just looking for money to spend in Zim, you can probably use USD. This is what I'm told, at least.

The questions was specifically relating to airside at JNB. It seems no one has ever seen an ATM airside (and neither have I that I can recall).

Landside, there are ATMs as you say. But that's no use for international connecting pax who don't want to clear immigration.

Thank you all for the input. Since my flight was on time, I was able to easily clear immigration and use one of the ATMs in the arrival area.

When I was searching for airport facilities, I found the following, "Absa Bank also has an outlet in the holding lounge of the international departures terminal, but this is not for the use of South Africans." I think I read that as an ATM would be present at the outlet as well, which is why I asked. I looked and didn't find any ATM in the main hallway of the international concourse. If there is one available in the international concourse (I doubt it) it would probably be hidden in a corner off of the main aisle.

There were a few other things that I discovered on this trip. I found that although Zimbabwe uses mainly USD, if given the option, the preference is for ZAR and can often yield a better deal. At the Barclay's bank in Victoria Falls, you can withdraw USD or ZAR from the ATM. I didn't try this myself as I was already carrying reserves, but another person in my tour group was successful in withdrawing USD.

Just back from about a week and a half in JNB and elsewhere in SA. Looked around and didn't see any ATMs airside in JNB international airside area.

No ATMs air side. I've screwed up once, in this respect, leaving me struggling for cash in Harare! The good news is:

- If you have a passport that gives you visa free entry to South Africa
- You're not arriving with all the long haul flights, early in the morning
- And you have time to spare
- Then immigration is pretty quick, so you can enter SA (landside) and get your cash, almost as quickly as going through the transfer terminal (as the OP found).

I don't know why JNB is so bad. SA needs reserves of foreign currency as much as the next (and every other) country; having air side cash machines, along with currency exchange, must surely be a good thing for SA?

This is an excellent point which I have raised directly with ACSA Customer support who replied (very promptly) with:

^

How exactly does hard cash (or anything else) clear "the countries boarders"? Which countries? Which boarders? :D

Johan