Wellington Cable Car Photos
Recommended Reviews - Wellington Cable Car
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I am so glad I did this the day I arrived because the next day, the cruise ship docked and the tourists all seemed to flock straight to the Wellington Cable Car. I passed by a couple of times and all day - until ship departure time around 4:00 - there was a pretty solid queue. So check the cruise schedule before heading over. I love funiculars. I've ridden them in Santiago, Porto, Bilbao, Verona, Zürich, Pittsburgh and Lisbon. Awesome to add Wellington to my "collection." Buy your ticket at the station. They can also sell you the magnets and postcards and such if the cable car museum at the top is closed. Scan the barcode and wait for the cable car to arrive. On board, the train rises around 400 feet over about 2000 feet of track. It opened in 1902 and does actually have stops along the way. At the top, check out the Wellington Botanic Garden. [Review 456 of 2024 - 107 in New Zealand - 21489 overall]
What a cool view! This is a big tourist attraction and a must-do when in Wellington, and it makes visiting the Botanical Garden and Zealandia easy. It's a short ride, but the views are really nice! It's so steep that this is really the way to get up and see Wellington from the top. At the top, we stopped into the museum - which is very small and mostly a gift shop, but cute. We loved walking around the botanical gardens up here - some stunning flowers and trees! We used the free Zealandia shuttle that leaves from the top as well, which is a great way to encourage tourist visits to both spots. You simply must do it while in Welly!
Quality/Quantity - Very short cable car ride to the top of mountain, approximately a 5 minute ride. Surprisingly, the locals use this for transportation. I thought this was JUST going to be a tourist attraction. We chose to only go one way, as we were told that the walk down through the garden and cemetery was nice. What I did NOT know was that the walk took me to a different part of town. I wanted to go back to where we got on the cable car because I found a brewery I wanted to visit; oh well, next NZ visit. My fault, but I missed half the ride on my phone because my daughter called me... I did not dock the review any stars for that. There were 4 stops total, but again I missed two of the stops while on my phone. Atmosphere - Okay. Similar to the cable cars in San Francisco, CA, US, but these were fully enclosed. Open 7 days a week, see Yelp or my picture for hours. Attractions on top of the mountain: Beautiful views, see picture. Free museum, please donate. They also have a gift shop and cafe/eatery on top of the mountain. Free shuttle to Zealandia ($ applies to Zealandia). Space Place, Carter Observatory - Fees also apply. Service - Minimum. Ticket person was friendly, answered all my tourist questions. Price - $6NZ one way, $3.63US. Not expensive. $11NZ round trip. If you have the time, I suggest one way also. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1889. Nice mode of transportation for the locals, and a nice tourist attraction for us.
We paid $11 for our narrated round trip tickets. The car filled up quickly and took us through tunnels & three stops from Lambton Quay Terminal to the Kelburn Terminal. At the top we went into the museum, botanical gardens & enjoyed views. Volunteers were at the top & bottom to answer questions. We went through 3 tunnels, the ride was 8 minutes. From the top there was a free shuttle to Zoolandia & we were able to walk to a cafe, perfumery, pharmacy & botanical gardens. The original Kelburn & Karori Tramway Company formed in 1898, was sold to the Wellington City Council in 1947 and was incorporated into the City's passenger transport operations. In 1991 with the deregulation of the bus industry, it was privately sold.
On your travels to the capital of New Zealand ( Wellington ), one must experience riding on the"Historic "Wellington Cable Cars. This is the only "Funicular Railway" in New Zealand. On our travels my wife and I have ridden many other funicular railways. This particular one was by far the best ! The color lights in the tunnels and the fantastic views of the harbor alone made this trip worth the price. A lovely cafe , botanic garden, cable car museum, and a number of different exhibits a-wait's you on top. Construction of the railway began in 1899 and completed on February 22, 1902. The original carriages were horse drawn, the later converted to steam and finally becoming electric. For a small fee of 9 dollars New Zealand money, one can get a round trip ticket to the top and back. They are open 7 days a week but check times before you go. This is a very popular excursion so go early to beat the crowds ! Enjoy ! Live/Love/Travel !
