Airport transfers to Sea Point, Clifton and Bantry Bay

Sea Point is about 25 km from Cape Town International Airport and Clifton about 26 km, and each takes about 30 minutes outside peak traffic. Bantry Bay lies between them on the same stretch of coast. An airport to Sea Point transfer runs along the N2 into the city and out along the Atlantic side through Green Point, and at West Landau it is a fixed fee per vehicle and per zone, with the driver, fuel, tolls and the first 60 minutes after touchdown included.

The three suburbs are next to each other and quite different to arrive in. Sea Point is flat and urban, Bantry Bay is steep, and Clifton is reached by stairs.

How long is the drive to Sea Point, Clifton and Bantry Bay?

The N2 into the city is busiest on weekday mornings and late afternoons, and 17:00 on a weekday is the most congested hour. In summer, and especially in January, which is peak season, Victoria Road along Clifton and towards Camps Bay is slow on warm afternoons as people arrive at and leave the beaches.

From the N2 the driver comes into the city and heads out towards Green Point, then follows the coast into Sea Point. Beyond Sea Point the road climbs into Bantry Bay and continues as Victoria Road past the Clifton beaches towards Camps Bay. For some Clifton and Bantry Bay addresses it is quicker to come over Kloof Nek and approach from the Camps Bay side. The driver chooses once the address and the traffic are known.

Sea Point: apartments, Beach Road and where the car can stop

Sea Point is mostly apartment buildings and hotels, many with a basement garage and access control at the vehicle gate. Beach Road runs along the promenade, and Main Road runs parallel a block or two inland. Both are busy, and stopping outside a building is not always possible on a weekday afternoon.

Send the building name, the unit number and the access instructions. If the building has a guard or a concierge desk, the driver can be expected at the gate. If you have rented the apartment, give the host's number so the keys are ready.

Bantry Bay: steep streets and tight turns

Bantry Bay is built into a steep slope above the sea, and its streets are narrow with tight turns and steep driveways. Some apartment buildings are entered from the top, some from below, and the street address does not always show which entrance to use.

Tell the concierge which entrance the building uses and whether there is a turning area. A Staria is a large vehicle, and a driver who knows the turning circle at the end of the street is spared a reversing manoeuvre on a steep road with your luggage aboard.

Clifton: stairs, bungalows and the walk down

Clifton's four beaches lie below Victoria Road, and stairs lead down to them from the road. Many of the bungalows and houses in Clifton are reached the same way, down a path or a flight of steps from where the car stops. Parking along Victoria Road is scarce in summer.

This shapes the arrival more than anything else on the Atlantic side:

• the vehicle stops on Victoria Road or in a designated bay, not at the door
• luggage goes down the stairs by hand
• the time from the car to the front door depends on the property

Ask your host how luggage normally reaches the house, and whether the property arranges help with it. Tell the concierge too, with the number of bags, so the plan is agreed before you land. If you are travelling with children, a pram or a guest who finds stairs difficult, raise it early, because it may decide whether a Clifton bungalow suits the trip at all.

Vehicles, luggage and when an e-hailing car is enough

For two people with hand luggage going to a Sea Point hotel at midday, an e-hailing car is enough. E-hailing pickups at the airport are in the parkades, so follow the directions in your app.

A private transfer is the better choice for a family or a group, for an apartment with access control, for a Clifton property where somebody has to plan the luggage, or for a late landing. Parties of nine or more travel in two vehicles, one driver each, on one booking. If the luggage will not fit safely, the concierge quotes a second vehicle. The airport transfers page sets out the zones and add-ons.

Once you are settled on the Atlantic side

Staying in Sea Point, Bantry Bay or Clifton puts you close to two of the best evening drives in the city. Signal Hill is above Sea Point, and the guide to Signal Hill at sunset covers when to go. Further south, the Atlantic Seaboard drive from Camps Bay to Llandudno continues along the same coast. If you are choosing between these suburbs and Camps Bay, the guide to the Camps Bay transfer covers the villas and the beachfront there.

Common questions

How far is Sea Point from Cape Town Airport?

About 25 km, roughly 30 minutes outside peak traffic. Weekday mornings and late afternoons on the N2 take longer.

Will the driver carry our bags down the stairs in Clifton?

The driver handles the luggage from the vehicle, and the arrangement for the stairs is agreed with the concierge before you land. Ask your host how luggage normally reaches the house and pass that on when you book.

Can the driver get into our apartment building's garage?

Often, if the building allows visitors. Send the access instructions and the host's or building manager's number. If the garage is residents only, the driver unloads at the entrance.

Do you collect from these suburbs for early flights?

Yes. Give the departure flight and the concierge sets the collection time, allowing for the morning traffic on the N2. The return can go on the same quote as the arrival.

To get a quote, send the flight number and date, the number of passengers and bags, and the full address with any access or stair details. The concierge replies with a written quote and a booking reference.