Public Bus in Cape Town
Golden Arrow is the primary bus service in Cape Town, and serves the entire metropolitan area from 6 depots. Bus services don’t run within the City Bowl, but rather along the main roads connecting different areas, most notably those which aren’t served by trains (Such as the Atlantic Seaboard stretch of Hout Bay, Camps Bay, Sea Point, Green Point and Cape Town) as well as other suburbs and townships remote from railway stations.
The main bus depot in Cape Town central is opposite the railway station in Strand Street. Buses are usually on time, and aside from rush hour, between 4pm and 6pm, are fairly empty. They’re also relatively cheap – at around R10, tickets vie with the trains for affordability. You can purchase them on board from the driver, who is required to have a float, meaning you don’t need exact change.
Note that bus services don’t quite run round the clock – drivers are off duty between the hours of 11pm and 5am, when there’s not enough demand for public transport.
All the stops are listed on Golden Arrow’s website – http://www.gabs.co.za.
For any enquiries regarding bus routes or timetables, call the 24 hour toll free line on 0800 65 64 63. Alternatively, call Golden Arrow’s head offices on 021 507 8800. Office hours are 08:15-16:30, Monday to Thursday, and 08:15-15:00 on Fridays.
