Best time to visit, what to know about the bus schedule, and ready-to-use itineraries for 1, 3 or 5 days.
Most problems travellers mention in reviews come from planning rather than from the pass: a Cableway stopped by wind, an attraction that needed booking, or the assumption that the bus goes to Cape Point. This page covers the seasons, the summer timetable and three sample plans that work with the bus routes.
Cape Town's seasons are flipped relative to Europe. Summer is November to March, winter is June to August.
The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway closes once a year for safety inspections. In 2026 it was closed from 27 July to 9 August; the cableway announces the 2027 dates in May. During the summer season there is no planned closure, but strong wind can stop it on any day. If it is closed, you have two good options:
The dates change every year, so check the Cableway's site close to your trip.
Prefer to walk up with a guide? tablemountainhikes.com compares guided hikes on Table Mountain and Lion's Head by route, group size and price.
Every pass includes a City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off ticket for all pass days. The Red and Blue routes run daily, buses come frequently (live position at nextredbus.co.za), and you can switch between routes at the V&A Waterfront (Stop 1). The Constantia wine shuttle starts at Constantia Nek (Stop 21) on the Blue route.
| Tour | Covers | First departure | Last departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red City Tour (1,5 h) | V&A Waterfront, Long Street, Table Mountain Cableway, Camps Bay, Sea Point | 08:00 from Stop 1 (V&A) | 17:15 from Stop 1 (V&A); from the Cableway also 18:35 and 19:05 (Nov–Mar) |
| Blue Mini Peninsula Tour (2,5 h) | Long Street, Kirstenbosch (gate 1), Constantia Nek, World of Birds, Hout Bay harbour, back along the Atlantic coast | 09:00 (Christmas/New Year: 08:00) | 16:00 from Stop 1 (V&A) |
| Groot Constantia Wine Tour | Shuttle from Constantia Nek (Stop 21) to Groot Constantia (Stop 26) and back, 30 min | 10:02 (Christmas/New Year: 09:02) | 17:05 |
| Harbour & Canal Cruise | Short boat trips at the V&A Waterfront, weather permitting (each counts as one included attraction) | Canal 08:30 · Harbour 09:00 | 17:00; extra evening trips up to 19:30, most of them mid-Dec to mid-Jan |
Included in the pass (once), except over Christmas and New Year (see below). Departs from Stop 1 at the Two Oceans Aquarium, weather permitting.
| Period | Departure | Days |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September–31 October 2026 | 17:30 | daily |
| 1 November–13 March 2027 | 18:00 | daily |
| 15 March–31 March 2027 | 17:30 | daily |
| 1 April–30 April 2027 | 17:00 | daily |
| 1 May–22 September 2027 | 16:45 | Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat |
From 19 December to 3 January 2027 and on 14 March 2027 the Sunset Bus drives to Blouberg instead of Signal Hill. From 19 December to 3 January 2027 it is not included in the pass.
City Sightseeing also runs full-day Xplorer tours. They are not free with the pass: Cape Point & Penguin Tour, the Cape Explorer wine tour (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl) and the Franschhoek Wine Tram get R100 off for pass holders. Pick-up from about 08:00 at Long Street, Sea Point, Camps Bay and the V&A Waterfront (Cape Point tour from about 09:00), back at the Waterfront around 17:45, minimum 4 passengers. The Hermanus tour runs only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Comparing Cape Point and penguin tours from Cape Town, including which ones cover the park fee: visitcapepoint.com. Just the bus, without a pass: hoponcapetown.com compares hop-on hop-off tickets and combos.
Three plans built around the summer bus timetable and the locations of the included attractions.
Single-ticket value: R1.940 (bus R475, Cableway R530, Aquarium R220, Cape Wheel R275, cruise R440) · 1-day pass: R1.695.
Day 1 · City & Waterfront
Day 2 · Hout Bay or Cape Point
No car for the peninsula? visitcapepoint.com compares day tours from Cape Town to Cape Point and the Boulders Beach penguins, and shows which ones include the park fee.
Day 3 · Wine or township tour
Rather go with a small group than the Xplorer bus? capewinelandstour.com compares guided wine tours from Cape Town to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.
Add a premium day to the 3-day plan above:
Premium 5-day pass: R4.595. Single-ticket value of the premium experiences: R1.500–R2.450.
Staying longer than five days? gardenroutetour.com compares guided multi-day Garden Route tours from Cape Town, with itineraries, accommodation and meals.
According to the operator, most Cape Town attractions accept the pass without prior booking. The exceptions are:
The Table Mountain Cableway takes no reservations for pass holders; you queue at the station with your pass. The LaGuGu Township Tour starts at fixed times, daily at 10:00 and 14:00.
Pick a duration, book in two minutes, and you'll receive your barcode by email right away.
GetYourGuide sells the official pass in euros. Bought directly from the operator, the pass is billed in rand at the same or a similar price; unused passes can be refunded there within 12 months for an R40 fee.
A few Cape Town classics are not part of the City Pass. These tours and tickets close the gaps; you book them separately on GetYourGuide.
The pass starts at the bus stops in town, not at the airport. A fixed-price transfer gets you to your hotel in the city bowl, Green Point or at the Waterfront.
Check availabilityThe hop-on hop-off buses do not go to Cape Point or Simon’s Town, and the pass covers neither the park fee nor Boulders Beach. A half-day tour with transport is the easiest way to see both.
Check availabilityNelson Mandela’s prison island is not part of the pass. Ferries leave from the V&A Waterfront, close to Stop 1 of the bus, and sell out early in summer.
Check availabilityPrices and ratings from GetYourGuide, updated several times a day. We earn a commission on bookings; the price for you stays the same.
12 months to activate from the date of purchase. Refundable while unused.
Book pass from R1.695