Cable car stoppage: what passengers should do and how to get a refund

Tengrinews.kz – Winter trips to ski resorts are becoming increasingly popular among Kazakhstanis. But sometimes, instead of going down the slope, tourists end up spending hours waiting for help in gondolas stuck above the mountain. Tengrinews.kz looked into how to act in such situations and what kind of assistance you can expect.
Stories from Kazakhstanis
During the New Year holidays at the Akbulak ski resort, the cable car reportedly stopped for almost an hour and a half — people had to wait for help and freeze inside the cabins. A video with this information appeared online. We tried to get details from the resort’s representatives, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

@kazakhstan_guide #акбулак #чимбулак #ойкарагай #akbulak #shymbulak #oiqaraqai #almaty #kazakhstan #казахстан #алматы #сноуборд #лыжи ♬ оригинальный звук - Abu Daud مرشد

In September last year, the “Kombi-2” cable car also stopped. In that case, rescuers from Almaty’s Emergency Department, the Rescue Operations Service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, and resort staff evacuated people from the cabins using mountaineering gear. In total, specialists brought down 21 people.

That same month, social media users complained that due to a cable car stoppage, people stood in line for more than 40 minutes without any explanation, freezing and not understanding what was happening. As a result, some guests, unable to wait any longer, decided to go down on their own.

@zinovyeva_sofiya Хорошо, что мы хотя бы не застряли в самой кабинке ???????? сколько времени просидят люди в кабинках - неизвестно. Стафф сказал, что возможно сегодня вообще не включат, как их будут от туда доставать ????????‍♀️#шымбулак #чимбулак #алматы #казахстан ♬ оригинальный звук - zinovyeva_sofiya

Why cable cars may stop
The Tourism Industry Committee explained that cable cars operate every day and complete stoppages are very rare. Most often there may be short “pauses” due to weather conditions or to assist guests with strollers and people with special needs.

“For example, during a thunderstorm, emergency protection systems are triggered: cable cars are equipped with special mechanisms that automatically react if lightning strikes a support tower and stop movement until the risk is completely eliminated. Short-term slowdowns or stops are also possible for operational reasons — in particular, to assist guests in wheelchairs or people with limited mobility during boarding and disembarking. In such cases, movement resumes immediately after the necessary procedures are completed,” the agency noted.

For instance, at Shymbulak there have been only two such cases in the last three years.

“Over the past three years, two cases of temporary suspension of operations have been recorded on the cable cars at the Shymbulak ski resort. Both incidents were related to technical reasons and were promptly resolved in accordance with current safety regulations,” the committee reported.

How cable car safety is checked
Cable cars undergo scheduled maintenance twice a year — in spring and autumn. This is standard international practice for mountain resorts.

“The resort also regularly conducts joint drills with emergency services to rehearse various response scenarios,” the agency added.

What to do if the cable car stops
The main rule is not to panic and not to attempt to descend on your own.

“In the event of a cable car stop, the most important thing is to remain calm, not panic, and follow the instructions of resort staff. All cable cars are equipped with modern safety systems. Guests must remain in the cabin or chair and not attempt to leave it on their own,” the committee recommended.

The agency added that on the Medeu–Shymbulak cable car, cabins are equipped with communication with the operator. The operator informs passengers about the cause of the stoppage and gives further instructions.
Will the ticket be refunded?
We also asked whether passengers will get a refund if the cable car stops.

“In the event of force majeure, the ticket cost may be refunded at the customer’s request, or the service may be rescheduled to another date by agreement with the customer,” the agency clarified.