Guide · Routes and stops

Hop-on hop-off bus routes in Cape Town, stop by stop

The hop-on hop-off bus routes in Cape Town split the city into a mountain loop, a coastal loop behind Table Mountain and a short wine run. Here is where each one stops and how long it takes.

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Editorial team, capetownbustour.comUpdated October 26, 20267 minutes to read37 sources

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Quick answer

01Three routes: Red City Tour, Blue Mini Peninsula Tour and the Groot Constantia wine bus.¹
02Red route: 9 stops: the Waterfront, the city, the cableway, Camps Bay, Sea Point.²
03Blue route: 11 stops, round the back of the mountain to Kirstenbosch and Hout Bay.³ ⁴
04Purple route: 3 stops from Constantia Nek to Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia.⁵
05Ride time: The operator gives about 90, 140 and 30 minutes without getting off.⁶

How the network fits together

Cape Town's red open-top buses, run by City Sightseeing South Africa, do not run one long line but a set of loops that share their main stops. The operator lists over 30 stops on a circular network, with Table Mountain, Camps Bay, Kirstenbosch and the V&A Waterfront among them.⁷ The hop-on hop-off bus routes in Cape Town are three: the Red City Tour to the cableway, the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour along the coast beyond the city centre, and a wine bus into the Constantia valley.¹

One detail confuses first-time riders: every bus is red, including those on the Blue route. The route shows on a digital sign at the front of the bus and by the door, so read the sign rather than the paintwork before you climb aboard.⁸ A bus waiting at a shared stop may be heading somewhere you did not plan to go, and a wrong guess at Camps Bay can turn a short hop into a long detour round the peninsula.

All ticket types cover all routes, so the choice of loop is yours on the day.⁶ The main departure point is stop 1 outside the Two Oceans Aquarium, where the main ticket office stands, but you may join at any official stop.⁹ ¹⁰ If your hotel is in Sea Point or the city bowl, the nearest stop on the Red route is often a shorter walk than the trip to the Waterfront.

One loop

The Red City Tour from stop 1

Stop 1

Two Oceans Aquarium

Main ticket office; the harbour and canal cruises leave here too.⁹
Stop 2

Clock Tower

For Zeitz MOCAA and the Robben Island gateway.¹¹
Stop 5

Long Street

The downtown office where the free walking tours start.¹²
Stop 7

Cable station

The operator suggests 2 hours for the mountain.¹³
Stop 8

Camps Bay

Beach, lunch and sunset drinks, 1 hour suggested.¹⁴
Stops 10 to 12

Sea Point and Green Point

Promenade walks back towards the Waterfront.¹⁵ ¹⁶

The Red City Tour: Waterfront, mountain and Atlantic

The Red route is the classic red bus tour in Cape Town and the one to ride first. Its 9 stops run from the Two Oceans Aquarium past the Clock Tower and the convention centre to 81 Long Street, then up to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, down to Camps Bay and back along the Atlantic through Sea Point and Green Point.² The operator puts a full loop at about 90 minutes; its printed timetable rounds it to 1.5 hours.⁶ ¹⁷

The stops are not equal. The operator suggests 1 hour at the Clock Tower, the gateway for Zeitz MOCAA and the ferry to Robben Island, 1 hour in Long Street, where its free walking tours start near Greenmarket Square, and 2 hours at the lower cable station.¹¹ ¹² ¹³ At Camps Bay it suggests 1 hour for the beach strip and its restaurants.¹⁴

The last stretch is the gentlest. Stop 10 sits on the Sea Point beachfront near St John's Road, and from there you can walk the promenade to the Winchester Hotel stop and pick up the next bus.¹⁵ Stop 12 lies just north of the Mouille Point lighthouse by the Urban Park, a short ride from the Waterfront where the loop began.¹⁶ On a clear afternoon this is the most relaxed part of the day, with the sea on one side and the mountain on the other.

Time on board

Minutes for one full loop

min

The operator's own figures for each loop without getting off; traffic and stops add to them.⁶

At a glance

The three routes compared

Route	Stops	Loop time	Highlights
Red City Tour	9	About 90 min	Cableway, Camps Bay, Sea Point
Blue Mini Peninsula	11	About 140 min	Kirstenbosch, Hout Bay
Purple wine bus	3	About 30 min	Groot Constantia

Stops from the operator's route pages; loop times from its question page, without getting off.² ³ ⁵ ⁶

Three loops

Pick the loop for the day you want

Ride first

Red City Tour

Mountain and Atlantic

Stops: 9
Loop: About 90 min
Key stop: The cableway

See bus tickets

Longest loop

Blue Mini Peninsula

Behind Table Mountain

Stops: 11
Loop: About 140 min
Key stop: Kirstenbosch

See bus tickets

Shortest loop

Purple wine bus

From Constantia Nek

Stops: 3
Loop: About 30 min
Key stop: Groot Constantia

See bus tickets

Decision helper

Which route for what you want to see

Match the stop on your list to the loop that serves it

Red route

Stop 7 is the lower cable station.¹³

Blue route

Stop 20, with 1 to 2 hours suggested.¹⁸

Blue, then Purple

Change at Constantia Nek for Groot Constantia.¹⁹ ⁵

Blue route

Stop 24 is Mariner's Wharf.²⁰

Red route

Stop 2 serves the Nelson Mandela Gateway.¹¹

Red City Tour: Discover Cape Town’s city sights and hop off at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway.