Free museum at the top where you learn about the history of the Wellington cable car, and there is even one to sit in. There is also a cute gift shop inside that has some pretty good stuff. The actual cable car is cool if you have never ridden in one. It is confusing on how to pay. We went down and you pay after you get off. It's weird as there are no signs and we had to ask the "driver".
We visited Wellington in January 2020 before the world came to a halt. We generally do not take tourist short-line trains but we wanted to explore the botanic gardens and the cable car was an easy way to get to the top at minimal expense. It turned out that it was a lot more fun and interesting than expected. Passengers are packed into the cars so you might not get a seat and you might be facing away from the direction of travel. That really doesn't matter as the windows are large. We enjoyed the special visual treats in some of the tunnels. We also enjoyed the cable car museum at the top and the views down onto Wellington.
This is a must when in Wellington! The historic cable cars are a short jaunt up the mountain, but they make a couple of interim stops, so you don't have to pick it up directly downtown. The lines are long, but they move quickly as there are two cars simultaneously running. It is a fun ride and I highly recommend riding in the front by the conductor. They have changing led lights in the tunnels that make the ride a bit whimsical. Once you arrive up top, there are several things do including a map of the grounds, a café, and a little hiking trail. There are some great pano views of the city and bay and a neat observatory (which was closed when I went). You can buy one way or round trip tickets, but the best value is definitely a round trip.
Anytime we visit a city we always check out the history and the historic things. Although I can see how some would view this as just a "tourist thing"...the cable car very much a part of Wellington's history. In addition, it still provides the people of Wellington transportation up and down the mountain every day. At the end of the 19th century, Wellington was expanding quickly and with the city's hilly terrain, good building land was at a premium. Construction began in 1899 on this funicular railway, and the line opened to the public on 22 February 1902. Since then the trains, tunnel, tracks and stations have been renovated, improved and received several transformations over the years. Local folks still depend on it for transportation to this day as well as tourist and transports almost a million people each year. It is a tourist thing?...Maybe, as tourist we get to enjoy it. But reality is, it's not really set up for tourist. Sure, at the bottom there are shops and cafés, but they are there for the locals mainly and tourist get to enjoy them too. At the top there is a café, museum, and botanical gardens nearby that are there for the locals too and you can drive or use other means of transportation if need be. It's not as if you can only use the cable car to get there (that would make it touristy). It is located near Lambton Quay and Post Office Square at the bottom in Wellington. At the top it is located in the suburb of Kelburn. In short, enjoy history and historic things while they are here, available and still exist...for one day they may not be.
It is a short ride on this cable car up to an excellent view of Wellington, cafe and a small museum. They have jazzed up the tunnels with fairy lights and this gets the oos and ahs from the passengers as you pass through. We had come off a cruise ship with a few thousand others and the queue for the cable car was spread along on the main street. A local came up to us and recommended that we come back after lunch when the queue would still be there but shorter. They were right. It was still a little wait but only a matter of 30 mins. The queue forms in an arcade where there is a little supermarket and it does a roaring trade selling ice creams and lollies to people standing outside its window. Our little group succumbed.
It was my first time riding a cable car! They really did a cool job with lights in the tunnel. It reminded me of warp speed from Star Wars or Star Trek. You don't have to buy the tickets in advance, you can just buy them in person. We took it up to the Botanic Gardens which was also lovely! Then took the cable car back down to our hotel.
We took the cable car up and wasn't really expecting much as most trams and funiculars in Europe are pretty straightforward, simply put, rather plain. But being Wellington and having that artsy flair, the tram also exhibited some of that artistic side with the murals and the lights through the tunnels. Though it's smaller than most, it is kept in pretty tip top shape, and the ride was smooth and students get a discounted ticket, and multiple ride passes can also be availed.
