Siyeswatini TransMagnific

Siyeswatini TransMagnific

Siyeswatini TransMagnific
4
About
Luxury affordable transportation between Johannesburg and Swaziland every day. Three trips a day, seven days a week no matter the weather. Reclining Seats, internet, complimentary drink and snack, individual air-conditioning, remote payment options. Timely departures, efficient & reliable service. Comfort and Convenience.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles40 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
14
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
4

msgee39
Toronto, Canada102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Solo
I did the transfer from OR Tambo airport to Mbabane and it was incredibly smooth. Sanele, the driver, was professional and courteous. Before the trip, TransMagnific sends you the vehicle's licence plate so you can find it (note that it's an unmarked white van and there are many similar ones at the bus terminal).

There's a stop in Alzu for a bathroom break and more bathrooms at border control. The total trip is about 4 hours depending on what order you're dropped off in (in Eswatini, you can get dropped directly at your destination).

You also get snacks (chips, cookies and water) for the journey.

I would use this company again!
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sallas07
Mbabane, Eswatini (Swaziland)2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Solo
I have been using this shuttle service since 2012 when I was a student. Year on year I’ve seen nothing but improvement in their professionalism and quality of service. I am genuinely happy about how this shuttle service operates, keep it up.

Written March 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thabo
Johannesburg, South Africa22 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
Whether you book early or late, they look after you. The first shuttle a have been to who provides a reliable service and of course a snack. Keep it up. I requeste dthe driver to drop me at Hilton and it was no problem
Written March 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patricia C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Solo
Amazing service, from the reception to the drivers, they are all friendly. Travelled with them to and from jorburg and they let me park my car over night at their offices. When i got to jhb my network refused to roam and the driver waited for me to get my uber using the shuttle wifi, I cannot mention how grateful I am to the whole team.
Written January 13, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dawn8_21
Canada3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Couples
I booked with TransMagnific via email for a round trip journey from Johannesburg to Swaziland for my boyfriend and I. We paid the amount due on our trip from Johannesburg, as the t&c's in their emails state that you may not travel unless full payment has been received.
A few days before our return trip from Swaziland I emailed the company to confirm our departure time and pickup location. Every responding email came from a different person, and each time I had to explain that we had already booked a round trip journey and had already paid.
On the day of our return travel we arrived at the office in Swaziland and one of the employees came over and asked us to come into the office to pay. I explained again that we had already paid for the return journey. She then, for the first time in all my communication with the company, stated that the price we had paid was only for one way and we owed the same amount again. I showed her the emails from the employee of the company:
1) the invoice we were sent that clearly stated the journey was for 2 people, round trip from Johannesburg to Swaziland
2) an email from myself asking for the TOTAL price of the journey
3) the responding email stating the price (the amount that we had already paid)
4) the company's own t&c's stating that full payment must be made before payment
At that point they simply stated that we were given the wrong price and we would have to pay the same amount again. I explained that we made the decision to travel with the company given the price we were quoted and that if there was an error it was the employee's mistake and not ours. At this point they claimed "but that that employee doesn't work here anymore". I couldn't believe the level of unprofessionalism that they would use this as an excuse and expect a customer to pay to cover their employee's errors.
I asked them to show me any proof that it had ever been communicated to me that we had not paid the full price that was agreed. They said they had to call their supervisor. After speaking to her they told me we would not be able to travel unless we paid the additional cost. If we did not pay, we would not be allowed on the bus. As we were on our way to the airport, and missing the bus would have resulted in missing our onward travel booking, we had no choice but to catch this bus. I asked to speak to the supervisor on the phone and she kept repeating that we had to pay if we wanted to travel or that we would wait for her to look into the issue and miss the bus. Since we needed to get to the airport, I asked her if they would refund the money if we paid now, after they looked at the chain of communication I had provided. She agreed so I reluctantly paid the additional cost.
Upon arrival back, I emailed the office and explained the entire situation again, with screenshots of the emails that showed the proof of what I was claiming. The supervisor responded eventually and said there was nothing they could do because that was the price. I emailed back again (twice) and they simply stopped replying.
I would highly recommend renting a car if you are travelling to Swaziland, as it would have been cheaper for us than what we ended up paying and we would have had the freedom to travel around once we arrived. We never would have booked this trip with TransMagnific if we were given the actual price before we booked, as we had debated renting a car even with the cost we were given. And after seeing their "customer service" I would highly recommend spending your money with a company that values its customers.
Written July 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kat K
Washington DC, DC3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Business
I would not recommend anyone take the TransMagnific bus. I took the bus from Johannesburg to Mbabane on a Saturday afternoon in January 2018. It had been recommended to me as easier than flying. The bus was comfortable, the driver and other passengers were nice, and the bus was not full. The ride was comfortable.

