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Getting There By Air:

Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Tel: (021) 937 1257 or 0867 277 888 (flight information).
Website: www.airports.co.za

Cape Town International Airport is located 22km (15.5 miles) east of Cape Town's city center on the N2 highway.

Approximate flight times to Cape Town: London is 11 hours 20 minutes; New York is 17 hours; Los Angeles is 25 hours; Toronto is 19 hours and Sydney is 16 hours.

Airport facilities: Facilities include foreign exchange, ATMs, executive car parking services, baggage storage, tourist information, restaurants, bars, snack bars, bookshops, duty-free shops, post offices, a pharmacy, mobile phone and SIM card hire center, Wi-Fi access, and car hire from Avis, Budget, Dollar Thrifty, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial, National/Alamo and Tempest.

Business facilities: The Airport Company Premier Lounge (tel: (021) 936 1118) is located near the domestic arrivals terminal and provides meeting and conference space, with facilities such as e-mail, fax, telephones, projectors, video-conferencing and photocopiers. Secretarial services, catering and mobile phone hire are also available.

Transport to the city: There is no rail service or public bus service from the airport. Various shuttle bus services operate services from the airport. Legend Tours and Transfers (tel: (021) 704 9140; www.legendtours.co.za) and Backpacker's Bus (tel: (021) 439 7600; www.backpackerbus.co.za) operate a 24-hour door-to-door shuttle bus service. At the airport, there are desks for shuttle bus services in international arrivals for Randy's Tours (tel: (021) 706 0166; www.randystours.com) and Anwar's Tours (tel: (021) 936 2065). Metered taxis are always available outside the airport from Touch Down Taxis (tel: (021) 919 4659), the official airport taxi company, for approximately R260 to the city center. Most luxury and business hotels will, if notified in advance, provide transport to and from the airport.

Getting There By Water:

The superbly located Cape Town Harbour, at the heart of the city, accessed via Dock Road, off Coen Steytler Avenue, Portswood or Beach Road, or via Ebenezer Road, off the Western Boulevard, is overseen by South African Port Operations (tel: (021) 449 2405; www.saponet.co.za), and is the second busiest port in South Africa, handling a huge volume of freight every year. Cruise liners regularly call here and it is also a major fishing port.

There are two main sections of the harbor. While the massive working area, comprising the Duncan Dock, Ben Schoeman Dock and Sturrock Dock, is off limits to the casual visitor, the Victoria Basin, Alfred Basin and the New Basin, known collectively as the V&A Waterfront (tel: (021) 408 7600; www.waterfront.co.za) is one of South Africa's premium tourist attractions (see Key Attractions) as well as a working harbor. There is no dedicated passenger terminal at Cape Town Harbour. Cruise liners longer than 200m (656ft) are accommodated at various berths at the Duncan Dock, while smaller liners dock at the V&A Waterfront.

Boat services: Andrew Weir Shipping (tel: (021) 425 1165; www.rms-st-helena.com) offers round-trip cruises from Cape Town to St Helena and Ascension Island via Walvis Bay and Luderitz in Namibia (journey time - 23 days), on-board the RMS St Helena (a working Royal Mail ship). Twice a year it continues on to Tenerife and the UK.

Getting There By Road:

Cape Town's road network has both good highways and scenic routes. This, combined with the fact that there is limited public transport, means that driving is often the preferred mode of transport for many tourists. However, visitors should note that South Africa has a very high accident rate and many drivers do not adhere to the rules of the road.

Roads are designated by an ‘M' for motorway, ‘N' for national roads and highways (major routes that criss-cross the country) and ‘R' for the smaller yet still key routes. Local roads, including gravel or dirt tracks, are commonly designated by a ‘C' or ‘D', if they are listed at all. The legal driving age is 18 years, though if hiring a car, most companies require drivers to be at least 23. Driving is on the left and seat belts must be worn at all times. The speed limit on highways is 120kph (75mph), 80-100kph (50-62mph) on national roads and 60kph (37mph) in urban areas. Foreign licenses are valid if they are printed in English and have a photograph of the holder; otherwise an International Driving Permit is essential. Licenses must be carried at all times. Mandatory Personal Accident Insurance is included in the price of the petrol, however, drivers should not rely on this and extra insurance is highly recommended. Drink-driving penalties are strict and visitors should note that the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%.

Foreign drivers need to be aware that car hijacking is rampant in South Africa. Doors should be locked at all times and picking up hitchhikers should be avoided. Unfortunately, it is essential for drivers to carry cash, as petrol stations often do not accept credit cards. Nevertheless, almost all petrol stations provide ATM machines. Petrol stations are not self service and petrol attendants are on hand to fill up tanks, wash windscreens and check oil and water; a small tip is customary.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) (tel: (011) 799 1001; www.aasa.co.za) provides general information on road travel in South Africa.

Emergency breakdown service: AA (tel: 0838 4322/THEAA) yellow SOS telephones are available along major routes.

Routes to the city: There are three main routes leading into Cape Town. These are the N1 from the Winelands (Paarl and Franschhoek) and northern destinations, such as the Karoo and Johannesburg, the N2 from the airport, Somerset West and the Overberg via the Garden Route, and the N7 from the West Coast and Namibia.

Approximate driving times to Cape Town: From Somerset West - 30 minutes; Paarl - 45 minutes; Franschhoek - 1 hour; Johannesburg - 17 hours.

