Enjoy the views on this unique journey with the Wellington Cable Car
The Wellington Cable Car experience is, without a doubt, one of the best sightseeing attractions in the city. This picturesque trip starts at Lambton Quay, in downtown Wellington, before heading up to the affluent suburb of Kelburn. It’s New Zealand’s only public running cable car making it one of the most inexpensive and quickest ways to experience the beauty of Wellington. Whether you are a local commuting to work or sightseeing with your family, it’s a trip you will never forget.
The Wellington Cable Car is opened daily although at certain times of the year the times might vary. Standard fares apply on one way and return trips. An adult return will cost NZ$7.50. Children aged 5 to 15 years pay a lower fare than adults, while youngsters under 5 years travel for free. Persons on certain wheelchairs and mobility scooters can also access the cable cars. The cable car takes 5 minutes and departs every 10 minutes. There is no need to plan your trip unless a cruise ship is visiting Wellington for the day. If that happens, it is worth booking your ticket online as that will avoid unnecessary queuing.
Thumbs up for a great day out in Wellington!
The cable car emerges at the Kelburn terminus after a couple of brief stops along the way including Wellington University. When you get out you will immediately be treated to a stunning vista of Wellington’s cityscape with lush green mountains beyond. Make sure you have your camera with you as there are plenty of fabulous photo opportunities.
We also recommend spending some time at the Cable Car Museum at the top of the ride when you get off. There’s an interesting video of how the Wellington cable car was first built and a pretty good souvenir shop. The museum is located in the original Winding House where you will now find Cars 1 and 3. These authentic cable cars have been restored to reflect their better days. In fact, this is another opportunity for a photo session as you are allowed to climb up onto them. Overall, the Cable Car Museum provides a fitting end to your Cable Car ride and general admission is free.
Oh yes, and if you haven’t had your coffee fix and cheese scone, there’s a rather good cafe close by with stunning views of Wellington harbour and city.
At the lookout, you can get off and visit the Wellington Botanic Gardens. The gardens cover acres of exotic forest, some very interesting landscape and some spectacular floral displays. The garden is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. It is also a New Zealand Historic Places Trust Heritage area. There are ponds and waterfalls as well as a wonderful children’s playground half way down, making it a perfect stop for picnics!
The Carter Observatory and Planetarium, also located in the Gardens, is a short distance away. Travel through the southern skies in Space Place’s state-of-the-art planetarium. Explore the exhibition and take a look at the night sky – the Southern Skies of New Zealand awaits you! From this point, you can choose to make your way back downtown towards Lambton Quay via the Parliament Beehive building. It’s an enjoyable scenic 40 minute walk or hop back onto the cable car for your return trip. Additionally, the free shuttle to Zealandia, a wildlife sanctuary, is located just outside the Cable Car Museum.
A fairly new feature to the cable car ride is the tunnel light show. From 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, you are able to ride the Cable Car into two long tunnels to witness a spectacular display of lighting imagery. These groovy visual effects are caused by the flashing of several LED lights in the tunnels. It is truly a sight to behold.
For further information or for a private day tour of Wellington please contact the team at What to Do in Wellington.
The spectacular tunnel lights at the Wellington cable car
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