Transport in Cape Town

How to travel when you’re in Cape Town. Information about the trains, trams, buses and taxis

 

How to transport yourself in Cape Town..

  • By Bus

The MyCiTi buses (buses with red/blue logo) are making a part of the network of public transportation in Cape Town since 2010. This company follows a comprehensive and efficient route along the Atlantic Seaboard and also offers an airport shuttle to you for about R60 and from the Civic Centre to the airport. To take the bus in the city you need a so-called MyConnect card that you top up with a monetary amount. This card is for sale at supermarkets and small kiosks.

Another option are the Golden Arrow buses (white buses with an orange-green logo). These buses are already around Cape Town for 150 years. Commuters can find buses stopping at the assigned bus stops going thru the city. The main station is located on Beach Street (opposite of the Grand Parade). Prices start at R4 and you can pay cash on the bus.

  • By Metro rail

Metrorail (among locals also known as ‘ metrofail ‘) is a way of travelling in Cape Town by train. Every day thousands of people go from the suburbs and townships to the center of Cape Town by train. In reality there are very few tourists who use the train. This has partly to do with the fact that they go to suburbs where there is not much interesting things to do for tourists, and also partly because of the safety. The route that is popular with tourists is the train from Cape Town to Boulders Beach where you can visit the famous Penguin Colony. This train runs along the southern coastline of Cape Town and comes along popular coastal spots such as muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town. The cost depends on the number of kilometers driven and the choice of Chair (Metro plus or Metro) and range from R7 to R22 for a single journey.

  • By Taxi

There are three types of taxi’s that you can use in Cape Town.

The cheap minibus Taxis, these ‘ taxi buses ‘ – identified by their honking, interesting driving style and often loud music that come out of the boxes – have place for 14-16 passengers and you can find them everywhere: both in the Centre and in the suburbs and townships. The costs start from around R5 and on average it costs no more than R15 a R20. The vans drive both in Cape Town and the suburbs, to Camps Bay till Hout Bay. There will be shouted out of the window where the bus goes and asked whether you want to get in or not. Bringing cash is a requirement, and saying when you would like to go out yourself (‘ please stop, driver ‘) is the way to go.

The normal Taxis, although these taxis are not the most inexpensive option for taxi transport in South Africa is, they are very handy when your destination is not easy to reach by public transport, or if you want to get from A to B in the evening. The cost can be different by taxi company, but generally the amount is R10 per kilometre, with R30 à R40 as minimum price.

Good to know: agree a price with the driver in advance. Alternative: the meter, so you wont have to pay more when you arrive at your destination. It is convenient to save the number of a fine cab driver you meet, so you can use the taxi more often.

The Uber, Uber works with an app that you can download on most smartphones and the application is very easy to use. In short: make sure you have the app for your holiday in South Africa already on your phone, or download it in the hotel (using free wifi). When you have done that you can order an Uber-ride effortlessly, starting from where you are in Cape Town to the restaurant, hotel or the beach.