Arriving at Cape Town International Airport: a practical guide

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is about 20 km from the city centre on the N2, run by Airports Company South Africa, with international and domestic flights using one Central Terminal Building. Arriving is straightforward: complete the online traveller declaration before an international flight, collect your bags, and leave the arrivals hall with a pre-arranged driver, an authorised taxi, an e-hailing car or a hire car. This Cape Town airport guide covers each step and the few things worth knowing before you land.

None of it is complicated. The arrivals that go wrong usually do so in the first ten minutes after the doors, when a tired traveller accepts the first offer of a ride.

Before you land: the traveller declaration

International travellers must complete the online traveller declaration on the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS) before arrival. Do it before you fly, on the official system, and keep the confirmation on your phone. It is one less thing to do in a queue after a long flight.

If you or anyone in your party needs assistance between the aircraft and the arrivals hall, such as a wheelchair, contact your airline at least 48 hours before you fly. ACSA asks passengers to arrange it through the airline.

If you have a driver booked, send the concierge your flight number and any change to it. The evening before you fly you receive the driver's name, photograph and direct number. The guide to what to send your chauffeur before you land lists the details that make the pickup go smoothly.

From the aircraft to the arrivals hall

International passengers pass through passport control and then collect their bags. Domestic passengers go straight to the baggage belts. Both come out into the arrivals area of the Central Terminal Building.

ACSA runs an information desk in Domestic Arrivals that is open 24 hours. It is the place to ask for directions or help inside the airport. A missing bag is reported to your airline's baggage service before you leave the baggage hall.

Timing varies with the hour and the number of international flights landing together. On a domestic arrival you are often outside quickly. On a busy international evening, passport control and the baggage belt can take a good part of an hour. This is why a West Landau transfer includes the first 60 minutes after actual touchdown: the driver tracks the flight, and the time you spend in the queue is already accounted for.

Getting from Cape Town Airport into town

ACSA names Uber and Bolt as authorised app-based operators at CPT. If you are being collected by friends or family, there are two parkades either side of the Transport Plaza, and ACSA allows a 20-minute free grace period for collecting passengers.

The guide to Uber or a private transfer from Cape Town Airport compares the two most common choices honestly, including when e-hailing is the better one.

Avoiding the wrong ride

ACSA tells passengers not to accept rides from unsolicited taxi or shuttle drivers. Authorised taxis run from the transport kiosks. Uber advises requesting rides only through the app and not accepting off-app offers in the terminal. In June 2026 a news report warned CPT passengers about people posing as Uber drivers.

The practical rules are simple:

• If someone approaches you offering a ride, decline and go to the kiosk, your app or your booked driver.
• With e-hailing, check the registration, the car and the driver's name in the app before you get in.
• With a booked transfer, look for your name on the board and the driver whose photograph you were sent. If in doubt, call the number you were given.

A booked driver who meets you in the hall removes the decision entirely. The guide to what meet and greet means at Cape Town International explains how that meeting works.

How long to your hotel from Cape Town Airport

Approximate drive times outside peak traffic:

The N1 and N2 are busiest on weekday mornings and late afternoons, and 17:00 on a weekday is the most congested hour. A landing at 16:30 takes noticeably longer to reach almost anywhere than a landing at 11:00.

A few things worth knowing on arrival

• Water. Tap water in Cape Town is generally safe to drink.
• Cash and belongings. Do not carry large sums of cash, and do not leave bags unattended. Never accept help from strangers at ATMs.
• Emergency numbers. 112 from a mobile phone, or 10111 for the South African Police Service.
• Weather. Cape Town's microclimates mean the weather changes quickly. Keep a layer in your hand luggage, even in summer, because the Cape Doctor, a south-easterly wind, blows between October and March.

If you land late at night, the guide to landing late at Cape Town International covers what changes after dark. The airport transfers page explains how a West Landau transfer is priced and what it includes.

Common questions

Is there one terminal or two at Cape Town Airport?

One. International and domestic flights use the Central Terminal Building, with separate arrivals areas for international and domestic passengers.

Where do e-hailing cars collect passengers?

E-hailing pickups are in the airport parkades. Follow the directions in your app, and request the ride only through the app.

How long does it take to get through the airport?

It depends on the hour and on how many international flights land together. A domestic arrival is often quick, while a busy international evening can take a good part of an hour from touchdown to the arrivals hall.

Where does a private driver meet me?

In the arrivals hall, holding a name board. You receive the driver's name, photograph and direct number the evening before, and the guide to what a private airport transfer includes has the full detail.

To book a transfer, send the flight number and date, the number of passengers and bags, and the address you are going to. The concierge replies with a written quote and a booking reference.