Student Handbook
POV: you're a student new to the Cable Car
You're new to the city of Wellington, welcome to your new home! It's diverse, vibrant and full of character. The perfect location to set up to study and explore.
One thing you will encounter is that Wellington has great alternative options for getting around rather than by car including an iconic landmark, the Wellington Cable Car. Historically, the Cable Car has been a part of Wellington's skyline for over 120 years and has been supporting Victoria University by promoting safe and reliable transport up the hill for their students.
To this day, the Cable Car continues to offer that same support to provide transport to students with reduced concession rates so they are easily able to afford their commute between campus or halls.
Click here for all our fare options.
Tickets
Concession Casual Riders
| One-way | $4 |
| Return | $6.50 |
Multi-trip Card
Valid for a year from the date of purchase
| 5 trips | $13 |
| 10 trips | $21 |
| 25 trips | $42 |
Membership card
Valid for 90 days from the date of purchase
| 3 months of unlimited travel | $88 |
Concession rates are only available to those who hold and present a valid NZ Student ID card to our ticket box. Concession rates are not available to be purchased online.
The essentials
| Monday - Thursday | 7:30am - 8:00pm |
| Friday | 7:30am - 9:00pm |
| Saturday | 8:30am - 9:00pm |
| Sunday & Public Holidays | 8:30am - 7:00pm |
Last car leaves at the time of closure, e.g., last car leaves at 8pm on a Tuesday
Cars run every 10 minutes, on the hour.
The only day of the year we are closed is Christmas Day. Our operational hours are slightly reduced over the Christmas/New Years period.
We also close for a week around the end of July or early August for our Annual Maintenance Shutdown, which is essentially the Cable Car getting a WOF. We will communicate closer to the time when this period will be via text alerts, our monthly newsletter and signage in our terminals/cars.
Learn more
While on the car, there are stop buttons located on the top and bottom landings of the car, positioned on the poles closest to each door. Press these before the next station to request an intermediate station stop.
If you can't locate them, just tell the driver what station you would like to stop at before the journey starts.
If you're at a station, just press the stop request buttons or indicate to the driver to stop.
As a student going up and down the hill, your most frequent stops are Lambton Quay Terminal and intermediate station, Salamanca.
Weir House residents
Your stops are Salamanca and Lambton Quay Terminal.
Everton Hall residents
Your stops are at Talavera Station for a short trip to Salamanca Station.
Pipitea campus or CBD travel
You will be travelling to Lambton Quay Terminal.
The trick to navigating which side of Talavera Station to catch the Cable Car depends on what direction you want to go and the location of the cable.
If the cable is closest to you when you first get to the station, then that means the next car will be going up and the car going down will be on the other side of the station. Basically, whatever side of the passing loop has the cable, which indicates which side of the station the car will be going up.
Want to be updated if the Cable Car has any unexpected stoppages? Click here to register for the text alert service