22 January 2018 - Wellington Anniversary Day opening hours

Happy anniversary! Cable Car is open from 8:30am - 9:00pm (Sunday & Public Holiday hours).
Thanks

What To Do

Enjoy a fun day out with family and friends, the panoramic views, and surrounding activities!

CATCH A CABLE CAR

Purchase your ticket from the ticket booth at Lambton Quay (lower terminal) and take the five minute cable car trip to the top of Kelburn Hill, 119 metres above the city.

One Way Ticket: for travel uphill to the top of Kelburn to enjoy the views and surrounding attractions. To get back down into the city, there are several walks around the hillsides of the Botanic Garden, including a beautiful 40-minute stroll back down to Lambton Quay via historic Bolton Street Cemetery and the Beehive (follow the orange coloured line in the Map below). There are maps located at the Cable Car and entrance to the Garden to help you navigate your way.

If you decide to take the cable car back down, simply hop on a cable car and pay for a one way ticket at the bottom terminal on your return.
Return Ticket: for travel in both directions on the Cable Car. There is no time restriction and allows you plenty of time to explore your surroundings. The Cable Car is wheelchair accessible.

For a fast and convenient way to experience the Cable Car, buy your tickets online before you arrive. Please remember that you will still need to queue for the Cable Car on busy days.

Got a question? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.

ENJOY THE VIEW

Once you arrive at the top of the Cable Car, head to the indoor or outdoor viewing platform to enjoy the panoramic views of the city and harbor Te Whanganui-a-Tara. There’s a telescope for viewing too, just make sure to bring some coins! The Krupp Gun is another lookout area with less impeded views.

See a virtual tour of the top of the Cable Car:
Wellington Cable Car (Kelburn lookout) - Google Maps

This is the perfect spot to capture the iconic photo of Wellington!

GRAB A BITE

Unwind with a view! Kowhai Café, located at the top of the Cable Car offers a range of food and drinks, snacks, wine and NZ craft beers.

Also, a short five minute walk away from the top is Kelburn Village, an established residential area. The Village centre includes the historic St Michael’s Angelican Church, cafes, resturants, pharmacy and many more.

You’ll find the Picnic Café, located beside the Begonia house in the heart of Wellington's beautiful Botanic Garden a great place to refuel before continuing on your walk.

^{There are five stops (from lower terminal): Lambton Quay, Clifton, Talavera, Salamanca, and Kelburn}

You can download an electronic copy of our brochure for your visit: English, Maori, Chinese (中文), Korean (한국어) Japanese (日本語), German (Deutsch), Spanish (Español), French (Française).

TUNNEL LIGHTS DISPLAY

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

Check out our YouTube channel and Facebook for video and photos of the lights.

SHOP AT THE TOP

A selection of gifts and souvenirs are on sale at the Cable Car Museum. Pop in and find something special to remind you of your visit to the ‘coolest little capital of the world’.

For something extra special, visit Fragrifert Parfumeur, a Victorian perfumery offering a selection of artisan perfumes with an enchanting and creative story behind them.

VISIT NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Explore Wellington's top attractions during your visit to the Cable Car.

CABLE CAR MUSEUM

Visit the Cable Car Museum as part of your trip, it is located adjacent to Kelburn Terminus. It houses the original winding machinery for the cable car system which operated from 1902 until 1978.

The Museum is set over two levels, and offers visitors the chance to sit aboard Wellington's most iconic transport system. Take a seat and enjoy a short film about the development of the Cable Car or browse through the gift shop for any last-minute presents!

Free Admission

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BOTANIC GARDEN OF WELLINGTON

The Botanic Garden covers over 25 hectares and is a unique landscape of protected native forest, exotic trees, specialised plant collections and colourful floral displays. Points of interest includes the Begonia House, Lady Norwood Rose Garden, Treehouse Visitors’ Centre, Children’s play area and the Duck pond.

The downhill path back into the city is marked with Pohutukawa flower tiles and is an easy downhill path that starts at the top of the Cable Car and ends by Parliament in the city centre. Allow 40 minutes for this walk.

Free Admission

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SPACE PLACE AT CARTER OBSERVATORY

Space Place at Carter Observatory is located two minutes from the top of the Cable Car with multimedia exhibitions and some of New Zealand’s most prestigious astronomical artefacts. Enjoy the show in the digital full-done planetarium and explore the Southern skies.

There’s even an opportunity to adopt a star!

Admission charge

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ZEALANDIA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Discover New Zealand's unique conservation story: 80 million years of natural history in the fascinating exhibition and 225ha of remarkable nature in the beautiful sanctuary valley and just a five minute free shuttle ride from the top of the Cable Car. Don’t miss your chance to see New Zealand’s award winning eco-attraction. Plan your visit ahead of time by checking out the Zealandia Shuttle Timetable.

Admission charge

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