City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Source 1

The Blue Mini Peninsula Tour: behind the mountain to Hout Bay

The Blue route leaves the city on a longer circle round the back of Table Mountain, and the timetable gives it 2.5 hours.⁴ The operator's own question page says about 140 minutes, and the GetYourGuide listing says 2 hours, so plan on most of a morning if you stay seated.⁶ Its 11 stops include the Foreshore, Long Street, the Mount Nelson Hotel, Kirstenbosch, Constantia Nek, Mariner's Wharf in Hout Bay and the Atlantic stops at Camps Bay, Sea Point and Green Point.³

Kirstenbosch is stop 20. The operator gives its gates as open from 8 am to 5 pm and suggests 1 to 2 hours there.¹⁸ SANBI, which runs the garden, calls it one of the great botanic gardens of the world, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.²¹ Further on, stop 22 is World of Birds and Monkey Jungle in Hout Bay, open from 9 am to 5 pm.²²

Stop 24 is Mariner's Wharf and the Hout Bay harbour, with boat trips to Seal Island, fish and chips and the Hout Bay Market close by; the operator suggests 1 hour.²⁰ From there the bus climbs back over to Camps Bay and follows the coast home. Keep a jacket handy for this leg: the wind off the Atlantic can feel cool on the open deck even on a sunny day.

Map

Where the three bus routes stop

First the whole network from the V&A Waterfront to Hout Bay, then the city and Atlantic stops of the Red route, then the wine valley and harbour stops behind Table Mountain.

Map of the Cape Peninsula from the V&A Waterfront to Hout Bay with the main hop-on hop-off bus stops, Signal Hill, Kirstenbosch and Groot Constantia — All three routes

Map of central Cape Town with the Two Oceans Aquarium, the Clock Tower, the convention centre, Greenmarket Square, the cableway, Camps Bay, Sea Point, Green Point and Signal Hill — City and Atlantic

Map of Kirstenbosch, Constantia Nek, Groot Constantia, Beau Constantia and Hout Bay harbour — Constantia and Hout Bay

1
Two Oceans Aquarium
Stop 1 and the main ticket office; the harbour and canal cruises leave from here.⁹
In Google Maps ↗
2
Clock Tower
Stop 2, for Zeitz MOCAA and the Robben Island gateway.¹¹
In Google Maps ↗
3
CTICC
Stop 3 on the Red route, by the convention centre.²
In Google Maps ↗
4
Greenmarket Square
A short walk from stop 5, the downtown office where the walking tours start.¹²
In Google Maps ↗
5
Table Mountain cableway
Stop 7, at the lower cable station; the operator suggests 2 hours.¹³
In Google Maps ↗
6
Camps Bay
Stop 8, the beach strip, served by the Red and Blue routes.¹⁴ ³
In Google Maps ↗
7
Sea Point
Stop 10 on the beachfront, near St John's Road.¹⁵
In Google Maps ↗
8
Green Point lighthouse
Stop 12, just north of the lighthouse, by the Urban Park.¹⁶
In Google Maps ↗
9
Mount Nelson Hotel
Stop 15 on the Blue route, in Orange Street.²³
In Google Maps ↗
10
Signal Hill
The only stop of the Sunset Bus; not on the daytime routes.²⁴
In Google Maps ↗
11
Kirstenbosch
Stop 20 on the Blue route; the operator suggests 1 to 2 hours.¹⁸
In Google Maps ↗
12
Constantia Nek
Stop 21, where you change from the Blue route to the wine bus.¹⁹
In Google Maps ↗
13
Groot Constantia
On the wine bus route, granted to Simon van der Stel in 1685.⁵ ²⁵
In Google Maps ↗
14
Beau Constantia
The third stop of the wine bus; booking required.⁵ ²⁶
In Google Maps ↗
15
Hout Bay bird park
Stop 22, World of Birds and Monkey Jungle in Hout Bay.²²
In Google Maps ↗
16
Mariner's Wharf
Stop 24 at the Hout Bay harbour, for Seal Island boat trips.²⁰
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Before you ride the loops

Check

The route sign on the front of the bus
The last bus at the stop you get off at
Closure days on the operator's timetable

Bring

Sun cream and a hat for the open deck
A warm layer for the Atlantic wind
Water for the longer Blue loop

Cost calculator

The bus alone or with the mountain

Enter your group size to compare the tickets.

Bus ticketAll three routesfrom $32 Bus and cable carAdds the cablewayfrom $61

People 2

Total from$64

each from $32

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Totals use each listing's starting price on GetYourGuide, converted at today's rate; the booking page shows what you pay.

