Coldplay in Cape Town: transport & event details

This sort of information is always done to death on the local interwebs, but even after numerous big events there still remains a subsection of the stadium-visiting public who reckon they should be able to drive up to the stadium gates, park by the turnstiles and simply pop in – and then get pissed off and whine a lot when they can’t: the message just never quite seems to get through.

Getting 50,000-plus people in and out of any stadium is never going to be completely straightforward. There will always be some issues – hopefully minor ones – but these problems can be avoided if more people know what to expect ahead of time. Thus the City of Cape Town have released a five page document which tells you all you need to know about the concert, the road closures, the park and ride facilities and the public transport for the event. That’s why we’re helping out by sharing the information as well:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE EVENT DETAILS FOR COLDPLAY AT
THE CAPE TOWN STADIUM: 
WEDNESDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2011 

In addition, there’s more info including (again) the venue rules and regulations in this handy FAQ:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A FAQ ON THE EVENT
(INCLUDING STADIUM RULES & REGULATIONS)

There are plenty of options for getting in and out of town (although good luck on making the one Southern Suburbs train at 2340), including free park and ride facilities from UCT, Hout Bay and numerous rail stations, as well as the always-popular shuttle from the Civic Centre to the Stadium.

Make a plan that suits you (and doesn’t involve driving up to the stadium gates, parking by the turnstiles and simply popping in) and get there early. If you do that, the very worst that could happen is that you arrive while the Parlotones are still on – although admittedly, that would be a very bad thing.

If you can’t be there, you can always follow my twitter updates and pics from the gig.

Now: Please do your bit and use the buttons below to spread the wealth…

9 thoughts on “Coldplay in Cape Town: transport & event details

  1. ItsStillAyoba > Having attended several big events at the Stadium, and with Coldplay finishing “at 2300”, I would consider “being near the front of the bus queue at the Green Point traffic circle” to be quite an achievement by 2340.

  2. Leaning towards the UCT shuttle bus rather than risking the train. Difficult to plan for these 50,000 person events – we never had these complications in Walsall.

  3. A plan that doesn’t involve driving anywhere near town would be the smartest idea considering the Neil Diamond fiasco. Apparently though people would rather spend 3 hours driving into and around town trying to find parking than taking a shuttle from a convenient location.

  4. The alternative is to simply make your way to the Waterfront by about 2pm and park there. 72000 people were at the Stadium for U2, and getting in or out was not an issue at all. Was home in the Northern suburbs within an hour of the concert ending.

    Admittedly, if I were to attend a Coldplay concert (and it’d be a cold something else before that happens – but to each their own), I’d simply stay at work and walk from there. Joy of free parking in the lower CBD…

  5. ItsStillAyoba > I would tell you my plans, but then everyone would know them and I would never get to park there. 🙂

    T > Yeah, but that was old people. Cape Town’s younger concert going crew are far more savvy.

    Gary > But how could you afford tickets if you don’t work?!?
    As I said above – I have my plan sorted – it worked for the Bafana v USA game and I shall use it again.
    EDIT: I’m getting a lot of people saying it took them 2 hours+ to get out of the Waterfront after U2.
    Did you maybe take the helicopter?

  6. It took us about an hour and a half to get out of the Waterfront parking garage after one of the footy games (yes I realise it was a bad time to go to Clicks), let alone getting past the circles after that. I can’t see how it would be much better for these concerts O_o

    Thankfully I now have this problem solved. Any time I need to go to these events, I simply need to take my father with – all access disabled pass wooooot!

  7. LOL…maybe they forgot there are two exits to the parking garage across from the mall, and that there are pay stations at both exits? I did notice that the queue at the pay stations at the exit by the circle was quite substantial, yet there was no queue at the other end. We did take a brisk walk, and getting back to the car quickly probably played a role in our swift exit.

    Or else those that took two hours took an hour in a pub somewhere as well?

  8. T > That is cheating and it’s also very, very naughty.
    On a separate note, please may I borrow it tomorrow?

    Gary > Or park at the Clock Tower Silo and win.

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