World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
Cape Town is a frustrating city to navigate, simply because there is hardly any efficient public transport to speak of. That and the fact that there is a great big mountain right in the middle of the city can make getting around quite a daunting task for the tourist. Cape Town is, nevertheless, equipped with some trains and buses. Metro Transport Info (tel: (0800) 656 463; website: www.mti.co.za) provides centralised information on all trains, buses and taxis.

Cape Metrorail (tel: (021) 449 4210 or (083) 123 7245; website: www.capemetrorail.co.za) runs the suburban network of trains, consisting of five routes, which serve four defined areas - Area Ikapa (Cape Town and city destinations), Area North (including Bellville, Wellington, Stellenbosch and Strand), Area Central (including Langa and Khayelitsha) and Area South (including the Cape Flats and the Simon’s Town line via Wynberg, Newlands, Claremont and Rondebosch). The Cape Town-Simon’s Town route, which traverses the coastline, just metres from the ocean, is particularly spectacular. Tourists are advised to keep a watchful eye on their possessions, as pickpocketing is rife, and they should also never travel after dark. Trains generally run from Cape Town station daily 0430-1930 (depending on the route travelled), with regular departures, although there is a more limited service at weekends; some Area North routes do not offer a weekend service. There are two fare types – Metro (standard) and Metro Plus (first class); tourists are advised to travel on the Metro Plus service. Tickets also vary in price according to distance travelled; a single city-centre ticket costs R4.20 (Metro) or R5.50 (Metro Plus). Weekly and monthly passes are also available at R20 (Metro) or R39 (Metro Plus) and R70 (Metro) or R128 (Metro Plus) respectively. Tickets can be purchased at Cape Town Station, Adderley Street.

Although extremely chaotic, public buses still run regular and safe services to most destinations – including Camps Bay, Claremont, Hout Bay, Kirstenbosch, Kloof Nek, Sea Point and the Waterfront. However, tourists should probably avoid taking buses to the outlying areas. Golden Arrow (tel: (021) 937 8800; fax: (021) 934 4885; e-mail: information@gabs.co.za; website: www.gabs.co.za) has the monopoly on Cape Town’s bus services, which run out of the main bus terminal on Strand Street, just opposite Cape Town Station. Buses run daily approximately 0600-2000 (depending on the route), with a limited service at the weekend; some routes do not have a weekend service. Bus fares are based on the kilometres travelled and prices vary accordingly. For example, a ticket from the city centre toward the southern suburbs (Mowbray) costs R3.30. Tickets can be purchased upon boarding or from the main terminal (Monday to Friday 0600-1800, Saturday 0600-1230). ‘Clipcards’ or passes are also available at the Strand Street terminal. Based on travel between the city centre toward the southern suburbs (Mowbray), these cost R31 for a weekly clipcard.

The Waterfront Boat Co. (tel: (021) 418 5806; website: www.waterfrontboats.co.za) operate a daily water taxi service from 0800 to sunset, departing from the Arabella Sheraton, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, to the Cape Grace hotel.

Taxis
Metered taxis can be ordered at any time of day or night and can also be hired for day trips. Although the meters are generally accurate, visitors should ask the driver for an estimated price before setting out, as many of the taxi drivers choose to ignore the meter. Taxi rates are approximately R8–10 per kilometre travelled, with a R50-60 per hour waiting fee. There are taxi ranks at the main railway station and at the top of Adderley Street, just below Company Gardens. Visitors should note that the practice of hailing a taxi on the street is virtually unheard of in Cape Town. Besides finding one at the ranks, visitors can call Marine Taxis (tel: (021) 434 0434) or Unicab (tel: (021) 448 8823). Rikki’s Taxis (tel: (021) 423 4888 or 786 2136) provides a more tourist-orientated taxi service in an open rickshaw-type vehicle; they only run in the city centre and Simon’s Town. Tipping is not common practice in Cape Town, although an extra R10–20 is always appreciated.

Minibus taxis
A common sight in any South African city, including Cape Town, the 10- to 12-seater minibus taxis are the preferred transport option of many a car-less local. These can be hailed down anywhere on the streets and are by far the cheapest transport option at about R2.50 a ride from the city centre to the southern suburbs or Atlantic seaboard.

However, the minibus taxis cannot really be recommended to tourists. Although they are getting more organised, especially on the inner city routes, they still have a bad reputation and safety record. Tourists who do choose to use this service should exercise caution and employ common sense at all times. Passengers, particularly women but men as well, should not board an empty bus, nor should they travel alone, at night or beyond the city centre and the immediate suburbs. They should absolutely avoid the minibus taxis that are in dreadful shape – with flat or smooth tyres, alarming dents or just a general state of disrepair. Similarly, tourists should absolutely avoid minibuses where ‘co-pilots’ lean out of the window or the door to shout the destinations – tourists should only board the minibuses that have the destinations and corresponding route numbers printed on the back of the bus. A ride in a minibus taxi is also a white-knuckle experience, not for the faint hearted, as the drivers do not pay much attention to the rules of the road.

