Cape Town offers good value for transport compared to most international destinations. The South African Rand means that even premium options like private transfers are affordable for most international visitors. Here is what to expect.
The one published fare: the MyCiTi bus
MyCiTi is run by the City of Cape Town and its fares are published and distance-based. You need a myconnect card (R40 from a station kiosk or a participating retailer), then load value onto it. The airport sits about 20 km out, which puts the trip in MyCiTi's 10–20 km band: R25.50 at the saver rate, R32.50 at peak (peak is weekdays 06:45–08:00 and 16:15–17:30; saver at all other times). Buses on the A01 Airport – Civic Centre route run every 20 minutes. Check the fare calculator on myciti.org.za for your exact trip. The ride to the Civic Centre takes about 30-45 minutes, and the service runs limited hours — do not count on it late at night.
That is the only Cape Town airport fare that is set, published and checkable. Everything below is quoted to you, not tariffed.
Everything else is a quote, not a tariff
Uber and Bolt price dynamically. The app shows the fare before you accept it, and it moves with demand, time of day and traffic. That in-app number is your real price — nothing printed in a guide can replace it.
Metered taxis run a meter from the official rank and are dearer than ride-hailing. South Africa has no single published metered-taxi tariff to quote from, so ask the driver what the rate is before you set off.
Pre-booked transfers fix the price when you book, which is the point of them: no meter, no surge.
Distances, which are what actually drive the price
| Destination | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre / V&A Waterfront | 20 km | 20-35 min, up to 60 in peak traffic |
| Sea Point / Green Point | 22 km | 25-40 min |
| Camps Bay / Clifton | 25 km | 30-45 min, via the Atlantic Seaboard |
| Stellenbosch | 35 km | 30-45 min on the N2 and R44 |
| Simon's Town / Fish Hoek | 40 km | 40-55 min via the M3 |
| Franschhoek | 75 km | 60-80 min |
| Hermanus | 120 km | 90-120 min |
Fixed-price private transfer
CPT Cape Town City Center
From€28for 2 passengers
Other destinations
For Franschhoek and Hermanus, ride-hailing drivers may decline the distance outright — a pre-booked transfer is the practical option.
What affects the price
Traffic is the main variable for metered taxis, because the meter keeps running. For Uber, Bolt and pre-booked transfers, the price you are quoted is the price you pay regardless of traffic. Cape Town rush hour (7-9 AM and 4-6:30 PM on weekdays) adds significant time to the N2 airport route — and note that MyCiTi's peak fare windows (06:45-08:00 and 16:15-17:30 on weekdays) sit inside it.
Surge pricing affects Uber and Bolt during high-demand periods. This is more common at rush hours than at the airport specifically.
Vehicle type matters. An UberXL or a minivan transfer costs meaningfully more than a standard sedan but is necessary for larger groups — check the quote for the vehicle you actually need.
Value perspective
Cape Town is genuinely good value for airport transport by international standards, and the quality holds up — the vehicles are clean and the roads are good. But the honest way to see it is to open the app or ask for a quote for your own date and route: ride-hailing and transfer prices move, and the only figure anyone publishes and holds is the MyCiTi bus fare.