jalanjalan: Awana Skyway, Pahang

The Awana Skyway is a cable car ride using the gondola lift system which connects the Awana Station to the SkyAvenue Station in Genting Highlands, Pahang. The Awana Skyway is one of the two aerial lines serving Genting Highlands, with the Genting Skyway serving as an alternate route.

Map of the Genting Highlands Skyways.

The gondola lift system was launched in 2016, and it replaces a former 2-car aerial tramway system running between 1977 and 2014. The gondola lift system can carry up to 3,600 passengers per hour with 10 passengers per gondola. At the maximum speed of 6 metres per second (21.6 km/h), the 2.8-kilometre journey up the mountain peak takes about 10 minutes, though it varies depending on the weather conditions.

The Awana Skyway Station is located behind the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets. You can walk to the Awana Terminal building by the pedestrian walkway bridge from the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets. Both the Awana Skyway Station and the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets are located at the midpoint up the mountain, just after the Gohtong Jaya township.

The pedestrian bridge connection from Genting Highlands Premium Outlets to the Awana Skyway Station.

The Awana Skyway Station building taken from the pedestrian bridge.

Entering the Awana Skyway Station.

The Awana Skyway Station is a 4-storey building. If you come via the pedestrian bridge from the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets, you enter at Level 3. To go to the Skyway, you will need to go up the escalator to Level 4.

Directional Signage.

For now though, lets go down the escalator to Level 2 and see what is there to be seen.

Escalator down to Level 2.

Baggage storage service.

At Level 2, you will find the Baggage Storage service counter. The Skyway only allows you to take aircraft-cabin sized luggage aboard, so if you have oversized luggage you can store it here for RM5 for 24 hours. (Sep'2017 price). The service counter operates from 7am to midnight.

Opposite the Baggage Storage counter is the Taxi Counter.

On the same floor as the Baggage Storage counter is the Sri Highlands Taxi Counter. You can hire a taxi here, the rates are displayed at the counter. You can chose to hire a taxi up to Genting for RM50 for the entire car, or share a taxi for RM15 per person.

Taxi rates.

The taxi rank is just outside the door from the taxi counter.

Next, if you go down the escalator again, you will reach Level 1 of the building. This is where the bus station is.

Escalator down to the bus station.

The bus station is made up of several platforms, a waiting area and a bus ticketing counter. Shuttle bus services go from Platform 1.

The waiting area and the platforms for the buses.

The centralised bus ticketing counter and television monitor screens give the bus station a modern feel reminiscent of an airport.

Centralised ticketing counter.

You can get buses to KL Sentral, Pekeliling, Pudu Sentral, Terminal Gombak and even Penang and Alor Setar from here.

Bus to Taiping?

After surveying the bus station on Level 1. take the lift up to Level 4, where the Awana Skyway station is. You can actually buy your skyway tickets at automated ticketing machines or queue up at the manned ticketing counters.

Skyway Ticketing Counters.

Buy your tickets here. As of September 2017, the ticket price for a one-way trip is RM8 per person. You can also buy return tickets for RM16. If there are long queues, you can also chose to purchase express tickets for RM40. There are also glass floor gondolas that costs RM50 per person. Children of under 90cm can ride the Skyway for free.

One-way ticket, valid for 72 hours from date of purchase.

As mentioned before you can only bring one aircraft cabin-sized luggage on-board the gondola. Apparently though since there is a sign mentioning a surcharge of RM20 for bringing oversized luggage onboard the gondola, you can possibly do so.

Oversized Luggage sign.

Once you have your tickets, you need to go through luggage and full body scanners, just like at the airport.

Scanning machines, just like the airport.

After being scanned, follow the correct queue. For tour groups, Lanes A & B are the queue lines you have to follow; Lane C for regular tickets and Lane D for express tickets.

Standard Gondola is Lane C.

This is where you scan your tickets and go through the turnstile. Once pass the turnstiles, you will see the actual Skyway gondolas.

Gondolas.

Once you get to the front of the queue, you will be asked to stand at various boxes painted on the ground. The attendants will then usher you into one of the gondolas. Each gondola can fit 10 persons, so you would have to share with other people. Glass floor gondolas can fit 6.

Boarding the gondola.

Cameramen taking your photograph.

The gondolas are pretty smooth and fast.

The gondolas move pretty smoothly and do not travel to high off the ground. As the gondolas move up the hill, you can admire the greenery of the hillside and watch the cars wend up the mountain road beneath you. Eventually you will come to the midpoint station of the Chin Swee Temple.

Chin Swee Temple Station.

You can actually get off at the Chin Swee Temple station to explore the temple, but make sure to keep your ticket, as you can then get back on the skyway once you have finished exploring without any additional cost.

Chin Swee Temple.

Highland greenery.

After the Chin Swee Temple station, you will see more scenic views of mountain scenery before you finally reach the top of the mountain and see the city in the sky called Genting.

First view of Genting Highlands.

The city in the sky.

View of the multi-coloured First World Hotel.

The 20th Century Fox Outdoor Theme Park, still under construction in 2017.

Eventually the Skyway will terminate at the SkyAvenue station. This is where you will exit from the gondola.

SkyAvenue station.

There is a photo booth here, where you can purchase your photograph in the gondola.

Photo booth.

SkyAvenue is actually a shopping mall within the complex that is Genting Highlands. You can actually do more shopping here or have a meal at the numerous F&B outlets, mostly more affordable than the premium brands at the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets below at Awana Station.