Banks Most banks are around Church Square and along Church Street.

Bookshops Exclusive Books at the Centurion Centre in Centurion tel 012 663 3204 is the best in the city. Protea Book House, 1067 Burnett St, Hatfield tel 012 362 5683 claims to be the largest bookshop in South Africa, with a huge range of new and secondhand books.

Camping/hiking Trappers Trading, Atterbury Value Mart, Atterbury Road tel 012 991 5585. Cape Union Mart, Brooklyn Mall, Bronkhorst Street, Brooklyn tel 012 460 5511.

Car rental Avis tel 012 325 1490; Budget tel 012 341 4650; Imperial tel 012 348 4838; Swans tel 082 658 0078; and Tempest, 186 Struben St tel 012 324 5007.

Embassies and consulates Australia, 292 Orient St, Arcadia tel 012 342 3740; Canada, 1103 Arcadia St, Hatfield tel 012 422 3000; Germany, 180 Blackwood St, Arcadia tel 012 427 8900; Ireland, Southern Life Plaza, 1059 Schoemann St, Arcadia tel 012 342 5062; Lesotho, 1 T. Edison St, Menlo Park tel 012 460 7648; Malawi, 770 Government Ave, Arcadia tel 012 342 0146; Mozambique, 199 Beckett St, Arcadia tel 012 343 7840; Namibia, 702 Church St, Arcadia tel 012 344 5992; Netherlands, 825 Arcadia St, Arcadia tel 012 344 3910; Swaziland, 715 Government Ave, Arcadia tel 012344 1910; UK, 256 Glen St, Hatfield tel 012 483 1400; USA, 877 Pretorius St, Arcadia tel 012 342 1048; Zambia, 570 Ziervogel St, Arcadia tel 012 326 1854; Zimbabwe, 798 Merton St, Arcadia tel 012 342 5125.

Emergencies AIDS helpline tel 0800 012 322; Ambulance tel 10177; Fire tel 012 310 6300; Police tel 10111; Rape helpline tel 012 786 6608.

Flea markets Hatfield Flea Market, Hatfield Plaza, every Sun, is Pretoria's best flea market, with crafts, bric-a-brac and lively banter. Irene Village Market in Smuts House holds a market of good-quality arts and crafts on the second and last Sun of the month.

Hospitals Those with 24hr casualty services include Pretoria Academical Hospital, Doctor Savage Road tel 012 354 1000; Pretoria West, Trans Oranje Road tel 012 386 5111; and the private Starcare Muelmed, 577 Pretorius St, Arcadia tel 012 440 2362.

Intercity buses Intercape tel 012 654 4114, Greyhound tel 012 323 1154 and Translux tel 012 334 8000 have their terminal and office beside the train station. North Link Transport tel 082 846 6539, runs buses to Pietersburg and the north from Bosman Street, between Church and Pretorius streets.

Internet cafA©s Net CafA©, Hatfield Square, Prospect Street, Hatfield (Mon-Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-2am; ); Odyssey, Hatfield Galleries, Burnett Street, Hatfield (daily 9am-11.30pm); May Vision, Shop 11, Pavilion Center, 92 Jeppe St, Sunnyside (daily 8am-2am).

Pharmacies Crest, Duncan Walk, Hatfield tel 012 362 0304; Station, 509 Paul Kruger St tel 012 3231239; and in every shopping mall.

Taxis The best local firm is Rixi Mini Cabs tel 012 325 8072; an alternative is City Taxis tel 012 321 5741.

Tours Packers Safaris tel 012 343 9754, based at Pretoria Backpackers , runs the best budget tours of the city, as well as trips to Sun City and Ndebele Village. Travel the Planet (tel 012 337 4415, ) located in the Tourist Information centre organizes local and regional tours. Moshito wa Tshwane tel 012 337 4430 is a tourism forum for Pretoria's townships, and can arrange tours.

Train information Avoid the half-hourly service to Johannesburg, which has a nasty reputation for crime. For mainline connections, contact tel 086 000 8888. The luxurious Blue Train runs to Cape Town on Tues, Thurs & Sat, via Jo'burg tel 012 315 2436, while the even more sumptuous Rovos Rail Trains (tel 012 323 6052, ) travel to Cape Town via Jo'burg, and to Victoria Falls.