Travel
Flights
Note:
Please make your flight reservations early. South Africa is a very popular desitination, and flights fill up early. If you leave it too late, not only will you have trouble in finding a seat on a flight, it can also become very expensive.
For international flights, please remember that you will have to be at the Airport at least 3 hours before your return/outbound flight. It would therefore be very difficult, if not impossible to fly out on the Friday night, immediately after the Conference closing. For local flights, Friday afternoon and evening flights are usually fully booked well in advance and quite expensive (due to the high demand). In both cases we would advise that you postpone your return flights to Saturday 7 September 2013, if at all possible.
Getting to Cape Town
Cape Town International Airport is served by several international airlines, with direct flights from several internationa cities.For a much larger selection of flights and airlines, the alternative is to fly into O R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and get a connecting flight to Cape Town. Cape Town is a two hour flight from Johannesburg, which has direct links with most major cities around the world.There is hourly flights by several Airlines (e.g. South African Airways, British Airways) fly between Johannesburg and Cape Town. For more details see Cape Town Tourism.
Travelling around Cape Town
Getting from the Airport
Cape Town International Airport is approximately 20km from Cape Town's city centre. From the airport, you can hire a car, take a metered taxi or catch the MyCiti shuttle bus into the city centre.
A metered taxi to the city centre will cost between R300 and R400. Some have flat rates, while others charge by the kilometer, but either way you should agree up front what the fee might be.
The MyCiti shuttle bus costs R57 for adults and R28.10 for children between the ages of four and eleven (children younger than four travel for free). The bus leaves the airport every 20 minutes between 05h10 and 22h00.
For more information about the MyCiti bus routes, phone +27 860 103 089 or visit the MyCiti website.
An alternative is to make use of a shuttle service, for example My Shuttle, which does both airporst transfers and point-to-point transfers.
Getting around the city
Cape Town and the surrounding winelands amounts to quite a large area, from one side to the other over a hundred kilometres. With so many interesting sights and activities available, it’s important that you know your travel options.
Car Hire
Renting a car in Cape Town is probably the best option in terms of viability, allowing you the freedom to explore at your leisure, and access areas that trains and buses cannot. While other methods of transport are relatively less expensive, hiring a car is certainly the most convenient.
While hi-jacking is not as prevalent a concern as in Gauteng, be aware! Don’t take unnecessary risks, and make sure you know your route. Also make sure you don’t leave bags, cameras, laptops or CD’s lying in the car while parked.
Most of the car hire companies will drop of or pick up at your hotel, and you can hire at the airport itself.
Taxi
Taxi’s in South Africa aren’t hailed off the street, but instead are hired by phone or at a taxi rank. Not the cheapest option at an average of R10 per kilometre, but quite possibly the safest – especially at night. Just make sure you get a quote for distance before you go anywhere – and watch that metre.
Well known taxi cabs are Excite Taxis (021 448 4444) and Kwikcabs (021424 2222).
An alternative is to make use of a shuttle service, for example My Shuttle, which does both airporst transfers and point-to-point transfers.
Buses
Cape Town has just introduced its first Integrated Rapid transit bus system (known as IRT) which will be used first to transport visitors to and from the airport and around the central city. Over and above the Airport route, the inner city is also covered by this service – and is known as the MyCiti Bus Service, which travels two separate loops within the city, both starting at the Civic Centre Station, and covering a wide inner city area. See MyCiti website.
For within the city the hop-on hop-off City Sightseeing Bus (021 511 6000) operates a city tour every day, and moves all around Cape Town’s main sights, starting at the V&A Waterfront. No booking is required, and the fact that they’re topless makes for probably the most fun, (and the best way to see the views) of all the travelling options.
Other
Well, walking’s always fun – provided you aren’t planning a long trip, but in fact most of Cape Town more beautiful surrounds needs to be travelled by foot anyway. It’s really the best way to properly take in Cape Town’s very best feature – the natural beauty and divine landscapes (you also get to decrease your carbon footprint). Plus you need the exercise, but be sure to follow well marked areas and routes.
You could even rent a bicycle – perfect for travelling through the city bowl area, or the forestry expanse of the Southern Suburbs. Downhill Adventures (021 422 0388) rents them for the low price of 160 Rand per day. Just don’t travel alone after dark please.
For more travel advice, contact Cape Town Tourism on +27 21 487 6800 or email info@capetown.travel.
Medical and Travel Insurance
South Africa has excellent private healthcare facilities, but you will only get access to these facilities if you are in the possession of the necessary travel and medical insurance. Please ensure that you take out medical and travel insurance for the duration of your trip.
- If you have bought tickets for your flights by means of a credit card, you may already have some basic travel and medical insurance - please make sure you get the necessary documentation from your credit card company prior to departure for South Africa.
- Some institutions/universities do have their own travel insurance - again, please make sure you get the necessary documentation from your institution/university prior to departure for South Africa.
The conference organisers cannot accept liability for personal injuries sustained, or for loss or damage of property belonging to participants or their accompanying persons.