There is much to see around Cape Town, from the spectacular Atlantic coastline, to the coastal villages of False Bay, the beautiful wine route and the rugged west coast. Since the peninsula spreads out over a vast area, (the distance from Simon's Town in the south, to Bloubergstrand in the north is close to 100 km), a car is probably essential for getting to the less accessible areas.
Public transport is not always suitable for all routes and at certain times of the day it can be pretty unsafe to travel by bus, train or mini-bus.
If you will be here longer than 2 months, it makes more sense to buy a second hand car. You can very easily buy a car from a departing lodger, as there is always a market for cars among lodgers. The prices of second hand cars are higher than in European countries. The advantage of this is that you can also sell your car for almost the same price as you bought it when you go back home, depending on the quality of course. If you want to buy a good 10-year-old second hand car you will have to spend about R20,000.00 - R25,000.00.
In South Africa you will have to insure your car just like in other countries. A good insurance will cost you about R250,00 monthly. The fuel prices are also much lower.
A valid driver's licence and minimum age of 21 or 25 are generally required in order to hire a car. All the major car rental companies have a presence in Cape Town, most will drop off and collect rental vehicles at your accommodation. Car rentals are also available at the airport.
If you choose to rent a car you will pay about R180,00 - R200,00 a day from international rental companies.
For this price, you will get a mid-sized car such as a Toyota Starlet, Mazda 121, City Golf (old Volkswagen model) or an Opel Corsa.
Masud Airport Pick-up services
This taxidriver will pick you up from the airport. He drives you safely to our lodge and charges you not as much as the common airporttaxi's. Don't forget to mail us your flightdetails as soon as possible! After that we inform Masud to be there at the right time.
There are two types of taxi in Cape Town: Metred taxis and minibus taxis.
Metered taxis are controlled by the city council and can be considered safe and reliable. The price per kilometer is around R8-R10 and can often be read at the taxis side door. You can also set a fixed price with the driver, especially when going to a far away destination.
Please note that there is only one official taxi company at the airport.
Minibus taxis are used widely by locals but tourists are usually discouraged from using them. They cover most of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area and are very cheap, however they can get very crowded and are definitely less safe than metered taxis due to their dangerous driver behavior.
There is a network of public buses The Golden Arrow bus that offer cheap connections for example from the city centre to the Waterfront. They run mostly during the day. It is better to ask the driver where the bus is going, to make sure you wont end up somewhere else!
The same safety rules apply as for the minibuse taxis: never take an empty bus, and avoid them in the evenings and during weekends.
The only disadvantage is that they can be quite crowded in peak hours and there is only one stop button in the front of the bus, which is not always easy to reach in a crowded bus.
There is a system of public train transport, although it is mainly used by locals. Operator Metrorail has done a lot to increase safety and comfort on board the trains, but they still do not live up to European standards.
Cape Town station is situated in the city centre on the corner of Adderley Street and Strand Street and there is an extensive suburban network of lines with more than 80 stations. A nice scenic ride can be done south to , all along the east coast of the . Stick to the Simon's Town line and make sure you are not on the train after 18h30 or when it is dark.
