With so much going on around the city, you’ll certainly want to know about the most convenient ways for remote workers to get around Cape Town. This city has a good transport infrastructure and recent developments have meant it has gained a useful integrated bus system which is convenient and affordable. Beyond this, there’s a good number of other transportation options around the city including suburban rail, an extensive minibus taxi service and plenty of taxis.
Whatever method you choose, you can count on low fares and generally good service. Indeed, to make sure you are within a short distance of the major transport hubs, it is a good idea to research the location of any potential apartments carefully as you don’t want to be too far from a bus stop. Below are some great ways remote workers get around Cape Town!
This is the most frequent, and perhaps most convenient, way for remote workers to get around Cape Town. You will see these minivan-type vehicles all around the city with routes spanning the entire metropolis. Before you board one of these, it will be a good idea to know where exactly you are going with a good degree of confidence. Then, you’ll want to wave down a minibus that has a destination in the general direction of where you are headed - you can see the end stops of each minibus written at the front or the conductor will tell you. Once you board you should pay your fare (around 10-15ZAR) directly to the driver or fare collector in cash. To get off, let the driver or fare collector know.
Minibus taxis are a convenient way for remote workers to get around Cape Town because they are so readily available and prices are so low. Nonetheless, visitors to the city should be extra careful on popular routes where pick-pocketing might occur and also on less frequented routes where a visitor may find themselves uncomfortably out of place. Use this method if you are a seasoned traveler or extra-confident with public transport use.
Since 2010, this rapid bus transit service has served Cape Town and provided convenient access to all of the city’s major attractions both in and beyond the City Bowl. With an extensive feeder system, the MyCiTi bus service is available to suburbs and communities all the way from Gardens to Hout Bay and around the Atlantic Seaboard. Indeed, for access to the city’s main suburbs around Table Mountain, this will be the best method to use. Remote workers can get around Cape Town easily on the MyCiTi service by using their MyConnect card which can be purchased at any MetroRail station, the airport or authorized kiosks around the city. Fares are very affordable also, and the system is generally clean, safe and reliable.
The MetroRail in Cape Town will be useful to those looking to get around to some of the city’s suburbs as well as for some occasional day trips. Most visitors will find the Simon’s Town line most useful, with connections all the way from central Cape Town through to Observatory, Fish Hoek and many other coastal towns around False Bay. Tickets within Cape Town can cost as little as 10ZAR for a first class ticket and these can be easily purchased at stations.
It is important to know that the MetroRail may not be the safest way for remote workers to get around Cape Town - recent years have seen an increase in arson, theft and crime on all lines at night, as well as a drop in overall passenger numbers.
This is such a vast and fascinating city with so many natural attractions that one of the most rewarding ways for remote workers to get around Cape Town may well be to rent a car. This option may be a little more expensive (around 250-350ZAR per day) but certainly offers endless opportunities in terms of getting around the region and exploring some of the incredible destinations Cape Town has to offer. Of course, you will want to budget money for petrol and consider that parking may be difficult in more congested parts of the city center. Most agencies in Cape Town will require those renting to be at least 21 years of age and be in possession of their license for at least 3 years.
For more information about living in Cape Town as a remote worker, check out our complete Cape Town guide.