Cape Town transportCape Town transport is a bit different from other big cities in the world as the public transport is poor. I have listed my suggestions to organise your transport in Cape Town depending on what you are planning to do and visit. And my first advice is...please don't forget that the driving is supposed to happen on the left hand side of the road!!! Follow the cars and if you are at a stop, think twice before engaging! You should also read about the
road conditions in South Africa.
CAPE TOWN TRANSPORT...BY BUS
However, in town, you will find the 'taxi bus' or black taxis as they call it here. You will find them all over town. This type of transport is cheap and may prove practical for short distances in town (less than R5). Another option is the City sight seeing bus . You see these red open top double decked buses all around town where they hop on and hop off tourists who want to have a city sight seeing with no stress! Two routes (A mini Cape Town's Peninsula tour and a city tour for R200 for both routes over 2 days) cover the city as far out as the world famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Hout Bay. Buses depart daily from 09h10 outside the Two Oceans Aquarium in the heart of the V&A Waterfront.
CAPE TOWN TRANSPORT...BY CAR
Also, Capetonians are easy going drivers. If you arrive at a cross lane, the first car which arrives there, will be the first car to go. Driving standards vary from one country to another so drive carefully at all times. Ah! Most of the time, the speed cameras will be indicated before with a sign..so watch out! There are something like 73 of them around Cape Town. Whatever you decide to hire, you will need a valid driver's licence (with photo and in english) or an international driver's licence, to have been a driver for at least 1 year and be over 21 years old. You can rent a vehicle from the airport or through the car hire agencies themselves prior to your arrival.
To give you an idea, it costs between R150 and R600 a day depending on the car you wish to hire.i.e R300 a day to rent a class B such as a VW Polo. Most of the international car hire companies have an office and depot at the airport so you can take the car directly at the airport when you arrive and leave it there when you leave. Check with them!
There are many other car rental companies in Cape Town, and although they do not have an office at the airport, you may book your car online prior to arrival and they will deliver the car at the airport when you arrive.
CAPE TOWN TRANSPORT...BY TAXIS
RIKKI's taxi! Yeaaaahhh! I think they are good and look great! You phone them for a shared ride, and they fetch you. They can take up to 4 passengers. The driver is picking everybody along the road before going to final destination which minimizes the cost and it gives you the opportunities to meet people. And the little extra...there is tv inside! Very fancy! The price varies related to where you go from R5 to R30. They also offer shuttle service from and to the airport, and their Rikkis direct service (door to door classic taxi service). www.rikkis.co.za Other than Rikki's taxi, there are numerous taxi companies in town. You could contact sea breeze radio taxi's- 084 6910072 or shuttle excellence cc-021 4620272, or excite taxis and Marine Taxis. It will cost you around R 150to the airport if you are in the city center.If the taxis are not metered, agree on the price beforehand.
Enjoy Cape Town with the feel of being in Bangkok with one of the three orange cycle cabs which go around town as a hop-on and hop-off service. They can be found at the top of Adderley Street at the entrance to Government Avenue or can be hailed on the streets and will cost around R10 to R20 depending on the destination. For the little info, they are actually part of a Dutch/South African commuter project to prepare the city for the arrival of the Dutch national soccer team for the World Cup in June/July 2010.
CAPE TOWN TRANSPORT...BY SCOOTER
Also, Wayne Armstrong invites you to check the experiences & pictures of scenic motorbike rides in the Western Cape, South Africa. Journey with Wayne Armstrong as he shows you the most beautiful,scenic motorbike rides on routes he has taken in and around the area. Useful Biker Links included. Click here.
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Don't expect to get the same public transport in Cape Town than in most of the big cities in the world. There is no subway or tramway and the bus system works mostly to and from the suburb.
