Discover Wellington New Zealand accessible attractions, things to do, tours and activities for disabled travelers. Read our informative review to learn if the Wellington Cable Car is wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly or if Wheelchair Jimmy recommends this attraction be avoided by travelers in wheelchairs.
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 394 ft over a length of 2,008 ft. It is widely recognised as a symbol of Wellington.
Join locals and visitors alike in a historic trip on the Wellington Cable Car. For over a hundred years passengers have enjoyed the dramatic views of our growing cityscape and the surrounding hills that define Wellington’s harbour. It offers a charming escape from the busy city streets to the tree lined walkways of the Botanic Gardens.
There is simply no better way to experience the hidden charm that Wellington has to offer than to take this short ride from the heart of city center, up through the hillside terraced houses of Kelburn to the lookout perched high above the city. Enjoy easy access to the Botanic Garden, Cable Car Museum, Space Place (at Carter Observatory) and Zealandia (via free shuttle).
- City Attraction Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Fully Accessible Entry: Yes: easy ramp
- Accessible Restrooms Onsite: Yes: at top
- Restrictive Steps: No Restrictive Steps
Jim’s Accessibility Comments:
Our Princess Cruise ship docked at Wellington, New Zealand, and we decided to ride up the Wellington Cable Car to the Kelborn Lookout. I’ll be honest, this must be the most wheelchair accessible cable car in the world. Like a gondola, it takes you to the top of the mountain, provides fabulous harbor views of the city and waterfront, and you can easily roll into the cable car and stay in your own wheelchair throughout the ride up the mountain!
From the Princess Cruise docking harbour, it was about a 10 minute reasonably level roll / walk (maybe ¾ of a mile with a slight uphill grade) to the cable car terminal on Lambton Quay. The terminal entrance and ticketing is accessible and the cable car door is very wide so you can fit even the largest wheelchairs and scooters into the cable car no problem. They even have one mobility scooter available to use, no charge. There are 3 stops on the ride up, and at the top you’ll find a beautiful lookout area and the Wellington Botanical gardens. Only a portion of the gardens are wheelchair accessible, as some of the paths are quite steep. And a level two minute roll in the gardens takes you to the Carter Observatory and Planetarium which is also wheelchair accessible. The observatory also has accessible parking should you wish to drive up here.
Although the cable car service has been around for 110 years, it has been modernized and is very wheelchair accessible. The cable car runs every 10 minutes, costs only $7 for a round trip fare, and is a great way to see the capital city and enjoy Wellington. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom at the top (the Kelborn Lookout) although the restroom doors are hard to open.
A fun, easy excursion!
New Zealand Travel
