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CPT Cape Town International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) serves Cape Town, about 17 km east of Cape Town. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATACPT
ICAOFACT
ServesCape Town
From centre17 km
Non-stop23
Airlines19
TimezoneAfrica/Johannesburg
Elevation46 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

Cape Town International Airport — facts & history

We pulled Cape Town International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 843,148 passengers in 2022, against a peak of 11M in 2017.

Passengers / year
843,148
as of 2022
Peak traffic
11M
in 2017
Elevation
46 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
Airports Company South Africa
Passengers per year, 2011–2022

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Official links

Cape Town International Airport — official sites

Airport to city

Getting from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town

The airport is about 17 km east of Cape Town, about 36 minutes by road in normal traffic.

Train & bus: Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.

Taxi & apps: Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage. Estimated fare to the centre: R199–R316.

Tipping: 10% is usual.

Way inTime to centreCost
Train / bus~25 mincheapestCHEAPEST
Taxi~36 minR199–R316
Private transfer~36 minfixed upfront
Car rental~36 min + חניהfrom the terminal
Distances

From CPT to nearby cities

Estimated drive times in normal traffic, and an approximate taxi fare at the local tariff. A pre-booked transfer is usually cheaper.

DestinationDistanceDriveTaxi (est.)
Stellenbosch25 km52 minR281–R446
Choose and book

Which way suits you from Cape Town International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people. ~R199–R316 to the centre.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in Cape Town ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from Cape Town International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 23 destinations, operated by 19 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: South African Airways · Mango · British Airways · Comair · Qatar Airways · Air Botswana · KLM Royal Dutch Airlines · Air Mauritius · Asiana Airlines · Singapore Airlines

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at Cape Town International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sailing from here?

Cape Town International Airport is the airport nearest Cape Town's cruise terminal. Cruises from Cape Town — which lines and where ›

Sleep nearby

Hotels near Cape Town International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in Cape Town shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — Cape Town International Airport

No reviews yet — be the first to share.

Airports nearby

Other options near Cape Town

Same country

Other airports in South Africa

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from Cape Town International Airport to the centre of Cape Town?
Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. The airport is about 17 km east of Cape Town, about 36 minutes by road.
How much is a taxi from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town?
Roughly R199–R316 (at the local tariff). Many airports have a regulated flat fare — ask at the taxi desk.
Can I use a ride app from Cape Town International Airport?
Use Uber or Bolt (legal, recommended), not a rank taxi. Avoid a 'minibus taxi' with luggage.
What's the cheapest way from Cape Town International Airport to Cape Town?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre.
Can I get from Cape Town International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Johannesburg (OR Tambo): the Gautrain to Sandton and Pretoria — fast and safe. Cape Town: the MyCiTi bus to the centre. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from Cape Town International Airport?
About 23 destinations, including Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, London. 19 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is Cape Town International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on Cape Town International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at Cape Town International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
Cape Town city guide← South Africa travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

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