After spending the day before in the rugged high-country landscape and mountainous scenery of the Hakatere Conservation Park, we sailed to New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, also known as "the coolest little capital." So, we asked what makes this city "cool?" And we set out on a 15-minute shuttle bus ride from the Port of Wellington (Aotea Quay) into the CBD, where we noticed the architectural mix of Victorian structures and adventurous modern designs, beautiful and colorful murals with British historical and Maori influences, high-end international and local designer stores mixed in between fast-food cafes such as McDonald's and shawarma cafes. Before getting off the shuttle bus, our guide mentioned the historic yet updated Wellington Cable Car as a popular attraction and pointed out its tucked-away lower station off Lambton Quay, a shopping street. He cautioned that many residents and University students use it, so we might have to "squeeze in" during peak hours, but assured us that during the ride up, we'd be treated to a cool light show similar to 70s disco flashes. At the top of the hill or Kelburn Lookout, there would be a panoramic view of Wellington CBD, a cute museum and cafe, public washrooms, and a free shuttle to Zealandia Bird Sanctuary, Victoria University, and the suburb of Kelburn. As it turned out, after hearing from our shuttle bus guide, four other fellow passengers and their spouses decided to follow us by browsing on Lambton Quay, riding the Cable Car, and going to the Wellington Botanic Garden. I suddenly felt "stressed" because these eight others put their faith into our navigational skills, even though we told them this was our first time in Wellington. We each purchased a single or one-way ticket ($6.50 NZD), waited a few minutes for the funicular railway car to pull into the lower station, and boarded. Along the short, under 8-minute (we stopped at 3 stations along the way) journey, the "cool experience" traveled through 3 tunnels of blinking colored lights, made stops at 3 intermediate stations along the railway, where most of us either craned our necks or contorted our bodies to catch the picturesque views along the way. After exiting the cable car, I rushed over to the lookout area by the cafe took a photo while the others looked for the restrooms. I told them to meet in the museum then we'd regroup then look for the botanic garden. Meanwhile, I asked the store cashier for a map of the city, and she obliged with a free one, even pointing out access to the Wellington Botanical Garden across the street. I breathed a sigh of relief as I regrouped with my husband and the rest of the gang to "lead the way" to the Wellington Botanic Gardens and more. Riding this cable car was a short, scenic, and fun experience which I'd love to return to. read more
2 years ago
The Wellington Cable Car is both public transportation and super fun tourist attraction in the heart of Wellington CBD. You can get the low end right in downtown; it has a handful of stops up the mountain which crosses highways and allows you to avoid a plethora of stairs. It runs constantly so you're never waiting more than a few minutes. The upper end is at the top; you'll find botanical gardens, a cafe/restaurant, the free Cable Car Museum, and free shuttle to Zealandia Eco Sanctuary; all these things are must-visits if you love birds and flowers. Tickets are reasonable, and they have student and monthly passes if you live in town. You can buy one-ways or round-trips depending; if you plan on the Botanical Gardens you only need a one-way as it's all downhill back into the city. At the top station there's also a small display from Weta Workshop, which is a fun addition. It's also a great photo location with panoramic views of the city and bay below. This is a must-visit spot in Wellington. read more
The Wellington Cable Car is one of New Zealand's few funicular railways. It takes passengers from downtown Wellington to the summit. It is used by both commuters and tourists. Established in 1889, the entrance is a bit hidden. We were so lucky to meet a kind lady at the Parliament Complex who served as our personal guide and walked us to the ticket counter. Sally had lived in Virginia. Nice to hear about her travels to the US as well as her views of the Royals on their visits to New Zealand. Tickets are $11 NZD round trip. Grab a place to stand near the front or back of the cable car for interesting views. Love the light shows in the tunnel. Two of the tunnels change colors throughout the transit. Interesting to watch the trains switch lanes along the journey at the Talavera Station. Learn more about the Cable Cars at the Cable Car Museum at the summit. Enjoy the views and visit the beautiful botanical gardens. The cable cars use regenerative braking. This reduces stress on the brakes and generates energy which can be used in the local network. Very interesting local landmark in Wellington. read more