However, after boarding the bus at the Johannesburg airport, the driver told us that we would not make the scheduled rest stop, because there was something wrong with the battery and he wanted to rush to Mbabane before the battery gave out. He had tried to contact the service place, but it was closed on Saturday. He did not offer us any refund or alternative travel arrangements.

The trip was pleasant and going fine (if a bit hot without air conditioning), and we were about 20-30 minutes from the Swazi border when we pulled over. The driver told us the battery was done, he had called the home office, and we were waiting to hear what solution they would provide. The driver did not know whether they were sending someone to repair the bus or sending us another bus to pick us up. He did not know when relief would arrive. We waited for an hour and a half with no news. Eventually a bus from another company, City Ride, saw us stopped with the hood up and offered to take five passengers to Mbabane for free. Those of us going to Mbabane gratefully took the offer.

I went into the TransMagnific office on Monday to request a full refund for the $50 ticket. They told me I would have to fill out a refund form and would get an answer within 48 hours. I explained that I needed cash, not a voucher or bank transfer, as I live in the U.S., they cannot transfer money into my bank, and I do not anticipate coming back to Swaziland any time soon to use a voucher.

I submitted the form as requested. Wednesday morning I received an email reply with lots of flowery language about how much they care about customer service in today's economy, and to compensate me and encourage me to give them another try, they would give me a voucher for $4 off my next ticket.

They offered me voucher for $4 for a $50 ticket - a voucher that I can't even use - when they didn't even get me to my destination. We were only an hour from Mbabane, and we waited an hour and a half with no news of our rescue or how long we would have to wait. The company knew the bus had mechanical difficulties and took the risk without offering us alternatives. We broke down on stretch of highway that I understand from my fellow passengers is known for highway robbers. Fortunately we were rescued - by the other company, unexpectedly - before dark. But TransMagnific knew there could be a problem with the bus and should have had a plan in place to pick us up more quickly. Not only was this inconvenient, but they put us at risk putting us on a bus they knew was not working. Then they had the gall to say they care about customer service and it was "circumstances beyond anyone's control." They should have given each of us a full refund in cash.

My fellow passengers who were rescued, and those who were already on the City Ride bus, said that TransMagnific used to be good, but their customer service had deteriorated in the past few years. One of my fellow TransMagnific passengers said she usually takes another company like Pro Shuttle or Skyworld, but all the other shuttles were booked, so she had no choice. I will never take TransMagnific again and would recommend to anyone to take one of these other shuttle services.

In short, TransMagnific put their passengers at risk by allowing us to take a bus with known mechanical problems. They did not have a backup plan either in Johannesburg prior to departure or when we broke down on the road. They did not communicate with us what they were doing to rescue us when we broke down or when we could expect to arrive at our destination. They did not actually get us to our destination, so they did not provide the purchased service. And finally, they did virtually nothing to compensate us afterwards.
Written February 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lidbetter
Mbabane, Eswatini (Swaziland)1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2016 • Family
The bus left late, we received no food parcel and the driver drove too fast and overtook dangerously in the rain. Thats a pity as previous experiences have been good. What is sad as when I contacted them, they did not respond
Written October 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ben_kickert
Asheville, NC34 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2017 • Family
We travel regularly with Transmagnific, both personally and for visitors who come to our organization. It isn't perfect by any means, but it is better than the other options. I find them to be the best and most reliable shuttle service from JNB airport to Swaziland. The other option is to fly into SHO airport, but that is going to cost you $300 for a 50 minute round trip flight and you end up an hour away from most destinations in Swaziland.

