The construction of the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system is one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by the City of Johannesburg. Since its launch in 2009, the project has been creating vibrant spaces and connecting previously unlinked economic nodes across the city.

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) successfully completed Rea Vaya’s Phase 1A and it started operating in 2009. The trunk route runs through Ellis Park in Johannesburg CBD and Thokoza Park in Soweto, linking with several feeder routes in Soweto. The feeder buses run from Protea Glen to Thokoza Park and from Eldorado Park to Lakeview.

The Phase 1B roll-out was completed in February 2014, with routes through Cresta, Windsor West, Parktown, Yeoville, and to and from the University of Johannesburg Soweto, being added. The route starts in Noordgesig in Soweto, and travels through Pennyville, New Canada, Highgate, Auckland Park and Braamfontein, to Parktown, Metro Centre and Rissik Street in the CBD.

Rea Vaya Phase 1C (a) along Louis Botha Avenue to Sandton is progressing well with much of the work already having been completed to-date. Already, all 13 low floor stations are close to being completed. Three key bridges, Rea Vaya bus and pedestrian bridge located along Lees Street in Marlboro,dedicated cycling and walking bridge by Grayston Drive and Heritage bridge in the Berea area, close to the old Herbert Baker bus station have been built and ready for the operations of Rea Vaya Phase 1C (a) buses.