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Wellington Cable Car. Photo by Jil Beckmann on

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Wellington Cable Car

No trip to Wellington is complete without a quick historic journey on the Cable Car. The Wellington Cable Car is a funicular railway in Wellington, New Zealand, between Lambton Quay, the main shopping street, and Kelburn, a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city, rising 120 m (394 ft) over a length of 612 m (2,008 ft).

The cable car was originally envisioned as a convenient way to transport Wellington residents into the city. Shops and businesses were located near the waterfront, but the hills surrounding the city made commuting difficult.

The one-way trip takes approximately five minutes and is widely recognized as a symbol of Wellington.

1. It鈥檚 Recognized As A Symbol Of Wellington

It was established in 1889 and started operating in 1902 by the Upland Estate Company. Since the 1979 upgrade, each car has completed more than one million trips.

2. There Are A Few Places To Choose From While On A Date

Why not jump off at one of the stations and grab some food and drink? There are a few places to choose from on Lambton Quay or Kelburn Village Pub. Alternatively, take a picnic and a romantic stroll through the Botanic Garden.

During January there is also free music in the evening at the Gardens Magic event.

3. You can hire it for parties or take the kids to the spaceport

Information on the Cable Car’s Facebook page is available on the photos from their kid鈥檚 parties and also when the next fun event is taking place.

4. There鈥檚 A Free Light Show Every Time You Enter A Tunnel

Developed by interactive lighting designer Angus Muir, passengers that ride through the 100-meter-long tunnels will be surrounded by bursts of LED lights that flash on and off to create stunning patterns and imagery. The new lights can be programmed with set routines to feature specific content for special events.

5. It鈥檚 A Perfect Place For Photography Enthusiasts

With beautiful views of Wellington, you’re bound to get some stunning shots from the viewing platform, the Kelburn Park Fountain at the Salamanca Station, or at the Talavera Station where you can watch the cable cars bypass each other.

6. The Cable Car Has Two Cars, Which Start From Opposite Ends

The Cable Car has two cars, which start from opposite ends of the line and pass in the middle. They are attached by a 30 mm diameter cable, supported by 120 rollers, which run round a pulley at the top of the hill.

A 185 kW 550 V DC motor at the top of the hill drives the pulley. The Cable Car is a funicular rather than a true cable car: the cars are permanently attached to the cable, which stops and starts as required, while a cable car grips and releases a continuously moving cable.

 The cable car ride is only a few minutes long, but it鈥檚 still a must-do in Wellington鈥攑lus it鈥檚 the easiest way to get to the top of Kelburn hill, and there are so many cool things to do up there.

Wheels on the south side of car 1 and the north side of car 2 have double flanges, while the opposite wheels on each car have no flanges, directing the cars to the correct side of the mid-way passing loop at Talavera.

7. It Passes Through Three Tunnels And Over Three Bridges

The line consists of 628 meters (2,060 ft) of mostly straight 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3鈦�8 in) meter gauge single track with pine sleepers. The only curves are at the passing loop in the middle, at Talavera station. Except for the lowest part the line rises at a constant grade of 1 in 5.06 (17.86% or 10.13 degrees), through three tunnels and over three bridges.

The lower terminus is in Cable Car Lane, off Lambton Quay (41掳17鈥�03.3鈥砈 174掳46鈥�28.7鈥矱). The upper terminus is next to the Wellington Botanic Garden at the city end of Upland Road, Kelburn’s main street (41掳17鈥�07.25鈥砈 174掳46鈥�04.17鈥矱). Cars and propulsion

8. The Cable Car Is Used By Slightly Under A Million People Each Year

The Cable Car is used by slightly under a million people each year. In the mornings and evenings, it is used by commuters traveling between Kelburn and the city. At other times of the day, it is used by people traveling between the city and the Wellington Botanic Garden.

 It is a favorite for students attending Victoria University and living in nearby student hostels, and by many tourists, especially during summer.

The Wellington Cable Car has simplified the fare policy, relative to your concession and independent of your direction. If your journey begins or ends at the Lambton Quay terminus gates you will be able to pay with your Snapper+ card. By paying with Snapper, you will save more than10% on the Wellington Cable Car compared to paying your fare with cash or EFTPOS.

9. The Normal Operating Speed Is 18 km/h

The normal operating speed is 18 km/h (11.2 mph) (5 m/s or 16.4 ft/s), with a maximum passenger load of around 100 (30 seated, 70 standing). Each car weighs approximately 13.5 t (13.3 long tons; 14.9 short tons) when empty and 21 t (20.7 long tons; 23.1 short tons) when full.

 The Wellington Cable Car is particularly fun as it moves uphill, allowing you to see out over the city as you go higher and higher

10. Unlike Buses And Trains, The Cable Car Does Not Receive A Subsidy, And Is Profitable

The Cable Car is owned and operated by Wellington Cable Car Ltd, owned by Wellington City Council. Wellington Cable Car Ltd also owns the overhead wires for Wellington’s trolleybuses. The operation was contracted out to Australian company Transfield Services until early 2007 when it was brought back in-house.

Wellington Cable Car Ltd is responsible for all operations of the Cable Car, including the maintenance of cars and tracks, employing drivers, selling tickets, and providing customer service. Unlike buses and trains, the Cable Car does not receive a subsidy and is profitable.

You can ride the cable car independently or as part of an organized sightseeing excursion that hits Wellington鈥檚 highlights.