A couple things in relation to the points above. Transmagnific has a couple different shuttles. They have a very large Mercedes mini-bus that is nice, and usually not completely full. They also have a smaller mini-bus that is equally nice. Finally, they have a mini-van that I have been in a couple times and it can be quite cramped. I haven't figured out the schedule of which vehicle is on which route. If the shuttle is full, it can be a hassle with luggage, so I recommend telling them if you are coming with a bunch of bags so they can add a trailer.

The pick up location can be tricky since you are not at a regular shuttle location. But if you know it, then it isn't a problem. I have a PDF I sent to visitors so they know exactly where to go. Essentially, you go to the top floor next to all the SAA check in booths. Walk outside and hang out towards the right. People are correct, it isn't always marked, so it is worthwhile to pace a bit and ask around drivers of vans and buses around the time of departure. OR Tambo is a very safe place and there is no real risk.

In terms of reliability, they are generally pretty good, but I always factor in an additional 30 minutes just in case... too many variables that can add to the scheduled 4 hour drive: other passengers can wander off during the rest stop, you might hit visa issues (not even your own) at the border, there is a chance for traffic or weather to impact it. The good thing is that the airport is quite easy to navigate and even you don't need the same margin of error that you do in the states. I have arrived at the airport 70 minutes before an international flight and made it with time to spare.

In terms of luxury, the "meal" provided is more of a snack... don't get your hopes up, but it is only a 4 hour drive. I have never seen them show a movie and there isn't any wifi. Don't count on it and you won't be disappointed. It isn't first class by international standards, but it is the best available. If you want better, then rent a car yourself or fly.

I have traveled with them probably 20 times in the last 5 years. And if you count others who have traveled with them, we are probably at around 100 trips. I would say 75-80% of trips go without any problem at all. I have had probably 5 times with problems (once the van broke down, a couple times people missed their ride because they weren't in the right place). The other 20+ times, it is something minor like being a bit cramped or a bit delayed.

I must also admit that they have saved me several times. I have had flights delayed and they have quickly accommodated me on later shuttles. I have had last minute changes of plans and they have gotten me on a shuttle with minimal notice.

It isn't perfect, or as reliable as something like a plane flight or a larger shuttle, but if you have a little bit of street smarts and some flexibility, it is a great way to get to Swaziland from JNB.
Written June 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mkhululi Ndlovu
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019 • Solo
I was on a transmagnific from Mbabane today the 8th with my drop off at sandton. When we got to OR Tambo I advised the driver I was going to the toilet then on my way back I found my travel bag dumped by the roadside with no one there. To make matters worse I had left my satchel in the shuttle with all my passport and wallet so I was stranded. I called the transmagnific offices they causally told me to wait for the shuttle to come back whilst they try to call the driver. I had to keep phoning back so I could get feedback with the office not calling me back. When the shuttle came back he didn’t even apologize just handed me my bag thankfully everything was intact. Quiet disappointed really!
Written August 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lankho
Cologne, Germany21 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Solo
I have done hiking, using public taxis and also my own driving to and from Johannesburg countless times ....I must say my trip with Trans Magnifique last night coming from OR Tambo was a real pleasure. After a long hard day in Johannesburg, all I needed was to get to Swaziland ...TM exceeded my expectations. They agreed to drop me off at my doorstep for a fee!

I will be telling all my friends from near and far-away places about you!
Written March 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Siyeswatini TransMagnific - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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