The main gateway for the city, with taxi, rideshare, shuttle and car-hire options into central Cape Town.
South Africa · CPT
Cape Town
Mountain views, Atlantic beaches, world-class food and easy access to the Cape Winelands — plan the practical side of your arrival before the city takes over.
Example departureJFKNew York John F. Kennedy
ArrivalCPTCape Town International
Know before you go
Main airportCape Town International (CPT)
Local currencyZAR · South African rand
LanguagesEnglish · Afrikaans · isiXhosa
Best travel windowNov–Mar
Time zoneSouth Africa Standard Time
Trip characterCoast · Food · Nature · Wine
Cape Town, with the essentials sorted.
A little planning goes a long way here. Know your arrival airport, local currency, seasonal conditions and how you want to move between the city, coast and surrounding wine country.
Cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and major attractions, though carrying a small amount of cash can still be useful.
English is widely used across tourism, transport, hospitality and visitor services.
Warmer, drier summer weather is popular for beaches, outdoor dining and longer days around the peninsula.
Cape Town uses SAST year-round, helping make onward planning straightforward once you arrive.
Ideal for city breaks that mix beaches, mountain scenery, restaurants, road trips and the Cape Winelands.
Explore the Cape
Three sides of Cape Town.
The city is at its best when you combine dramatic scenery with neighbourhood culture and time on the coast.
Signature view
Table Mountain
Ride the cableway or explore the surrounding trails for one of the clearest introductions to the city’s geography.
Harbour life
V&A Waterfront
Restaurants, shopping, harbour views and easy access to boat trips make this a practical first stop.
Coastal drive
Cape Peninsula
Plan a day for dramatic ocean roads, beaches and the landscapes south of the city.
Arrival planning
From CPT to your first hour in Cape Town.
Keep your arrival simple by confirming your transport before landing, keeping booking details easy to reach and allowing enough time for baggage and border formalities.
Check your flight and terminal details
Review flight status before departure and keep your itinerary reference available for any schedule or gate updates.
Choose airport transport in advance
Taxi, rideshare, private transfer and car hire are common options from CPT. Pre-arranging transport can make a late arrival much easier.
Plan for road trips and luggage
If the Winelands or peninsula are part of your trip, check baggage space and vehicle needs before adding a rental car or transfer.
Pack for changing conditions
Even in warmer months, coastal wind and cooler evenings can arrive quickly, especially around the mountain and Atlantic side.