I am so glad I did this the day I arrived because the next day, the cruise ship docked and the tourists all seemed to flock straight to the Wellington Cable Car. I passed by a couple of times and all day - until ship departure time around 4:00 - there was a pretty solid queue. So check the cruise schedule before heading over. I love funiculars. I've ridden them in Santiago, Porto, Bilbao, Verona, Zürich, Pittsburgh and Lisbon. Awesome to add Wellington to my "collection." Buy your ticket at the station. They can also sell you the magnets and postcards and such if the cable car museum at the top is closed. Scan the barcode and wait for the cable car to arrive. On board, the train rises around 400 feet over about 2000 feet of track. It opened in 1902 and does actually have stops along the way. At the top, check out the Wellington Botanic Garden. [Review 456 of 2024 - 107 in New Zealand - 21489 overall] read more
2 years ago
What a cool view! This is a big tourist attraction and a must-do when in Wellington, and it makes visiting the Botanical Garden and Zealandia easy. It's a short ride, but the views are really nice! It's so steep that this is really the way to get up and see Wellington from the top. At the top, we stopped into the museum - which is very small and mostly a gift shop, but cute. We loved walking around the botanical gardens up here - some stunning flowers and trees! We used the free Zealandia shuttle that leaves from the top as well, which is a great way to encourage tourist visits to both spots. You simply must do it while in Welly! read more
Quality/Quantity - Very short cable car ride to the top of mountain, approximately a 5 minute ride. Surprisingly, the locals use this for transportation. I thought this was JUST going to be a tourist attraction. We chose to only go one way, as we were told that the walk down through the garden and cemetery was nice. What I did NOT know was that the walk took me to a different part of town. I wanted to go back to where we got on the cable car because I found a brewery I wanted to visit; oh well, next NZ visit. My fault, but I missed half the ride on my phone because my daughter called me... I did not dock the review any stars for that. There were 4 stops total, but again I missed two of the stops while on my phone. Atmosphere - Okay. Similar to the cable cars in San Francisco, CA, US, but these were fully enclosed. Open 7 days a week, see Yelp or my picture for hours. Attractions on top of the mountain: Beautiful views, see picture. Free museum, please donate. They also have a gift shop and cafe/eatery on top of the mountain. Free shuttle to Zealandia ($ applies to Zealandia). Space Place, Carter Observatory - Fees also apply. Service - Minimum. Ticket person was friendly, answered all my tourist questions. Price - $6NZ one way, $3.63US. Not expensive. $11NZ round trip. If you have the time, I suggest one way also. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1889. Nice mode of transportation for the locals, and a nice tourist attraction for us. read more
We paid $11 for our narrated round trip tickets. The car filled up quickly and took us through tunnels & three stops from Lambton Quay Terminal to the Kelburn Terminal. At the top we went into the museum, botanical gardens & enjoyed views. Volunteers were at the top & bottom to answer questions. We went through 3 tunnels, the ride was 8 minutes. From the top there was a free shuttle to Zoolandia & we were able to walk to a cafe, perfumery, pharmacy & botanical gardens. The original Kelburn & Karori Tramway Company formed in 1898, was sold to the Wellington City Council in 1947 and was incorporated into the City's passenger transport operations. In 1991 with the deregulation of the bus industry, it was privately sold. read more
6 years ago
On your travels to the capital of New Zealand ( Wellington ), one must experience riding on the"Historic "Wellington Cable Cars. This is the only "Funicular Railway" in New Zealand. On our travels my wife and I have ridden many other funicular railways. This particular one was by far the best ! The color lights in the tunnels and the fantastic views of the harbor alone made this trip worth the price. A lovely cafe , botanic garden, cable car museum, and a number of different exhibits a-wait's you on top. Construction of the railway began in 1899 and completed on February 22, 1902. The original carriages were horse drawn, the later converted to steam and finally becoming electric. For a small fee of 9 dollars New Zealand money, one can get a round trip ticket to the top and back. They are open 7 days a week but check times before you go. This is a very popular excursion so go early to beat the crowds ! Enjoy ! Live/Love/Travel ! read more
Free museum at the top where you learn about the history of the Wellington cable car, and there is even one to sit in. There is also a cute gift shop inside that has some pretty good stuff. The actual cable car is cool if you have never ridden in one. It is confusing on how to pay. We went down and you pay after you get off. It's weird as there are no signs and we had to ask the "driver". read more
