Cape Town: MyCiTi commuters face steep transport increases from 1st July, with the cost of a Monthly Pass set to jump by 50% as the City of Cape Town responds to sustained pressure from rising global fuel and diesel prices.
Cape Town commuters who rely on MyCiTi buses will have to prepare for substantially higher travel costs from 1st July, with increases affecting monthly and multi-day passes as well as every distance-based peak and Saver fare across the network.
The most significant increase is the Monthly Pass, which is set to rise from R1,000 to R1,500. The R500 adjustment represents a 50% increase and will have the greatest impact on regular passengers who use the bus service for daily travel between outlying communities and employment centres.
The City of Cape Town says the new fares remain subject to the formal adoption of its 2026/27 Budget by the City Council on 29th June. If approved, the adjusted tariffs will take effect two days later and remain in place for the new municipal financial year, although the fare structure allows the City to reduce charges later if diesel prices fall significantly and remain lower.
The MyCiTi fare adjustment is linked to projected operating costs, with fuel accounting for a major portion of the expense of running the bus network. The City says it had shielded passengers from exceptional diesel-price increases since March and continued absorbing those costs during June, but could not carry the additional financial burden indefinitely.
Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility Councillor Rob Quintas said the City had tried to protect passengers for as long as possible but had reached the point where increases could no longer be avoided.
Quintas said the City wanted to inform commuters in advance so households could prepare their budgets. He added that MyCiTi would remain one of Cape Town’s more affordable road-based public transport services, particularly for passengers travelling long distances each day.
Monthly And Multi-Day Passes Rise Sharply
The Monthly Pass will remain an unlimited-travel product for regular passengers, but its increase from R1,000 to R1,500 means commuters will have to find an additional R500 every month. Over a full year, that represents an extra R6,000 in household transport spending for anyone purchasing the pass continuously.
The One-Day Pass will increase from R90 to R130, a rise of R40 or about 44%. The Three-Day Pass will move from R210 to R290, an increase of R80 or just over 38%, while the Seven-Day Pass will rise from R300 to R420, adding R120 or 40% to its current price.
The issuing fee for a myconnect card will remain unchanged at R40, while the replacement fee will stay at R30. The full fare-evasion penalty will rise from R600 to R700.
The smaller penalty charged when passengers fail to tap correctly or commit certain first-time fare offences will remain R15 for the first two incidents. The later penalty will change to R41 under the new schedule.
| MyCiTi Product | Current Price | New Price | Increase |
| Monthly Pass | R1,000 | R1,500 | R500 |
| One-Day Pass | R90 | R130 | R40 |
| Three-Day Pass | R210 | R290 | R80 |
| Seven-Day Pass | R300 | R420 | R120 |
| myconnect Card | R40 | R40 | No change |
| Replacement Card | R30 | R30 | No change |
| Full Fare-Evasion Penalty | R600 | R700 | R100 |
Every Distance Band Becomes More Expensive
Passengers who use Mover points instead of buying a pass will also pay more from 1st July. These fares are calculated according to the distance travelled and whether the journey begins during the weekday peak period or during Saver hours.
For journeys of up to 5 kilometres, the peak fare will increase from R13.50 to R19.50, while the Saver fare will rise from R10.50 to R15. Passengers travelling between 5 and 10 kilometres will pay R25.50 during peak periods and R19.50 during Saver times.
The peak fare for journeys between 10 and 20 kilometres will increase from R23.50 to R32.50. The Saver fare for the same distance will rise from R18.50 to R25.50.
Long-distance commuters will face some of the largest cash increases. A peak journey of 60 kilometres or more will rise from R39.50 to R52.50, while the corresponding Saver fare will increase from R33.50 to R46.
| Distance | Current Peak | New Peak | Current Saver | New Saver |
| 0–5 km | R13.50 | R19.50 | R10.50 | R15.00 |
| 5–10 km | R18.50 | R25.50 | R13.50 | R19.50 |
| 10–20 km | R23.50 | R32.50 | R18.50 | R25.50 |
| 20–30 km | R25.50 | R34.50 | R21.50 | R29.50 |
| 30–40 km | R27.50 | R37.50 | R23.50 | R32.00 |
| 40–50 km | R31.50 | R42.50 | R28.50 | R38.50 |
| 50–60 km | R36.50 | R48.50 | R31.50 | R43.50 |
| 60 km and more | R39.50 | R52.50 | R33.50 | R46.00 |
Peak fares apply to journeys that begin on weekdays between 06:45 and 08:00 and again between 16:15 and 17:30. Saver fares apply outside those periods, including throughout weekends and public holidays.
