The MyCiTi bus service, operating since 2010, has been ensuring that visitors and locals alike get to travel in and around the Cape Town area with very little fuss.

While this service has proved to be quite helpful, those that haven’t made use of their services yet may find themselves a bit confused about various features of the MyCiTi buses, like how you pay, and what it will take for you to get to a particular destination.

But have no fear, we have gotten our hands on all the relevant information and presented it here for your benefit to ensure you get the most out of the MyCiTi service.

First things first

Before you take any MyCiTi bus, you’ll need the myconnect card, which you can purchase at all MyCiTi station kiosks and participating retailers at a cost of R 35.00 (Check out their website below to find out which retailers in particular). When you get the card you will be given a four digit pin, which you can change afterwards. The pin is required when loading money onto your myconnect card. If you ever forget your pin, it can only be reset at the Absa bank branches of V&A Waterfront, Gardens, Heerengracht or Table View.

Once you get the card you will need to load it with money which you can do at MyCiTi station kiosks, participating retailers as well as selected cash-accepting ATMs.

Before you load

There are a few vital facts you should know about the MyCiTi fare. Firstly, there are two types: Peak and Saver fare. You pay Peak fare (20% more than Saver) when you use the service between the times of 06:30 – 08:30 and 16:00 – 18:00. Outside of those time periods you will pay the Saver fare.

Secondly, there are two types of points you can load on your myconnect card. Standard points are, as it implies, is when you pay the normal fare for using a MyCiTi bus.

Then there are Mover points. This is how you can save. When you have Mover points on your myconnect card, you’re able to save at least 30% when travelling with MyCiTi.

As for loading these two different packages, Standard points can be purchased at any MyCiTi bus station kiosk, participating retailer or selected cash accepting Absa ATM, but you pay an additional 2.5 % of the money you loaded. You can load any amount you wish.

But Mover points can only be loaded at MyCiTi station kiosks, but without any additional fee, and only as low as R 30.00. The set amounts you pay for a Mover package are R 30.00, R 50.00, R 80.00, R 100.00, R 150.00, R 200.00, R 400.00, R 600.00 and R 1000.00.

Using the service and the card

You can board a MyCiTi bus at any MyCiTi stop or station. The stops are easy to spot since they have the MyCiTi name and are a striking red colour. Stations are impossible to miss since they are large and their signs can easily be spotted kilometres away.

An important fact to note that your desired destination depends on you boarding at the right stop or station. If you’re nowhere near to the right stop or station keep reading to find out how you can get there.

There are various buses that take different routes, but plenty of them pass the stations, which is where you can change to a bus that is going where you want to go. Note that only a few stations allow you to change routes. To find out which station you need to get to, check out their website below.

Alternatively, you could use a computer along with internet connectivity, or if you’re on the road and have a smartphone or any phone capable of accessing Google, Google Maps has the MyCiTi bus information integrated so you will be able to find out what buses you need to use to get to your destination. Just put in your starting and ending points, select the transit option, and the MyCiTi information will be displayed.

Lastly, there is the differences between boarding a bus at a stop and at a station. When you get on at a stop, you will need to tap your card against the ‘In’ validator and should you exit at another stop you would then need to tap your card against the ‘Out’ validator.

Make sure you tap the right validator, since there is a penalty of R 22.00 for tapping the wrong one and R 72.00 if your journey includes the Airport. Especially note that avoiding tapping the validators or evading payment will earn you a penalty of R 246.00 and you might also have to face prosecution.

If you enter a station to board a bus, you will need to tap your myconnect card at the validators at the gates. After that, you won’t need to tap your card when boarding or exiting the bus (unless you exit at a stop). When your journey is complete, you will have to tap your card at the validator at the station gates when leaving.

Note that when you change buses at stations you won’t need to tap your card. You only pay at the start and end of your entire journey. This can work in your favour should you need to make a stop along your journey. You can leave a station or bus and should you return within 45 minutes, when you tap in you will simply resume your journey and you will only pay for the distance travelled. But you have to resume your journey within 45 minutes and it has to be less than 2.5 hours between your first and last tap.

Now that you have all this information, you’ll be better equipped to enjoying the service of MyCiTi.

If you need any more information or have a specific question, the MyCiTi bus service contact details are as follows:

24 hour hotline: 0800 65 64 63

Website: http://myciti.org.za/