Tour guides lament Table Mountain fast-track system
Cape Town - Tour guides have questioned the “fairness” in the use of a fast-tracking ticketing system at Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company, allowing visitors pressed for time to pay extra to avoid long queues.
The premium ticketing option was first introduced and implemented towards the end of 2021, ahead of the peak summer season.
The Fast Track ticket allows visitors to gain direct access to the cable car, and skip any potentially hours-long wait.
The Fast Track tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket counter at a cost of R995 per round trip or R650 for a one-way ticket.
Regular tickets for adults purchased online cost R430 per return ticket and R280 for a one-way ticket; while adult tickets purchased at the ticket office cost R490 and R280 for a one-way ticket.
Tourist guide operating nationally, Herbert Peter, said the impact of the Fast Ticket resulted in longer queuing times for others.
He said a small vehicle would drive down the queue, branded Fast Track alerting those waiting for the option to skip the queue.
“As we got up to the first station, we had to wait again and again because then I saw, they’re taking 30 people time and again from the Fast Track queue, and they fill those cable cars with the 30 first and then they fill it up with the rest with the normal tickets.
“With the exchange rate that’s bad towards South Africans, we can’t afford these very expensive things.
“So for foreigners, especially Europeans, Americans, it is cheap to buy Fast Track tickets.
“My question is, is it then fair for the person who can’t afford it, the normal South African citizen can’t afford to pay… and secondly, is it fair towards the people queuing there because every time the cable car takes 30 Fast Track customers and the others are baking in the sun and they stand there for a long while.”
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company managing director, Wahida Parker, said the Fast Track ticketing services was introduced in response to feedback from tour operators and aligns with global best practices, offering an expedited option for timepressed international visitors.
“It is not intended to disadvantage others but rather to provide an additional choice to accommodate different needs.”
Parker said recent congestion has largely been as a result of external factors such as roadworks on Tafelberg Road, increased activity at the cruise terminal, and the presence of large school groups visiting.
Another tour guide, choosing to speak anonymously, said the last time she went up Table Mountain with a group, she arrived at 8.30am and experienced an extended waiting period.
“We ended-up waiting for three hours because of all the Fast Track customers that were filling up the cable car ahead of us, which was very frustrating,” she said.
“There used to be a constant movement in the past, whereas now, the queue comes to a standstill for long stretches at a time… The group after us waited for 3.5hours.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za