Cape Town Airport Money Exchange and Ride-Hailing Guide: Where the ATM Is and Where to Catch an Uber
- Cape Town airport
- CPT
- money exchange South Africa
- Uber
- UnionPay ATM withdrawal
Once you land at Cape Town Airport, two things matter most: getting cash and finding the Uber pickup. Neither is in a spot you would notice at a glance, so this guide lays out the routes.
Money exchange: start with Standard Bank
Standard Bank offers a good rate and essentially no commission, which makes it one of the better-value options in the airport.
The ATM is not at the international arrivals exit
This is the easiest trap to fall into: there is no ATM near the international arrivals exit.
Here is the correct route:
- Coming out of international arrivals, walk straight ahead towards the outside until you reach P2, where you will see signs for Domestic Arrivals;
- The ATM is on the left-hand side at P3 Domestic Arrivals.
A real UnionPay withdrawal
The author withdrew cash from the airport ATM with a China Merchants Bank UnionPay debit card: 5,000 ZAR withdrawn, 2,073.52 CNY debited, an effective UnionPay rate of about 1 ZAR = 0.4147 CNY (roughly 1 CNY ≈ 2.41 ZAR).
That is a normal rate, and withdrawing directly with a UnionPay card saves you the hassle of carrying a large amount of foreign cash. Before you withdraw, check that your card is enabled for overseas cash withdrawals and whether a fee applies.
Ride-hailing: the Uber pickup is at P6-7
The Uber pickup point is at the P6-7 exit. Just follow the Parkade 1 signs to get there, and set the same spot in the app — otherwise it is easy to be taken to a different parking garage.
Connectivity: an eSIM is less hassle
The author bought an eSIM on an e-commerce platform: 30 days, calls included, around 180 CNY. Activate it on landing and you are set — no queue for a physical SIM.
Summary
| What to do | Where |
|---|---|
| Exchange money at Standard Bank | Inside the airport, good rate, no commission |
| Withdraw cash from an ATM | Straight out to P2, then left-hand side at P3 Domestic Arrivals |
| Catch an Uber | P6-7 exit, following the Parkade 1 signs |
| Phone card | Buy an eSIM in advance, or get a physical SIM at the airport counter |
Plenty of places in South Africa still take cash (tips, street stalls, some car parks), so keep a little small change on you; pay by card for larger purchases.
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