The difference means commuters with flexible working hours may be able to reduce their transport costs by travelling outside the peak windows. Many workers, however, have fixed starting and finishing times and will have little choice but to pay the higher peak charges.
Rising Fuel Costs Drive Adjustment
The City initially warned commuters that fares could rise by at least 32% after international instability pushed fuel prices higher. The Urban Mobility Directorate said it had made provision for diesel prices of up to R40.75 a litre because of uncertainty in international oil markets and conflict in the Middle East.
The City argues that failing to adjust fares would place the financial sustainability of MyCiTi under pressure and increase the losses associated with operating the network. It also says the annual tariff mechanism protects passengers by allowing fares to be lowered if diesel prices decline significantly during the financial year.
However, the 50% increase in the Monthly Pass is likely to draw concern from commuters who bought the product because it offered predictable and comparatively affordable transport for regular travel.
The impact will be felt particularly strongly by passengers travelling from areas such as Atlantis, Table View and Dunoon into central Cape Town. For workers with limited disposable income, an additional R500 a month could require cuts to food, electricity or other essential household expenses.
The City maintains that the Monthly Pass will still provide value for passengers who make frequent long-distance journeys. Whether that remains true for individual commuters will depend on how often they travel and whether the cost of their separate Mover journeys would exceed R1,500 during the month.
Commuters Should Review Their Travel Costs
Passengers are advised to compare the new Monthly Pass price with the total cost of their usual daily journeys before deciding which product offers the best value.
Someone who travels only a few times each week may find that loading Mover points is cheaper than purchasing a monthly package. A commuter who travels twice daily across a long distance on most weekdays may still benefit from unlimited travel under the Monthly Pass, despite its higher cost.
Passengers can also reduce costs where possible by beginning journeys outside peak periods, although this option will not be practical for everyone.
The new fares are not yet final. They will only be formally adopted when the City Council approves the 2026/27 Budget on 29th June. Commuters should therefore monitor the official MyCiTi website and service notices for confirmation before the planned implementation on 1st July.
Q&A
How much will the MyCiTi Monthly Pass cost?
The Monthly Pass is planned to increase from R1,000 to R1,500 from 1st July.
Is the MyCiTi fare increase final?
The fares are planned but remain subject to City Council approval of the 2026/27 Budget on 29th June.
Why are MyCiTi fares increasing?
The City says significant and sustained increases in global fuel and diesel prices have raised the cost of operating the bus service.
Will every MyCiTi fare increase?
Monthly and multi-day passes will increase, as will all peak and Saver Mover fares. The myconnect card issuing and replacement fees will remain unchanged.
When do peak fares apply?
Peak fares apply to journeys beginning on weekdays from 06:45 to 08:00 and from 16:15 to 17:30.
Can the fares decrease later?
Yes. The City says the tariff structure allows fares to be reduced during the financial year if diesel prices decline significantly and remain lower.
SAI Search Summary
MyCiTi commuters face significant fare increases from 1st July, subject to approval of Cape Town’s 2026/27 Budget on 29th June. The Monthly Pass will rise by 50%, from R1,000 to R1,500, while one-day, three-day and seven-day passes will also become more expensive. Every distance-based peak and Saver fare will increase, with a journey of 60 kilometres or more rising to R52.50 during peak periods. The City says sustained global fuel and diesel-price increases have made the adjustment unavoidable after it absorbed higher operating costs for several months.
Source: City of Cape Town / MyCiTi – Staff Reporter; City of Cape Town Urban Mobility Directorate – Councillor Rob Quintas, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility
