Is the MyCiTi airport bus running?
No. When checked on 23 September 2026, MyCiTi's airport services page stated that the airport service is temporarily suspended. The A01 route used to run between the airport and Civic Centre station in the city centre.
The City of Cape Town suspended the route from 1 December 2022, citing weak passenger recovery after COVID-19 and a 50.5 per cent rise in the diesel price during 2022. It said it would look for more cost-effective ways to resume the service later, but gave no date.
How do you get from Cape Town Airport to the city?
With the bus off the table, every option is a car of some kind. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), which runs the airport, lists its authorised transport operators and their hours:
| Option | Where you find it | Hours listed by ACSA | Cost basis | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uber or Bolt | Ground floor of Parkade 1 | Variable | Fare shown in the app before booking | Arrivals at any hour, fixed price up front |
| Authorised Airport Taxi Services | Terminal kiosks and domestic arrivals desk | 5am to midnight | Ask the kiosk for the fare before you get in | No data or no app account |
| Citi Hopper | Terminal kiosk | 7am to midnight weekdays, 8am to midnight weekends | Operator's quote | Booking a transfer ahead |
| Centurion Tours | Terminal kiosk | 6am to midnight | Operator's quote | Early-morning arrivals |
| Rental car | Transport Plaza and Central Terminal Building | Check with the rental company | Rental plus fuel and parking | Touring beyond the city |
ACSA says that, for safety and security, arriving passengers should use only Authorised Airport Taxis, which operate from transport kiosks and the domestic arrivals desk in the Central Terminal Building. Shuttle companies meet passengers in the arrivals halls and leave from the international inner lane.
No official body publishes a fixed airport-to-city fare for taxis or shuttles. Settle the price at the kiosk before you leave the terminal, and compare it with the Uber or Bolt quote on your phone while you are still inside.
Where is the Uber and Bolt pickup?
Cape Town Tourism's airport guide says the designated e-hailing pickup point is on the ground floor of Parkade 1. Walk there before you request the ride, so the driver is not circling the terminal roads and you are not waiting at the kerb with your bags.
Which option fits your arrival time and group?
The hours in the table above do most of the deciding. Every kiosk operator ACSA lists stops at midnight, and the earliest opens at 5am, so the time your bags come off the belt is the first thing to check.
One traveller with a suitcase, landing at 2pm on a weekday. All options are open. Uber or Bolt gives a fixed quote before you book and takes you door to door; a kiosk taxi suits you if your phone has no local data. Either way, stop at the kiosk first and ask the taxi fare, then open the app and compare before you walk to Parkade 1.
A family of four with four large cases, landing at 11:40pm on a Saturday. By the time you clear baggage, the kiosk operators may be closing at midnight. Request a larger vehicle category from Parkade 1, if the app offers one, so all four cases fit in one car rather than splitting the group across two. If you must use a kiosk operator, go to the desk as soon as you land rather than after collecting your bags.
Anyone landing between midnight and 5am. ACSA lists no kiosk operator in that window. Plan on Uber or Bolt, or arrange a transfer with your accommodation before you fly.
Is it safe to travel from the airport at night?
The City of Cape Town's visitor safety tips ask visitors to use accredited transport such as e-hailing services, taxis and buses, and to avoid deserted or dark areas at night. Taking a recognised option from inside the terminal, rather than accepting a lift from someone who approaches you in the arrivals hall, follows both that advice and ACSA's authorised-taxi rule.
Save the City's emergency numbers before you land: 112 from a mobile or 021 480 7700. Cape Town Tourism's Band-Aid team (021 487 6552) runs around the clock for visitors who need help with police reports, lost documents or changed plans.
Driving from the airport on the N2
Wesgro describes the airport as 20 km from the city centre with a direct link on the N2 freeway, and Cape Town Tourism says the rental companies operate from the Transport Plaza and the Central Terminal Building. South Africa drives on the left; if that is new to you, read the left-hand traffic driving tips before your first drive.
The City's safety advice for drivers applies from the moment you leave the rental car park:
Licence, toll and fine rules for visiting drivers are covered in renting a car in Cape Town. If your first stop is Table Mountain or Cape Point, the Table Mountain and SANParks fees guide sets out the entry charges.