Table Mountain's Cableway turns 95

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) celebrates its 95th anniversary on Friday, marking nearly a century of transporting visitors to the top of Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain.

Since opening in 1929, the cableway has welcomed over 31 million passengers, offering breath-taking views, and contributing to the country’s booming tourism industry.

PHOTO: Facebook - Table Mountain Aerial Cableway

The Cableway’s history date back to the 1870s, when there were proposals to build a railway along the mountain’s slopes to make it easier for members of the public to reach the summit. Although the initial plan was to build a funicular railway, the development phase of the project was halted by the advent of World War I.  There was little movement until 1926, when Norwegian engineer Trygve Stromsoe proposed the construction of a cableway. This planted the seed for what we now know as the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway.

A host of icons, celebrities and royals are among the millions of people who have used the Cableway over the years. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey, musician Sting, actor Famke Janssen, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, and singer Kelly Rowland are just some of the famous names who have taken a ride to the top of the mountain.

“One of the lesser-known fun facts about the Cableway is that mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Everest, took a cable car up Table Mountain soon after his historic expedition,” says Selma Hercules, Executive Director for TMACC.

“Hillary is quoted as saying: ‘There is probably no more spectacular place in the world than Cape Town and Table Mountain at the tip of Africa,’’’ she added.

As part of their anniversary celebrations, the company is offering a free return cable car ride if you are celebrating your birthday in October.

‘’The free ticket option is available to South Africans  in the calendar month in which they celebrate their birthday (SA ID required), and all the information you need is available on the various TMACC social media channels,’’ said Hercules.

“As we celebrate a remarkable 95 years of bringing breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences to local and international visitors, we are excited to announce a special treat. During October, South Africans can buy a 95th Anniversary Special ticket at the special price of R195 (SA ID required). This special is only available online and must be purchased before the visit as you cannot buy a ticket on the day of your visit,” she added.

The TMACC team is also celebrating the milestone by giving back.

‘’Ninety-five years after the first visitors travelled to the top of Table Mountain in a wooden cable car, the world-famous Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) is still bustling and doing what it does best – providing visitors from near and far with a memory and a lasting experience. On Friday 4 October 2024 we celebrate our 95th anniversary. We cannot wait to celebrate this milestone with everyone that has supported us all these years,” says Selma Hercules, Executive Director for TMACC.

“A lot has changed since that first trip in 1929, but the Cableway remains one of Cape Town’s biggest tourist attractions, transporting approximately a million visitors annually and counting,” she added.

 

Done by: Mitchum George