6 years ago
We visited Wellington in January 2020 before the world came to a halt. We generally do not take tourist short-line trains but we wanted to explore the botanic gardens and the cable car was an easy way to get to the top at minimal expense. It turned out that it was a lot more fun and interesting than expected. Passengers are packed into the cars so you might not get a seat and you might be facing away from the direction of travel. That really doesn't matter as the windows are large. We enjoyed the special visual treats in some of the tunnels. We also enjoyed the cable car museum at the top and the views down onto Wellington. read more
This is a must when in Wellington! The historic cable cars are a short jaunt up the mountain, but they make a couple of interim stops, so you don't have to pick it up directly downtown. The lines are long, but they move quickly as there are two cars simultaneously running. It is a fun ride and I highly recommend riding in the front by the conductor. They have changing led lights in the tunnels that make the ride a bit whimsical. Once you arrive up top, there are several things do including a map of the grounds, a café, and a little hiking trail. There are some great pano views of the city and bay and a neat observatory (which was closed when I went). You can buy one way or round trip tickets, but the best value is definitely a round trip. read more
10 years ago
Anytime we visit a city we always check out the history and the historic things. Although I can see how some would view this as just a "tourist thing"...the cable car very much a part of Wellington's history. In addition, it still provides the people of Wellington transportation up and down the mountain every day. At the end of the 19th century, Wellington was expanding quickly and with the city's hilly terrain, good building land was at a premium. Construction began in 1899 on this funicular railway, and the line opened to the public on 22 February 1902. Since then the trains, tunnel, tracks and stations have been renovated, improved and received several transformations over the years. Local folks still depend on it for transportation to this day as well as tourist and transports almost a million people each year. It is a tourist thing?...Maybe, as tourist we get to enjoy it. But reality is, it's not really set up for tourist. Sure, at the bottom there are shops and cafés, but they are there for the locals mainly and tourist get to enjoy them too. At the top there is a café, museum, and botanical gardens nearby that are there for the locals too and you can drive or use other means of transportation if need be. It's not as if you can only use the cable car to get there (that would make it touristy). It is located near Lambton Quay and Post Office Square at the bottom in Wellington. At the top it is located in the suburb of Kelburn. In short, enjoy history and historic things while they are here, available and still exist...for one day they may not be. read more
It is a short ride on this cable car up to an excellent view of Wellington, cafe and a small museum. They have jazzed up the tunnels with fairy lights and this gets the oos and ahs from the passengers as you pass through. We had come off a cruise ship with a few thousand others and the queue for the cable car was spread along on the main street. A local came up to us and recommended that we come back after lunch when the queue would still be there but shorter. They were right. It was still a little wait but only a matter of 30 mins. The queue forms in an arcade where there is a little supermarket and it does a roaring trade selling ice creams and lollies to people standing outside its window. Our little group succumbed. read more
It was my first time riding a cable car! They really did a cool job with lights in the tunnel. It reminded me of warp speed from Star Wars or Star Trek. You don't have to buy the tickets in advance, you can just buy them in person. We took it up to the Botanic Gardens which was also lovely! Then took the cable car back down to our hotel. read more
7 years ago
We took the cable car up and wasn't really expecting much as most trams and funiculars in Europe are pretty straightforward, simply put, rather plain. But being Wellington and having that artsy flair, the tram also exhibited some of that artistic side with the murals and the lights through the tunnels. Though it's smaller than most, it is kept in pretty tip top shape, and the ride was smooth and students get a discounted ticket, and multiple ride passes can also be availed. read more
10 years ago
More for a touristy thing to do. The cable car is a quick form of transport to travel from the bottom of Lambton Quay to Kelburn where you're a stone throw away to the botanical garden. Awesome views at the top when it's a beautiful day. There's a cafe at the top with a mini museum showcasing the history of the cable car. read more
7 years ago
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