Public transportation in Cape Town seems to be a bit better than in neighboring cities. For bus transport, there is an extensive network of routes from the main terminal on Grand Parade. The good news: Buses here are subsidized, so they are by far the most affordable mode of transportation, and you can even save a bit more by paying ahead for 10 trips. The bad news: The schedules are only a loose estimate of arrivals and departures. So plan to spend some time waiting at the bus shelters and lamppost markers where passengers are dropped off and picked up. You can check out the posted route maps while you wait.

If you are in a rush, or don’t mind spending a little extra money, opt for a minibus taxi instead. Still affordable, you can be picked up and dropped off at more locations. The main stop is above the train station on Adderley, but you can hail the vans from almost anywhere. The only hold-up is that drivers may not leave until the van is full. And it’s best to have exact change. Otherwise, you may not get your change unless the driver happens to have it.  Another downside is that they are notoriously unroadworth (little or no brakes, worn out steering, no lights, etc) and the drivers have absolutely no regard for the rules of the road. The government is trying to remove these vehicles from our roads throuh a recapitalisation plan but until this has happened tourists should avoid this method of transport.

And if you plan to stick to the main sightseeing attractions, you can probably see everything you want on a shuttle bus. Pick up a bus at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Information Centre or the Cape Town Tourism Information Office for a lift to Kirstenbosch or the Table Mountain cableway .