Coach services: Cape Town is linked by bus services (usually air-conditioned and good condition) to all major destinations in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth, as well as some international destinations, such as Bulawayo and Harare in Zimbabwe, Maputo in Mozambique and Windhoek in Namibia.
Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, is the departure point for all bus services. Service providers include Intercape (tel: (021) 380 4400; www.intercape.co.za), Greyhound (tel: 0839 159 000; www.greyhound.co.za), and Translux (tel: (021) 774 3333; www.translux.co.za). The Baz Bus (tel: (021) 439 2323; www.bazbus.com) is a jump-on-jump-off bus service aimed at backpackers and picks up and drops off from Cape Town's backpacker hostels. It runs along the coast between Cape Town and Durban, from where there are two routes to Johannesburg.

Getting There By Rail:

Shosholoza Meyl (tel: (021) 774 4555 or 0860 008 888; www.spoornet.co.za) operates all mainline railway services, while Cape Metrorail (tel: 0800 656 463; www.capemetrorail.co.za) operates the suburban services (see Getting Around). While national travel is easy and comfortable suburban services are unreliable, not very extensive and can be dangerous, especially after dark. Rail enquiries should be directed to the Metro Transport Info central toll-free number (tel: 0800 656 463; www.mti.co.za); inter-city train reservations are also available.

Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, services both national and suburban lines. The station is in a vast, vaulted building that houses an array of shops and kiosks. Other facilities include information desks, security lockers for hire, a restaurant and even a doctor and dentist.

Rail services: Standard train services going to mainline destinations include daily services to Johannesburg, via Kimberley and Worcester (journey time - 26 hours 30 minutes), and a weekly service to Durban via Kimberley and Bloemfontein (journey time - 37 hours). Trains to Johannesburg and Durban offer a sleeper service and are relaxing alternatives to flying, with dining cars for fast food and serviced compartments, though journey times are slow. There's also a more upmarket service known as Premier Classe (tel: 0860 008 888; www.premierclasse.co.za) that goes to Johannesburg twice a week.

The premier luxury train in South Africa is the world famous Blue Train (tel: (021) 449 2672; www.bluetrain.co.za), with deluxe services between Cape Town and Pretoria (journey time - 27 hours). They arrange occasional trips from Pretoria to Pilanesberg National Park and trains can be chartered from Pretoria to Victoria Falls and Nelspruit/Hoedspruit. This is one of the world's premier rail experiences and must be booked well in advance.

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 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; www.mti.co.za) provides centralized information on all trains, buses and taxis.

Cape Metrorail (tel: 0800 656 463; 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 hugs the coastline, just meters 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 traveled), 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 the distance traveled. Weekly and monthly passes are also available.

Public buses 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: 08012 12111; www.gabs.co.za) has the monopoly on Cape Town's bus services, which run out of the main bus terminal on the Grand Parade, between Cape Town Station and the City Hall. 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 distance traveled and prices vary accordingly. Tickets can be purchased upon boarding or from the main terminal. 'Clipcards' or passes are also available at the Grand Parade terminal.

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. There are taxi ranks at the main railway station and at the top of Adderley Street. 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; www.marinetaxis.co.za) or Unicab (tel: (021) 448 8823).

Wheelchair users and groups of up to nine should request a larger Toyota Venture. Rikki's Taxis (tel: (0861) 745 547; www.rikkis.co.za) provides a more tourist-orientated taxi service in an open rickshaw-type vehicle; they run in the city center and Simon's Town and will take you out as far as Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens but not as far as the airport.

Minibus taxis
A common sight in Cape Town are the 10- to 12-seater minibus taxis that 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.

However, the minibus taxis cannot really be recommended to tourists. Although they are getting more organized and newer vehicles are being introduced, 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. 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 often not for the faint hearted as the drivers do not pay much attention to the rules of the road.

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, decent 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 signs and traffic lights, by beggars or entrepreneurs flogging everything from newspapers and roses to bin liners.

Rush hours are 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. A preferred route into the city center is via Main Road, which feeds into the city center 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. It is not advisable for drivers to attempt to challenge the minibus taxi drivers, as this can be 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. In many free open parking lots, uniformed parking security guards will look after cars for a tip.

The kerbside parking bays are managed by parking marshals, who have hand-held machines, which record the vehicle's registration number, the number of the parking bay and the time of the driver's arrival. There are two methods of payment; cash or by City Card, which are purchased from the parking marshals and can be topped up with any amount when necessary. The system is in operation Monday to Saturday during office hours; parking is free of charge after 1800.

Car Hire
A hired car is often the visitor's preferred mode of transport in Cape Town, especially for excursions to outlying areas. Hotels can arrange car hire, while all major car hire companies have booths at the airport.

Some of the many major car hire companies include Avis (tel: 0861 021 111; www.avis.co.za), Budget (tel: (021) 398 0123; www.budget.co.za), Europcar (tel: 0800 011 344; www.europcar.co.za), Hertz (tel: 0861 600 136; www.hertz.co.za) and Tempest Sixt (tel: 08683 67378; www.tempestcarhire.co.za).

Insurance is sometimes included in the rates but is usually offered as an optional extra and is highly recommended. Drivers must be at least 23 years old and have a credit card and an International Driving License (unless the driver's national license is printed in English and bears a photograph of the holder).

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