MyCiTi is a bus rapid transit service in Cape Town, South Africa. It serves as a major part of the city's overall public transit system. Annual ridership reached 23 million in 2026.
Operating with feeders, it forms part of a greater Integrated Public Transport-driven economic development strategy of the City of Cape Town (CoCT) Metropolitan Municipality, situated in the Western Cape province.Information for this article was updated based on information obtained from www.myciti.org.za, as at 29 December 2015.
As of March 2026, the MyCiTi system has a fleet of 347 electric and diesel buses, operating 39 routes, between 42 stations, and incorporating almost 1,000 stops throughout Cape Town. Furthermore, the system employs around 20km of dedicated BRT lanes, and an N2 Express service.
The MyCiTi fleet consists of a combination of 9-meter air-conditioned Optare Solo low-floor buses (for City Bowl feeder routes), 12-meter Volvo BZRLE low-floor and Scania high-floor buses, and 18-meter Scania low-floor articulated buses. They can transport 48, 84, 94, and 116 passengers respectively. Buses are assembled locally, by Busmark 2000, a bus body manufacturer in Epping, Cape Town.
Stations feature free Wi-Fi, enclosed waiting areas, and off-grid power. MyCiTi buses travel on dedicated, red bus lanes with their own traffic signals, as well as on traditional road networks at times.
Infrastructure is planned to be developed in 4 phases. It is actively being rolled out across Cape Town, with Phase 1A, 1B, and the N2 corridor complete, and Phase 2A underway.
Headway of services (i.e., the time between buses on the same route) ranges from 3 minutes to 20 minutes during peak times. It can be up to 60 minutes during quiet, off-peak periods. 73% of MyCiTi buses are punctual within a window of two minutes early to five minutes late.
History Cape Town's MyCiTi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service officially launched its first phase in May 2010, marking the beginning of a system designed to provide sustainable and integrated public transportation across the city. Initially, the routes connected areas such as Table View and the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD), with the network gradually expanding to include other parts of the city, such as Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain in 2014.
The South African national government's support for the BRT system was initially motivated by the need to meet public transport requirements for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, during which South Africa served as the host nation. The service was launched to facilitate efficient transportation to and from stadiums. Since then, the BRT has evolved into a key component of the city's integrated public transport network, aimed at promoting social and spatial equality while enhancing urban efficiency.
The first proper bus rapid transit (BRT) phase (Phase 1A) opened in May 2011. It includes a dedicated West Coast busway from the city centre through Milnerton to Table View, along which an express bus service operates. Connecting to this trunk route is a route in the City Bowl connecting Gardens, the Civic Centre bus station and the Waterfront, as well as three feeder services around Table View, Bloubergstrand and Parklands.
In 2012, the first MyCiTi began using its first custom-built 9-metre Optare Solo bus as part of its fleet. The bus was part of an order of 190 units, to be assembled in Epping by Busmark 2000, and used as feeder buses. The Optare Solo's shorter size allows it to maneuver easily in residential and dense city areas.
Major expansion of services occurred from late 2013. They include new routes around Table View and Parklands and links to: Century City via Racecourse Road and Omuramba roads; Montague Gardens along Koeberg Road; Killarney, Dunoon and Doornbach via Blaauwberg Road; Sunningdale and Sandown stations on the West Coast Road; Melkbosstrand; Atlantis, Mamre and Pella.
By 2015 MyCiTi provided a rapid bus service between Blouberg / Table View, Atlantis, Melkbosstrand, Dunoon, Milnerton, Paarden Eiland, Century City, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and Cape Town CBD. It also provided feeder services in most of the above areas as well as in Salt River, Walmer Estate, and all suburbs of the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard all the way to Llandudno and Hout Bay.
The MyCiTi bus service has also been extended to Cape Town's south-east, to Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, called the N2 Express. It uses Bus and Minibus-taxi (BMT) lane on the N2 highway, which permits public transport vehicles to pass general traffic during the morning peak period.
In October 2018, MyCiTi added 120 000 scheduled kilometre through artificial troops on existing routes and some new routes. It also added more direct services which don't require transfers between different routes, as well as additional bus stops.
In its 2023/2024 Annual Integrated Report, the City of Cape Town confirmed that R5.2 billion had been apportioned for expansion of the MyCiTi network over the following two years.
The most recent network expansion is Phase 2A, which is currently underway. This multi-year project aims to provide accessible public transit to more than 30 communities across Cape Town. It forms part of the City of Cape Town's R6.3 billion MyCiTi bus route development.
MyCiTi's second phase is the largest investment in public transit by any metro in South Africa in history.
Phase 2A includes the building of trunk roads along Govan Mbeki Road, using dedicated bus lanes to reduce travel times. This phase will also have open and closed stations in the middle of roads installed, as well as the installation of wider pedestrian walkways and cycling lanes installed along trunk roads.
Construction as part of Phase 2A commenced following extensive public participation. Preparation for a major depot to serve the neighborhoods of Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha has also begun.