Video

Riding the red and blue bus routes around Cape Town

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The Purple wine bus from Constantia Nek

The third route is short and has no stop in the city. You change at stop 21, Constantia Nek, from the Blue route onto the wine bus.¹⁹ Its route page lists 3 stops: Constantia Nek, Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia.⁵ The operator gives the loop about 30 minutes, and the GetYourGuide listing of this site's ticket gives the purple line the same 30 minutes.⁶

Groot Constantia describes itself as South Africa's first wine farm, established in 1685.²⁷ Iziko Museums, which runs the house museum there, dates the farm to the land granted to Simon van der Stel in 1685.²⁵ Beau Constantia is listed by the bus operator as open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm, with booking required.²⁶

This loop is about the bus and the estates rather than a full wine day, and the timing matters. On the 2026/2027 timetable the first wine bus reaches Groot Constantia at 09H16 or 10H16 and the last at 17H08 or 17H18, depending on the season.²⁸ Our page on the Constantia wine bus goes through the stops, the tasting and the timing in more detail.

When the first and last buses run

Times change with the season, and the operator says bus frequency varies with the season and the time of day.²⁹ On the 2026/2027 timetable the first Red bus leaves the Aquarium at 8:00 from 24 September to 31 March and at 8:30 the rest of the year, reaching the cableway at 8:50 or 9:20.³⁰ The first Blue bus leaves at 8:00 from 12 December to 3 January and at 9:00 otherwise.³¹

The GetYourGuide listing gives the service as 9 am to 5 pm, earlier and later in summer, with a bus every 15 or 30 minutes depending on the season. Rather than trust a printout, use the operator's live bus tracker or scan the QR code at the stop to see where the next bus is.³² It saves long waits at the quieter stops on the Blue route.

A few days are different. The buses run 363 days a year in Cape Town and stop on the days of the Cycle Race and the Cape Town Marathon.³³ For the coming season the timetable lists no service at stops 8 and 9 on 1 January 2027, the Cycle Tour on 14 March 2027 and the Cape Town Marathon on 23 May 2027.³⁴ The operator also reserves the right to change any departure or route for operational reasons.³⁵

Which loop to ride when

If you have one day, ride the Red route in the morning and get off at the cableway while the bus timetable still gives you room to come back down. The Cableway itself says its afternoons are generally quieter, which leaves you free to choose your hour on the mountain.³⁶ Then continue to Camps Bay for lunch, and finish along the Sea Point promenade before the late buses thin out.

With a second day, give it to the Blue route and the wine bus. Kirstenbosch and Constantia sit close together on the map, and the change at Constantia Nek is a single, simple step.¹⁹ Hout Bay comes afterwards, and the ride home over the hill to Camps Bay ends the day on the coast. Our 2-day plan lays this out hour by hour.

Keep a few habits on any loop. Note the time of the last bus at the stop where you get off, carry water and sun cream for the open deck, and plug the free earphones into the commentary, which runs in 15 languages with a kids' channel.³⁷ The hop-on hop-off stops in Cape Town each carry a QR code for the live bus tracker, but they are spread across the city and the coast, so check the map before you set off.³²

Your days in town

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You ask,we answer.

How many hop-on hop-off routes are there in Cape Town?

Three. The Red City Tour, the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour and the Groot Constantia wine bus, all on one ticket.¹ ⁶

How long does the Red route take?

About 90 minutes. That is a full loop without getting off; the printed timetable rounds it to 1.5 hours.⁶ ¹⁷

Does the bus stop at Table Mountain?

Yes, at stop 7. The Red route stops at the lower station of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway.¹³

How do I get to Kirstenbosch by bus?

Take the Blue route. Kirstenbosch is stop 20 on the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour.¹⁸

Are the Blue route buses blue?

No, they are red. Every bus is red; a digital sign at the front and the door shows the route.⁸

Where do I change for the wine bus?

At Constantia Nek. Stop 21 is the change point from the Blue route to the Purple wine bus.¹⁹

Can I start the tour from any stop?

Yes. You may hop on at any official stop; the Waterfront and Long Street offices sell tickets.¹⁰

What time does the first bus leave?

8:00 or 8:30 on the Red route. From the Aquarium, depending on the season on the 2026/2027 timetable.³⁰

Sources

Where the information comes from

1
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours
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2
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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3
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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4
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
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5
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Purple Constantia Valley Wine Tour
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6
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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7
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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8
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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9
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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10
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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11
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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12
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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13
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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14
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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15
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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16
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
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17
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
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18
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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19
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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20
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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21
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)Kirstenbosch
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22
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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23
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
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24
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Sunset Bus Experience
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25
Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia
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26
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Purple Constantia Valley Wine Tour
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27
Groot Constantia (official estate site)Our legacy
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28
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
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29
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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30
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
↩
31
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
↩
32
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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33
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)About City Sightseeing
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34
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
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35
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
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36
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (official site data)Visitor questions, tips and facts
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37
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
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