Getting to the HSBC SVNS Cape Town: Buses, Trains and Park and Ride

How to reach Cape Town Stadium for the rugby sevens without sitting in stadium traffic — and how to get home after the final whistle.

Trains and the MyCiTi bus network

Cape Town Stadium sits between Green Point and the V&A Waterfront, roughly 3km northwest of the CBD. Metrorail trains do not serve it directly: the nearest stations are Cape Town station in the city centre and Woodstock, both a 35-45 minute walk or a short onward ride. If you are staying in the Southern Suburbs, a train to Cape Town station then a MyCiTi bus or rideshare along the Foreshore is the common pattern. Check Metrorail timetables a week out, since weekend services are sparse and finish early relative to a late sevens session.

MyCiTi is the practical choice for most visitors. Routes along Helen Suzman Boulevard and the Waterfront connect the stadium area with the City Bowl, Sea Point and the Atlantic Seaboard. A myconnect card costs a modest once-off fee and can be topped up at station kiosks; fares are distance-banded and cheap compared with a taxi. Buses get busy from mid-afternoon on tournament days, so board at an earlier stop along the route if you want a seat. Services run into the evening but taper off, so confirm the last departure from the stadium stops before you commit.

Park and ride and drop-off points

Driving to Green Point on a sevens weekend means competing for a small number of bays with event traffic, and the surrounding streets carry parking restrictions on match days. The park-and-ride pattern most Capetonians use is to leave the car at a suburban rail or bus interchange — Century City, Claremont or the Waterfront's own paid garages — and ride the last leg in. Waterfront parking is the most expensive and the most convenient; Century City is cheaper and gives you a bus connection. Book nothing in advance that you cannot verify on the day.

Rideshare works well if you accept a walk. Set your pickup and drop-off pin on Somerset Road, Main Road in Green Point, or near the Prestwich Street end of the Waterfront rather than at the stadium gates, where closed roads and crowds make pickup slow and expensive. Drivers often cancel at the gate; a five-minute walk west usually fixes it. Traffic from the N1 and the CBD is heaviest from about two hours before kick-off, so aim to arrive early, eat somewhere on Main Road, and walk in.

Road closures and getting home late

Roads around the stadium — Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Granger Bay Boulevard and parts of Beach Road — routinely close to private vehicles on big event days, with pedestrians given priority. The closures are signposted locally but rarely announced far in advance, so treat any plan that depends on driving to the gate as fragile. If you are staying in Green Point, De Waterkant or the Waterfront, you can walk to and from the ground and skip the transport question almost entirely, which is why those areas fill first.

Late exits are the real test. The final matches run into the evening, and the crowd surge toward the Waterfront and the CBD is the pinch point. Walk 15-20 minutes toward the city centre or Sea Point before calling a rideshare, and expect surge pricing regardless. MyCiTi's later services can be full; have a fallback. If you are staying further out — Observatory, Woodstock, Century City — agree on a fixed pickup spot in advance and share your route with someone. Budget more time than the map suggests, and keep some cash for a metered taxi as a backup.

Where this leaves your booking

For the sevens specifically, I would book in Green Point, De Waterkant or the lower Waterfront if walking distance matters, and the City Bowl or Sea Point if you want better value and don't mind a 25-40 minute walk or a short bus ride. Sea Point along Main Road puts you on the MyCiTi corridor with plenty of places to eat late, while the City Bowl gives you access to Cape Town station and cheaper rooms. Avoid booking far out along the N1 or in the Southern Suburbs unless you have a car and a designated driver.

Check whether your accommodation sits within a comfortable walk of the stadium before anything else, then weigh the bus corridor against the train line. Our guide to where to stay for the HSBC SVNS in Cape Town covers neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood trade-offs if you are still choosing. Book early: sevens weekend overlaps with peak December demand, and the near-stadium areas go first.

Questions, answered

Is there a train that goes to Cape Town Stadium?

No. Metrorail does not serve the stadium. The nearest stations are Cape Town station and Woodstock, both a 35-45 minute walk or a short bus or rideshare away. Weekend services are limited, so check timetables and plan an alternative for the return leg.

Can I drive and park at the stadium for the sevens?

On-site parking is limited and surrounding roads close to private vehicles on event days. Most people park at a suburban interchange such as Century City or the Waterfront garages and ride the last leg in. Verify any parking arrangement on the day rather than relying on it.

What is the best way to get home after the final match?

Walk 15-20 minutes away from the stadium — toward the city centre or Sea Point — before calling a rideshare, and expect surge pricing. Confirm the last MyCiTi departures in advance and keep a metered taxi as a backup. If you stay in Green Point or De Waterkant, walking is easiest.

← Cape Town's page