Moving to JHB. Location help please

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F1ve_Claw

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So myself and the fiance' are moving to JHB. I have NO idea about the areas in regards to safety and travel times to work. So here is what I know:
My fiance' for the time being will be working in Kayalami and Paulshof
I will be working in Braamfontein by Constitution hill

Where would be the best place for us to stay? I work for an NGO so not daddy wallbucks here - have a limit of about R7000 for rent :\

I don't mind the semiclusters like Aquila in Fourways - I am rather partial to that development actually but I hear living there is suicide if you travel

Thoughts / help?

Edit: Forgot to mention I am doing about an hour at the moment to get to work - so more than that isn't ideal
 
wherever you pick, one of you is going to suffer with traffic.
 
Like syntax says, commuting becomes a way of life for most of us in Joburg. Recently my work location moved into the Sandton CBD and it's a heck of a drive if you take it on at the wrong time of the day.

If you can work flexible hours, e.g. leave early in the morning (say 06h00) for work and mid-afternoon (say 15h15 to 15h30), then perhaps travelling won't be so bad. I leave as close to 06h00 or earlier to miss the worst of the traffic and it reduces the commute time. (I travel in from the North West.)

Not sure how you want to play it, but if it were me, I would find a place to rent in closer proximity to the suburbs your fiancé is going to work and you take on the bigger commute. Braamfontein isn't as bad as going into Sandton or surrounds.

So you options are Fourways or Lonehill (might be a hectic on travelling and not get as much bang for your buck), Morningside, Bryanston, Paulshof? Randburg (Malanshof, Moret, Bordeaux, Willowild)? Some of these areas mean that your fiancé will be travelling against traffic to work and your commute (particularly in the afternoon) won't be as hectic.
 
There is a gautrain and a rea vaya bus stop at constitution hill. Don't live anywhere close by there or south or east of there and you're good
 
The troll side of me says Alexandra :twisted:

BUT

The non-troll side of me says look around Grand Central Airport, specifically the flats on the west side of the N1 in Midrand, it's GA so not noisy and the Midrand Gautrain Station is a stones throw away. Kyalami and Paulshof are about a 10 and 20 minute drive in heavy traffic. A couple of my instructors live in the area and love it
 
Segg said:
The troll side of me says Alexandra :twisted:

BUT

The non-troll side of me says look around Grand Central Airport, specifically the flats on the west side of the N1 in Midrand, it's GA so not noisy and the Midrand Gautrain Station is a stones throw away. Kyalami and Paulshof are about a 10 and 20 minute drive in heavy traffic. A couple of my instructors live in the area and love it
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Actually Midrand (even not near the airport) is a good idea. It's cheaper and there are buses to the Gautrain station (e.g. Carlswald shopping centre). Access to Kyalami, if you live on the Carlswald side, is easy as pie!

Staying in Fourways is expensive and a traffic nightmare!
 
F1ve_Claw said:
How bad would it be taking the highway from Fourways around the eastern edge to get to Braam?
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It could take you upwards of an hour just to access the N1 on a bad day, and if the highway is clear it's still a 30 minute drive. Even the back roads could be 1-2 hours in traffic.

Take the train! :)

In addition, Buccleugh interchange is quite busy, but it'll be quicker drive from Midrand to Braamfontein.
 
Find a place as close as possible to work. Traffic is hectic, does not matter where in JHB you rent.
If the money are not piles and piles more, stay where you are and don't move to JHB.
 
I don't mind an hours drive at all. It's when that drive turns longer because I missed the 5second leaving early window that I mind. Do you think the Midrand area, and using the highway would be the best bet?
 
spiderz said:
Find a place as close as possible to work. Traffic is hectic, does not matter where in JHB you rent.
If the money are not piles and piles more, stay where you are and don't move to JHB.
Click to expand...

33% more money, reduction in work hours by 2-3 per day and not (Hopefully) a combined round trip between myself and the fiance' of 350KM a day
 
F1ve_Claw said:
I don't mind an hours drive at all. It's when that drive turns longer because I missed the 5second leaving early window that I mind. Do you think the Midrand area, and using the highway would be the best bet?
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Just get a good spot in Midrand. There is traffic getting on the highway, but it flows quite nicely south to Johannesburg. You might get caught up in the Pretoria trek during peak hours, but past Buccleugh (and provided there are no issues) it's a straight shot to Jan Smuts off ramp. Allandale offramp has been vastly improved since 2010, which helps a lot.

For you fiance Midrand will be a dream for access to Kyalami, which border each other.
 
F1ve_Claw said:
33% more money, reduction in work hours by 2-3 per day and not (Hopefully) a combined round trip between myself and the fiance' of 350KM a day
Click to expand...

Ja, just make sure those 2-3 hours are not wasted on traffic!
 
If she is going to work in Kayalami I would suggest that you stay close to the R55 in Centurion's southern part. It is about 20min from Kayalami and if you know the backroads then getting into Sandon from Sunninghill's side might be a bit easier, at night you're going to travel against the traffic.
 
Have a look at Sunninghill, its right between Paulshof and Kyalami. If you live in Sunninghill you are mostly going against traffic in the morning and afternoon.
 
phaktza said:
Just get a good spot in Midrand. There is traffic getting on the highway, but it flows quite nicely south to Johannesburg. You might get caught up in the Pretoria trek during peak hours, but past Buccleugh (and provided there are no issues) it's a straight shot to Jan Smuts off ramp. Allandale offramp has been vastly improved since 2010, which helps a lot.

For you fiance Midrand will be a dream for access to Kyalami, which border each other.
Click to expand...

Midrand would be better for this reason alone. Going there from JHB will be painful with all the traffic.
OP can get on the Gautrain to the CBD and walk to his offices. They might even be able to only use one car.
 
phaktza said:
Just get a good spot in Midrand. There is traffic getting on the highway, but it flows quite nicely south to Johannesburg. You might get caught up in the Pretoria trek during peak hours, but past Buccleugh (and provided there are no issues) it's a straight shot to Jan Smuts off ramp. Allandale offramp has been vastly improved since 2010, which helps a lot.

For you fiance Midrand will be a dream for access to Kyalami, which border each other.
Click to expand...

+1

Even then, he could get the Gautrain, jump off at Park Station, and be a 15 minute walk from Constitution Hill. There's loads of buses around there, too.
 
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