Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
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Table Mountain Aerial Cableway opens for hikers

Since SANParks announced the reopening of the Table Mountain National Park, allowing hiking activity to resume in accordance with the Lockdown Alert Level 3 regulations, Table Mountain has experienced a massive influx of hikers all looking to explore the great Cape Town outdoors.

In response to the increased number of hikers accessing Table Mountain National Park and its various hiking trails, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) have made the decision to open a service over weekends to provide hikers with a safe descent via its Aerial Cableway from its Top Aerial Cableway Station.

The Cableway will be running trips down Table Mountain every 5 – 10 minutes, depending on the number of hikers at the top Aerial Cableway Station.

To ensure optimal social distancing guidelines are upheld, the cable cars will run at a reduced capacity. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company have also implemented various stringent health, hygiene, and safety protocols to aid in safeguarding team members and hikers.

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway opens for hikers - Secret Cape Town

PURCHASING YOUR ONE-WAY TICKET

One-way tickets down Table Mountain are only available for purchase online via www.tablemountain.net or from the Wi-Fi lounge at the top Aerial Cableway Station. The Lower Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Station ticket office will not be open during this time. Your one-way ticket is valid for 7 days after purchase.

HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

  • In accordance with their strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols and Lockdown regulations, a maximum of 26 passengers plus the cabin master will be allowed in the cable car per ride. This will allow for sufficient social distancing of passengers. The floors of the cable car have been demarcated to provide for safe distancing.
  • As an additional health and safety measure, the cable cars will operate with the windows removed to allow for optimal ventilation as per the Lockdown Alert Level 3 regulations.
  • Wearing a face mask is mandatory. No person will be permitted to enter the cable car without a mask. Disposable masks will be available for purchase in the WiFi Lounge at the top Aerial Cableway Station.
  • To ensure the health and safety of all hikers and team members, each cable car will be fully sanitised and cleaned after every one-way trip down. A deep clean of the cable cars will also be conducted daily.
  • The Cableway’s health and safety representatives will be on site to test the temperature of any passengers showing symptoms. Should someone have a high temperature, their contact with staff and other hikers will be contained.

OPERATING HOURS

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway will be operating on weekends only (Saturday & Sunday) from 8am – 3pm. It is only offering hikers one-way cable car rides down Table Mountain.

If you miss the last cable car down, make use of the emergency phone at the Upper Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Station. Emergency Rescue Services will advise on the next steps to get you down safely.

WHAT IS OPEN AT THE TOP?

The WIFI lounge at the top Aerial Cableway Station will be open. They have hot and cold beverages such as coffee and water available for purchase. The toilets/bathroom facilities at the top station will be open on the days the Aerial Cableway service is running (Saturdays and Sundays).

The kiosk at the Lower Aerial Cableway Station will also be open, offering a variety of snacks and take-away meals that can be purchased by hikers and visitors.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

It is always important to check the weather forecast and conditions prior to hiking any of Table Mountain’s trails. Bad weather significantly increases the risk when hiking as the trails can become incredibly slippery, dangerous, and challenging to navigate. If bad weather conditions do arise, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway cannot guarantee that they will be open and operating on that day.

If you do experience bad weather on the day of your hike, it is recommended that you postpone your hike to a better weather day. If you have already purchased a one-way descend cableway ticket online, your ticket is valid for 7 days after you purchased it. It can therefore be used when you are able to safely hike up Table Mountain.

If the weather conditions drastically change and you become stranded at the top of Table Mountain, there is an emergency phone with which you can call rescue services. This is however still dependent on the weather conditions.