From Camps Bay, choose transport around the day: a rental car for flexible stops, ride-hailing for direct trips or MyCiTi for its set routes. Check current routes, fares, licence requirements and pickup arrangements before travelling.
Match transport to the trip
| Mode | When it helps | Check before leaving |
|---|---|---|
| Rental car | Several stops beyond Cape Town or a flexible Peninsula route. | Licence rules, parking, tolls and left-hand driving. |
| MyCiTi bus | Journeys that match a published route and timetable. | Current service, stop location and myconnect card. |
| Ride-hailing | Direct trips without parking, especially for an evening return. | Pickup point, app availability and live fare. |
The City Sightseeing bus is another way to link major visitor stops. Compare the actual route and total travel time rather than assuming one mode is best for every day.
Car Rental and Driving Regulations in South Africa
Renting a vehicle is the most flexible way to explore the Cape Peninsula, Stellenbosch winelands, and coastal scenic routes:
| Rental / Driving Aspect | Requirement or Rule | Practical Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Side | Left-hand side of roadway | Take care on multilane roundabouts; give way to traffic from your right |
| Speed Limits | Urban 60 km/h; open roads 100 km/h; freeways 120 km/h | Strictly enforced by digital average-speed-over-distance cameras on major highways |
| Toll Roads | Chapman's Peak Drive (R61 per standard car) | Credit cards, debit cards, and cash accepted at toll plazas |
| Fuel Stations | Full-service only; attendants pump fuel | Standard tip for attendant: 5 to 10 ZAR for windscreen wash and tire check |
Rental counters for major international operators (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget, Sixt) are located directly inside Cape Town International Airport's central transport plaza and in the CBD. Automatic transmission vehicles are widely available but should be booked well in advance during peak summer holiday periods.
Coastal scenic highway curving beside the Atlantic ocean cliffs on the Cape Peninsula.
Iconic Scenic Driving Routes Departing from Camps Bay
Departing directly from Place on the Bay, motorists can experience several of the most breathtaking coastal and mountain drives in the world:
- Victoria Road (M6 Coastal Boulevard): Hugs the Atlantic coastline south from Camps Bay through Bakoven, past the Twelve Apostles cliffs to Llandudno and Hout Bay. Known for dramatic sunset ocean vistas and smooth asphalt surfaces.
- Chapman's Peak Drive: Winding 9 kilometres along sheer cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, featuring 114 curves and engineering rock shelters. Toll plaza accepts standard cards.
- Clarence Drive (R44): Located across False Bay between Gordon's Bay and Rooi-Els, this 21-kilometre marine road hugs vertical mountainsides dropping straight into the ocean, offering seasonal whale viewing lookouts.
- Franschhoek Pass (R45): Ascends steeply above the Franschhoek wine valley toward Villiersdorp, delivering panoramic vistas over geometric vineyards and mountain reservoirs.
Street Parking, Municipal Marshals and Car Guards
Parking throughout Cape Town follows established protocols that every motorist should know:
- Official Municipal Parking Marshals: In high-density commercial zones (including central Camps Bay along Victoria Road, Sea Point, and the CBD), street parking is managed by uniformed municipal parking marshals wearing branded high-visibility vests. They carry electronic handheld terminals and collect fees based on hourly intervals (typically 15 to 25 ZAR per hour). Credit cards and cash are accepted.
- Informal Car Guards: In suburban shopping strips and restaurant areas without municipal meters, informal self-employed car guards in fluorescent bibs watch over parked vehicles. It is standard local etiquette to tip the car guard 5 to 10 ZAR in cash upon returning to your vehicle if they assisted you.
- Vehicle Security Rules: Always lock vehicles and ensure windows are fully rolled up. Never leave valuables, mobile phones, sunglasses, or shopping bags visible on seats. Place all personal belongings inside the locked trunk before arriving at your parking spot.
The MyCiTi Public Bus Network
Cape Town's MyCiTi bus service is a modern, clean, and reliable rapid transit system operating dedicated red bus lanes across the city:
- Route 106 and 107 (Camps Bay → CBD): These routes connect Camps Bay directly with Kloof Street, the Company's Garden, and the central Civic Centre station. Buses run every 15 to 20 minutes from 06:00 to 22:00 daily.
- Route 108 and 109 (Hout Bay → Camps Bay → Sea Point → V&A Waterfront): Traces the coastal Atlantic Seaboard, providing scenic transit between Camps Bay and the Waterfront.
- The myconnect Card: Cash is not accepted on board MyCiTi buses. Passengers must purchase a reusable myconnect smartcard (approximately 35 ZAR) at airport stations or major kiosks, then load Mover points for discounted fares. Tap the card against the station turnstile or on-bus validator at the start and end of every journey.
Well-connected urban transit routes and street avenues linking the City Bowl to the Atlantic coast.
Ride-Hailing: Uber and Bolt Services
App-based ride-hailing is exceptionally popular, affordable, and safe throughout Cape Town:
- High Vehicle Availability: Standard UberX, Uber Comfort, and Uber Black vehicles are readily available along Victoria Road, Camps Bay Drive, and throughout the metropolitan area.
- Transparent In-App Pricing: Fares are fixed electronically before booking, avoiding meter disputes or cash negotiations. A standard ride from Camps Bay to the V&A Waterfront typically costs between 80 and 130 ZAR outside peak demand surges.
- Airport Connections: Dedicated ride-hailing pickup zones operate directly outside Cape Town International Airport's arrivals hall, offering stress-free transport directly to Place on the Bay.
City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
The iconic open-top red double-decker buses operated by City Sightseeing Cape Town provide the most scenic introduction to the peninsula:
- Camps Bay Stop: Located directly on Victoria Road beside the main beach, making departures effortless for guests at Place on the Bay.
- Red City Tour: Circles the CBD, Table Mountain Lower Cableway, and the Atlantic Seaboard.
- Blue Mini Peninsula Tour: Links Camps Bay with Kirstenbosch Gardens, Constantia wine estates, and Hout Bay harbour. Multilingual audio commentary is provided via complimentary headphones.
Driving and buses beyond Camps Bay
Visitors driving rental cars in South Africa must adhere strictly to the Keep Left traffic convention and yield right of way to approaching traffic on multi-lane traffic circles. Three major national arterial freeways connect Cape Town to regional destinations: the N1 highway heads northeast through Century City toward Paarl and the Winelands; the N2 highway links Cape Town International Airport with Somerset West and the Garden Route; and the scenic M3 highway traces the eastern foothills of Table Mountain past Kirstenbosch toward Constantia and Muizenberg. High-speed highway surfaces and toll systems are managed by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL).
For reliable urban commuting between the City Bowl and Camps Bay without a rental car, the MyCiTi public bus network operates two interconnected circular routes. Route 106 travels clockwise from the Civic Centre over Kloof Nek and down Camps Bay Drive before cruising along Victoria Road, while Route 107 operates anti-clockwise via Kloof Nek, descending Geneva Drive into central Camps Bay and returning past Clifton. Both routes link with airport express services and run clean, wheelchair-accessible, cashless services with security cameras on every bus.
Check the return journey too
For a rental car, confirm that your licence meets the rental company's requirements and ask whether an International Driving Permit is needed for your document. Include parking and any road tolls when comparing it with a bus or ride-hailing trip. At the airport, identify the pickup point before choosing a car or prebooked transfer to Camps Bay.
If you plan to use MyCiTi, check where to obtain and load a myconnect card and whether the service still runs when you want to return. For a late trip, check the live ride-hailing pickup point and fare instead of relying on a typical wait time. Each option works best for a different route: the easiest outbound journey may be a poor choice after an event or a full day away.
