Cape Town Getting There & Away

Getting There & Away

By plane Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is the second largest airport in South Africa (the largest being in Johannesburg). There are several flights daily to Johannesburg, Durban and all other major South African cities, as well as the Namibian cities of Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay and other destinations, including Gaborone, Maun and Nairobi. The most used airlines for international flights from Europe, the US and Asia include South African Airways , Lufthansa British Airways , Singapore Airlines and Malaysian. Further international flights arrive from Buenos Aires, Doha, Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, London and Singapore. In the summer (October-March) several charter airlines operate direct flights from all over Europe to Cape Town. Spare seats are sold with substantial discounts but during Christmas time and New Year prices rises significantly. Major local airlines include South African Airways , Nationwide, British Airways (Comair) and low-cost airlines Kulula.com and 1Time. See also Discount airlines in Africa and Air travel in South Africa for further information. By train Cape Town has a few train connections to other cities in South Africa. Cape Town's main train station is located in the city centre, at the corner of Adderley Street and Strand Street. Please take care of your belongings! A daily train departs for Kimberley (16.5 hours), Johannesburg (25 hours) and Pretoria (27 hours). Weekly trains leave every Monday for Bloemfontein (23 hours), Pietermaritzburg (34 hours) and Durban (36.5 hours). The Metrorail trains are a great way to get between Cape Town and neighboring towns such as Stellenbosch, Simon's Town and through the Southern Suburbs. Be careful when travelling by train, especially at night. Use the most crowded first class car and don't stay alone. Make sure to ride first class to get at least some comfort and to enjoy the presence of safety guards. The train line from Cape Town to Simon's Town is really nice, as it runs all along the coast. The trains to Stellenbosch run every two hours (more or less), but this journey might take a while. Asked at the ticket counter if there is an earlier train you could use, as there are also trains to Stellenbosch starting in Bellville and Eersterivier. By car Be aware of pedestrians on highways and National Roads, too! By Fluglotse2000.The vast majority of roads in and around Cape Town are in a very good condition, making travelling by car an easy issue. However, please be aware of highjackers at night or at traffic lights. The danger is not as high as often emphasized by the media, but a good portion of precaution should be taken. Please ask your hotel staff or anyone familiar with the area about where it is and where it is not safe Several major highways start in Cape Town: N1 runs north-east, passing Paarl, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg on its way from Cape Town to Harare in Zimbabwe. Also a got choice, if you want to go to Kimberley and the northern Drakensberg. N2 runs along the East Coast towards the Garden Route, George and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, through the Transkei up to Durban and Swaziland. N7 goes north along the West Coast to the Northern Cape city of Springbok and to Namibia. Also follow it to go to Upington and the Kgalagadi Transfontier Park. Hiring a car in South Africa is not as expensive as in Europe or many other countries. Petrol is also cheap compared to Europe, but might be a bit more expensive than in the US. By bus All major bus companies have Intercity connections from Cape Town, taking you to all bigger cities in South Africa and to Windhoek in Namibia. There might be up to 6 buses a day to certain cities. The starting point is next to the train station at the corner of Adderley and Strand Street, near the Golden Acre building. Please ask at the nearby tourist information or in your hotel for connections and where your bus is going to leave, as finding your bus can become difficult.