- Posted by: Landia Davies
- September 5, 2007, 3:50 pm
So you are visiting Cape Town or returning to South Africa from abroad and wondering how to get around without cheap and extensive public transport being readily available 24 hours a day.
Well, it is easy enough in Cape Town. As a woman walking is a great option in the daytime, especially in and around the busier areas. For greater distances or shorter time frames there is always the "Doof Doof" taxi option. These are the mini buses with sometimes loud music playing from them. The mini vans are a cheap and convenient means of transport, plus you always get to meet some interesting folk on your way somewhere.
In Cape Town you also have the option of taking the train to places outside of town, like Kalk Bay or the Southern suburbs. But this is more of a daytime activity as part of an outing in terms of safety. Next there are the meter taxis which are fine for if you have the money to spend on driving around. The advantage of taxi transport being that you can catch one at any hour of the day or night. Most of the companies are listed, so you can call for collection.
Then there is the Riki’s taxi service, like in the UK, which is a bit of a cross between a private cab and a shared mini bus. The price for a ride also falls in between, so it serves as a good compromise. Riki’s works by calling in for the service and arranging the pick up and drop off locations. Your timeframe for this mode of transport will have to be quite flexible.
For longer journeys and intercity trips buses and cars are the only way to go. That is other than cheap airlines of course. But then you would miss out on half the journey! Here a car of your own comes in handy, because long haul bus journeys aren’t always the best way to see the sights. South Africa is a great place for road trips, so you’d be better off buying a car or renting one for a safari at your own pace.
Useful links include: Take a train, Hire a car and the Telephone directory for taxi services.
Cape Town and Table Mountain viewed from Blouberg Beach
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About the Author
Landia Davies has recently joined Africa Travel Guide as the new online editor. A nature lover and passionate traveler she loves exploring and is always looking for new adventures. Landia hopes to become a highly accomplished travel writer and knowledgeable vagabond. Growing up on the coast of South Africa, she enjoys the outdoors and soaking up local culture.