Also as part of Phase 2A, in March 2025, construction of South Africa's first elevated circle will begin. This will be established at the intersection of Govan Mbeki Road (the M9) and Jan Smuts Drive (the M17) in Lansdowne, Cape Town. The Sky Circle will connect Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha with Wynberg and Claremont, will be built 6.2 meters above the ground, and will be for the exclusive use of MyCiTi buses.
In July 2025, the City of Cape Town announced that it had signed a procurement agreement for the MyCiTi fleet. 30 electric buses have been ordered from Volvo Bus Southern Africa, with initial deliveries scheduled for 2027. The City further stated that the size of the order may increase, subject to additional funding, and that a separate tender would be issued for installation of charging infrastructure for the new buses.
In October 2025, the City of Cape Town completed the construction of two new major MyCiTi bus depots. The R430 million facilities will house and maintain the new bus fleet for the upcoming MyCiTi Phase 2A expansion. Each of the new depots spans 7.5 hectares, with initial capacity for up to 145 buses, and space to expand to 250 (500 total) as the service grows.
The facilities also have fully functional mechanical workshops, refueling facilities, underground infrastructure for electric bus charging, automated bus-cleaning systems, driver's rest areas, and office space.
At the opening, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said, "The MyCiTi service expansion is one of the pillars of Cape Town’s record infrastructure investments, which amounts to R40 billion over the next three years, with 75% directly benefitting lower-income households".
In November 2025, it was reported that, from December of the same year, MyCiTi would begin upgrading its payment validator devices to support contactless transactions via NFC and QR codes. The new validators were aimed at offering more convenience to passengers and speeding up boarding times. The upgrades were part of a phased rollout, scheduled to complete in January 2026.
In April 2026, the City of Cape Town released its 2026/2027 budget, apportioning R3.3 billion towards further development of the MyCiTi network.
In April 2026, it was reported that MyCiTi would take delivery of its first electric bus in August that same year. The 12-meter long Volvo BZR bus would be part of a phased rollout of 30 units, with the goal of modernizing the MyCiTi fleet. This would also boost the local economy, as the bus bodies are manufactured in Johannesburg.
The buses will take part in a year-long trial along existing MyCiTi routes before being put into service. The test, in partnership with the University of Cape Town, and with funding from the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI), will gauge the buses' perform across different routes, battery life across various passenger capacities, and climate impact on efficiency and charging. Following a successful pilot, the e-bus fleet is expected to roll out across multiple MyCiTi routes in 2027.
In June 2026, a progress update eight months after site handover confirmed that 583 concrete piles forming the foundation of the new Claremont MyCiTi BRT station were complete. The team was therefore moving on to the next stage of building the ground floor level. The station, built on the site of the old bus terminus along Claremont Boulevard, will also accommodate Golden Arrow and University of Cape Town (UCT) buses. City of Cape Town MayCo member Rob Quintas said that once the station is complete, Claremont would be one of Cape Town's most connected and integrated transport hubs.
In July 2026, MyCiTi announced that the first of its fully electric buses had started road tests. The Volvo BZRLE bus would serve as a prototype, being tested across a variety of routes, and would reportedly result in an up to 70% reduction in operating costs compared to existing fuel-powered buses. The City of Cape Town confirmed that the e-bus fleet would officially start rolling out by 1 July 2027.
Payments MyCiTi buses require cashless fare payment, via the EMV-compliant smart card system, called myconnect. These cards can be bought from MyCiTi stations, or at participating retailers. They can then be loaded at stations, participating retailers, and ABSA ATMs.
Riders could at one point buy disposable, single-trip cards, which are now discontinued. Children under 4 years of age can travel for free on MyCiTi buses.
Statistics + MyCiTi passenger journey numbers by fiscal year Year (July–June) Passengers (million)* Change (%) Notes Ref 2012–13 3.1 – Above 2.45 million target 2013–14 7.4 137.94% Above 5.3 million target 2014–15 15.4 108.10% Above 8 million target 2015–16 18.5 20.12% Above 15 million target 2016–17 19.9 7.56% Above 19 million target 2017–18 18 9.54% Below 19.1 million target 2018–19 17.5 2.77% Above 16.8 million target 2019–20 13.2 25.57% Above 12.8 million target 2020–21 10.9 17.42% Above 10.2 million target 2021–22 14.3 30.73% Above 12.5 million target 2022–23 18.3 28.56% Above 16.9 million target 2023–24 19.3 5.51% Above 18.5 million target 2024–25 20 3.55% Above 18.9 million target 2025–26 ~23 15% Above 19 million target
* A passenger trip (journey) is defined by MyCiTi. It "is calculated from the first boarding of a bus at a feeder stop or main station, to the last exit from a bus at a feeder stop or main station, and includes any transfers between buses (single journey)".
Fleet
The MyCiTi fleet consists of a mixture of low-floor and high-floor buses of different sizes, designed for use on both dedicated bus rapid transit infrastructure and conventional roads. The fleet includes 9-meter Optare Solo buses, 12-meter and 18-meter Volvo buses, and 12-meter and 18-meter Scania buses. The smaller Optare buses are used primarily on feeder services, while the larger buses are used on trunk and express routes.