How do you get around Cape Town without a car?

In the city, Uber (and its rival Bolt) is all you need: the simplest option, the safest after dark and often the cheapest way between neighbourhoods. The MyCiTi bus fills the gaps, and a car only really pays off for the peninsula and the winelands.

Your options, from most convenient to cheapest:

Uber or Bolt: ride-hailing apps with the fare shown upfront and card payment. Set up the app and your payment method BEFORE you fly. Choose the standard tier rather than the cheapest one, whose cars can be tired.
The MyCiTi bus: a modern city network linking the centre, the Waterfront, Sea Point and Camps Bay. You need a rechargeable myconnect card (R40, about $2.50), sold at station kiosks, loaded with credit or a day pass.
The hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus: handy for chaining Kirstenbosch, the cableway and Camps Bay without planning each leg.
Minibus taxis: how most Capetonians get around, stopping on demand; confusing on a first visit.

From the airport (about 20 km or 12 miles from the centre, 20 to 30 minutes without traffic), an Uber is the easy choice, booked from the pick-up zone shown in the app. The MyCiTi airport route (about R25–33, under $2, plus the card) has been suspended at times: check it's running before you rely on it.

For the peninsula (Chapman's Peak, Cape Point, Boulders) and the winelands, a hire car changes everything: you stop wherever you like. Driving is on the left, and car guards watch parking bays in exchange for a few rand when you leave. See "Can you drive in South Africa as a tourist?".

Verdict: Uber for the city, a car for one or two days of excursions. For wine tastings, take a driver or a tour: drink-driving is severely punished.

Tip: don't walk at night to save a ten-minute ride: in Cape Town, the evening Uber is part of the budget, like the tip.

Information checked in November 2026; check again before you travel.

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How do you get around Cape Town without a car?

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