Cape Town International Challenge to Further Test World Cup Transport Readiness

The City of Cape Town will once again offer public city-to-stadium transport for the fourth test event at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday 10 April. This follows the success of the public transport services made available for the first three test events on 23 January, 06 February and 22 March.

On Saturday, the second round of the Cape Town International Challenge will be played in front of a near-capacity crowd. Four international Under-20 football teams from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Brazil will compete in the hopes of winning this exciting new competition. The first round of the challenge will take place at Newlands Stadium on Thursday 08 April.

There are 65 000 tickets available, ranging between twenty rand (R20) and thirty rand (R30) which admit entry to both matches. Gates open at 13:00 and the first game, South Africa vs Nigeria, kicks off at 16:30, followed by the second game, Brazil vs Ghana at 19:00.

These test events at the stadium are not only aimed at testing operational aspects of the stadium. They are also held to test elements of Cape Town's transport system which is being developed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(tm) and legacy events after the World Cup. The shuttle service in operation at the previous events worked extremely well, with a large number of the spectators utilising the service. Shuttle service users benefited by returning to the Central Business District (CBD) on shuttle lanes, thus enabling them to avoid the traffic congestion around the stadium.

The bus shuttle service will once again be available to transport spectators from Hertzog Boulevard in the city centre to the stadium and back. This service will run from 12:00 to 23:59 and those who can present their tickets for the event will be allowed free passage on the buses.

The fourth test event will see an even greater number of spectators gathering at the stadium, thus ensuring that further elements of the planned transport system for the World Cup are tested. Spectators are encouraged to utilise the twenty two (22) Park-and-Ride facilities at the rail stations in Brackenfell, Bellville, Claremont, Grand West (Goodwood), Mitchells Plain, Kuils River, Fish Hoek, Retreat, Strand, Ottery, Eerste River, Kraaifontein, Muizenberg, Athlone, Plumstead, Lansdowne, Langa, Heideveld, Nyanga, Philippi, Nonqkubela and Khayelitsha. Additional security guards will be on duty and parking will be free, except at Grand West Casino, where parking for the day will cost ten rand (R10). In addition, Metrorail will be operating extended services for the event.

The last trains to Kraaifontein and Brackenfell will depart from Cape Town Station at 22:00, and trains to Strand will depart at 22:20. The last trains to Eerste River, Kuils River, Bellville, Grand West (Goodwood), Khayelitsha, Nonqkubela, Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Plumstead and Claremont will leave Cape Town Station at 22:30; while trains to Mitchells Plain, Philippi, Nyanga, Heideveld and Langa Stations will depart at 22:35. The last train to Retreat, Ottery, Lansdowne and Athlone will leave Cape Town at 22:40. This gives spectators ample time to reach Cape Town Station after the end of the event, which is scheduled for 20:45.

The 24/7 toll-free Transport Information Centre can be contacted on 0800 65 64 63 for information on train arrival and departure times. Signage from the Cape Town Station will guide commuters either to the shuttle in Hertzog Boulevard or along the pedestrian route to the stadium.

A dedicated transport service is available from the Civic Centre for spectators with special needs. Spectators can park on the ground floor of the Civic Centre and access the special needs shuttle from the garage area on the Hertzog Boulevard side. This shuttle is only available to those people in wheelchairs or those who have a doctor's certificate indicating that they are unable to walk more than five hundred meters (500m). To book a place on the dedicated special needs shuttle please contact Dial-a-ride on 0800 600 895 and note the event.

Alternatively, five accessible low floor buses will operate on the main stadium shuttle route. Parking bays for people with special needs are available on Old Marine Drive for those who choose to travel on the main stadium shuttle. There are also eighty seven (87) disabled parking bays available next to the stadium which can be booked and paid for through Computicket on a first-come-first-served basis. Only those with a valid parking ticket (not only the standard disabled disc) will be permitted to park here.

There will be even less parking available at the stadium for this event and, as with previous events, only spectators who have purchased pre-paid parking tickets will be allowed to park at the stadium. In addition, no one may park in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Traffic Services will be present to handle illegal parking and other offences. Signage at the stadium will guide pre-paid parking ticket holders to the dedicated parking around the stadium.

Spectators can use the limited free parking available on the Foreshore under the N1 Bridge and on-street parking is also available in the CBD. Security guards have been hired and will be patrolling areas within the CBD. The shuttle hub is walking distance from the Foreshore as well as Cape Town Station.

Alternatively spectators are encouraged to walk along Riebeeck Street and Somerset Road directly to the Cape Town Stadium. The walking time is estimated at about twenty (20) minutes and could be even quicker than the shuttle bus when taking into account waiting periods. After the event, part of Somerset Road will be closed to vehicles to allow a safe and enjoyable walk back to the City Centre and Cape Town Rail Station.

More details will be available on the City's website.

Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town