The line was long, and the excitement was evident as tourists waited to board the Wellington Cable Car. A popular attraction in Wellington, New Zealand, it takes visitors from the city’s heart to a grand view of downtown and the harbor.
In the late 1800s, when the city was rapidly growing, business people decided to develop new neighborhoods above the town, and they needed a way for residents to get there.
From 1899 to 1902, three shifts worked round the clock to construct the cable car system, including digging three tunnels. On February 22, 1902, operations began and were an instant success. In the first year, more than 425,000 passenger trips were made on the cable car. Within ten years, more than a million passenger trips were made annually. By 2019, the company welcomed nearly 1.17 million visitors in a year.
As part of a Royal Princess shore excursion, I rode the bright red cable car to its final destination.
In addition to the view, there is Cable Top Eatery, which offers a range of local food and drinks, gelatos, pizzas, wine, and craft beers.
Next door is the fragrance emporium Fragrifert, with its unique Victorian décor museum, and perfume distillery.
There are also a souvenir shop, a cable car museum, and access to a sprawling botanical garden.
The cable car, located at 280 Lambton Quay, is at the end of Cable Car Lane. Landmarks to find the station are the Countdown Supermarket and the Cable Car model sign.
For more information about the cable care, click here. For more information about Royal Princess and Princess Cruises, click here.
Photo of Marilyn Jones aboard the cable car by Barbara Anderton