Limousines
Limousines are something of a novelty in Cape Town and would certainly be stared at in the street. But for an indulgent day of sightseeing (especially wine tasting) a chauffeured limousine is ideal. Cape Cars (tel: (021) 433 0467; fax: (021) 433 0118; website: www.capecars.com) hires out eight-seater limousines for R1,000 per hour (R350 per hour thereafter) or R3,000 for eight hours. The price includes a chauffeur, minibar and 250km free mileage (R5 per kilometre thereafter).

Driving in the City
Due to the lack of efficient and safe public transport, many visitors choose to drive. Driving in the city is usually fairly unstressful, as there are good feeder highways, excellent signage and efficient traffic lights. The scenic routes and meandering country roads are particularly lovely. However, the characteristic Cape Town repose seems to dissolve once the locals are behind the wheel and driving can be hair-raising at times. Drivers are almost always accosted at stop streets and traffic lights, by beggars or entrepreneurs flogging everything from newspapers and roses to bin liners. (However, it can be a treat for hot and bothered motorists to purchase a box of sweet Hanepoot grapes, when in season – late summer).

Rush hour is generally 0700-0830 and 1630-1800, when some routes heading out of the city, particularly De Waal Drive, become quite congested. Getting into the city from the southern suburbs can be quite an adventure for the uninitiated. On what is known as ‘University Bend’, where De Waal Drive rounds the mountain towards feeder roads to the N2 and the Eastern Boulevard, there are many tricky lane changes to tackle, mainly because the exits are to the right of the road despite the fact that driving in South Africa is on the left. A preferred route into the city centre is via Main Road, which feeds into the city centre all the way from Wynberg, through Observatory, Woodstock and Salt River into Cape Town. Although fairly straightforward, here drivers have to keep an eye out for minibus taxis, whose Mad Max antics can be quite alarming at times. It is not advisable for drivers to attempt to challenge the minibus taxi drivers, as this can be very dangerous.

Parking is plentiful around the city, with almost every mall equipped with indoor parking. Central car parks are located on Strand Street, the Grand Parade and Plein Street. Indoor parking costs approximately R8 per hour. Other parking lots offer a pay-and-display service. In many free open parking lots, uniformed parking security guards will look after cars for a tip. Tipping is not essential, however, as this is, in most cases, the sole means of support for these security guards, a small tip of around R1 is not much for the average visitor to spare.

The street parking meters are operated by a prepaid swipe card system, operated by ADO CashCard (tel: (021) 712 0307; fax: (021) 712 0022; e-mail: adyo@ado.co.za; website: www.ado.co.za). Cards cost R35 plus R10 of parking credit, which can be topped up; they are available at newsagents, cafés and various other outlets. Street parking generally costs R3 per hour. Parking marshals on the streets of the city centre are on hand to offer assistance with operating the meters and to customers without parking cards. Tipping is not obligatory but is appreciated. The system is in operation Monday to Saturday during office hours; parking is free of charge after 1800. There are also some pay-and-display parking lots in the suburbs.

Car Hire
Hiring a car is often the visitor’s preferred mode of transport in Cape Town, especially for excursions to outlying areas. Hotels can arrange car hire for their guests, while all major car hire companies have booths at the airport. Cape Town Tourism (tel: (021) 426 4260; fax: (021) 426 4266) will also arrange car hire for tourists at no extra charge.

Some of the many major car hire companies include Budget (tel: (086) 101 6622; e-mail: reservations@budget.co.za; website: www.budget.co.za), Hertz (tel: (021) 400 9650; fax: (021) 425 8270; e-mail: res@hertz.co.za; website: www.hertz.co.za) and Tempest/Sixt (tel: (086) 003 1666 or (021) 424 5000; fax: (021) 424 4190; website: www.tempestcarhire.co.za). Global (tel: (021) 423 5211; fax: (021) 423 5280; e-mail; info@globalcarrental.co.za; website: www.globalcarrental.co.za) and Cape Car Hire (tel: (021) 385 0445; fax: (021) 385 0446; e-mail: info@capecarhire.co.za; website: www.capecarhire.co.za) are local providers.

Rates start at around R150 per day for a budget vehicle (excluding mileage, which is priced at around R0.95-4 per kilometre). Insurance is sometimes included in the rates but is usually offered as an optional extra (some companies make this compulsory, unless proof of individual insurance is provided) and is highly recommended, particularly against theft. Drivers must be at least 23 years old and have a credit card and an International Driving Permit (unless the driver’s national licence is printed in English and bears a photograph of the holder).

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
Cycling in the city centre requires nerves of steel and tremendous good luck. It is therefore not recommended. However, country and suburban excursions can be incredibly rewarding, especially through the Winelands and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Downhill Adventures, Shop 10 Overbeek Building, corner of Kloof, Long and Orange Streets (tel: (021) 422 0388; fax: (021) 423 0127; website: www.downhilladventures.com) hires out bicycles for R100 per day, including a helmet, pump, spare tube and lock, as well as free delivery in the City Bowl area.

To beat the beach parking blues, particularly in the crowded summer months, adventurous tourists often choose to hire out Kymco scooters from African Buzz, 202 Long Street (tel: (021) 423 0052; fax: (021) 423 0056; e-mail: skootaz@intekom.co.za), for R175-195 per day (24 hours), depending on the season. A deposit of R2,500 and a full motorcycle licence is required.