TMACC broadens access to Table Mountain as tourism grows

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) is broadening access to Table Mountain through digital ticketing, live operating information, mobility measures, concessions and educational programmes as tourism to South Africa continues to grow.

21 Sep 2026

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South Africa recorded 991,696 international tourist arrivals in July 2026, up 12.5% from July 2025, bringing arrivals for the first seven months of the year to 6,576,169, up 12.4% year on year, according to Statistics South Africa. African markets grew 14.3%, while overseas arrivals increased 5.7%.

The growth comes as TMACC focuses on access across the visitor journey, from finding information and purchasing tickets to navigating the mountain with different mobility needs and accessing the Cableway through a range of concessions and educational opportunities.

“Table Mountain serves two audiences at once. It is often the first experience an international visitor has of Cape Town, and it is a mountain that Capetonians treat as their own,” says Wahida Parker, managing director of TMACC.

“For us, access means looking at the whole visitor journey. It is about making it easier to plan a visit, access tickets, understand operating conditions, reach more of the summit and, where possible, make the experience affordable and available to different groups.”

Making ticketing more accessible

TMACC has added WhatsApp as a new ticketing channel through Webtickets, giving visitors another way to purchase standard return and one-way tickets.

Visitors can access the option through the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway tickets page on Webtickets by selecting "Buy via WhatsApp", or by scanning the QR code at the Ticket Office or in the queue at the Lower Station.

WhatsApp tickets, like tickets purchased online or at the Ticket Office, are valid for seven days. Unused WhatsApp tickets can be fully refunded through the platform within that validity period.

Concession and special-offer fares are not sold via WhatsApp and remain available through the relevant existing channels.

TMACC's website and mobile app also provide live information on operating status, temperature, visibility, wind conditions, first and last car times and estimated waiting times at the Lower and Upper Cable Stations.

“Mountain weather can change quickly, and operating responsibly means that sometimes the Cableway has to stop,” says Parker. “Providing people with accurate information in real time means they can plan around that rather than arriving without knowing what to expect.”

Improving physical access

The Universal Access Walkway, opened in April 2026 in partnership with SanParks, provides visitors using wheelchairs, prams and other mobility aids with a dedicated route towards the edge of the summit plateau.

The walkway extends the area of the mountain that can be reached by visitors with different mobility needs.

TMACC has also introduced dedicated parking bays at the Lower Station for visitors with disabled parking permits, priority access at the ticket office and access to lifts serving the Cableway.

Wheelchairs are available at the Cableway on request, while mobility scooters are available at the Upper Station subject to a safety assessment and staff guidance.

The summit also includes ramps at the TEN67 Eatery and a dedicated lift servicing the VIEWS by De Grendel wine bar and restaurant.

A route map showing which summit pathways are suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters is available through TMACC's Universal Access information.

“Table Mountain is a natural environment and there are physical limitations to what can be made accessible,” says Parker. “What matters is being transparent about those limitations while continuing to improve the parts of the experience that we can.”

Expanding affordability

TMACC's approach to access also includes concessions and offers aimed at different visitor groups.

Children aged four to 17 qualify for child ticket rates. From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the online return rate is R230, while the Ticket Office return rate is R270. Children under four travel free.

South African senior citizens aged 60 and older pay R130 for a return ticket seven days a week, online or at the Ticket Office, with a valid South African ID.

Students aged 18 and older, local and international, pay R320 return or R200 one way with a valid student card. Student tickets are available at the Lower Station Ticket Office.

South Africans can redeem a free return Cableway ticket during their birthday month at the Ticket Office or Visitor Information Centre with valid South African identification.

The Local is Lekker special is valid until 31 October 2026. A return ticket costs R265 for adults and R135 for children, with a valid South African ID required when booking.

Regular visitors can use the Virtual Cable Card, with options for adults, children aged four to 17 and South African pensioners aged 60 and older, providing year-round access for frequent users.

Opening access through education

TMACC also uses the Cableway to broaden access to learning through Class in the Clouds, its environmental education programme for Grade 1 to Grade 12 learners.

The programme is available at a special concession rate and gives learners the opportunity to explore Table Mountain while learning about its fauna, flora, history and geography in a natural setting.

Since the programme began in 2001, more than 367,000 learners have participated.

The 2026 Class in the Clouds programme runs until 30 October, Monday to Friday, excluding school holidays and public holidays. More than 15,000 learners take part in the programme each year, with each booking able to accommodate 10 to 100 learners per time slot.

Serving a changing market

The South African Reserve Bank noted in its Chart of the Week on 4 September 2026 that arrivals in the first half of 2026, at roughly 5.6 million, remained above pre-pandemic levels, with growth driven largely by SADC markets.

Overseas arrivals for January to July 2026 reached 1.37 million, or 94.7% of 2019 levels, according to SATSA's analysis of Stats SA data.

The figures underline the importance of both regional and domestic visitors to attractions such as the Cableway, alongside the international market.

TMACC says domestic and regional visitors remain an important part of its year-round audience outside the peak international season. Its focus for the season ahead includes the free Park & Ride shuttle from Lower Tafelberg Road to the Lower Station.

“Tourism growth brings opportunity, but it also raises the standard we need to meet,” says Parker. “That applies as much to the Capetonian coming up for a sunset as to the visitor who has planned this trip for a year. Both should be able to check conditions before they leave, choose the ticket option that works for them and know what the mountain can and cannot offer them on the day.”