The many rides of Wellington

Rameshinder Singh Sandhu

As my nearly three-hour-long ferry from Picton, a beautiful coastal town of Kiwi land's south island, arrived in the bustling capital city of Wellington, its many skyscrapers rising amid the hills and countless homes scattered all over the hills, seemed enthralling. An elderly local suggests, “If you adore unique rides, along with dramatic views, Wellington's cable car, which has been captivating tourists and residents for more than 100 years, should be on your radar.”

On my last day in Wellington, I reached Lambton Quay, the cable car's starting point. From a lively shopping street in the middle of the central business district (CBD), I was transported to a tranquil destination  within a span of five to seven minutes. The cable car runs on a petit but steep track climbing up the hill with the help of cables. It rises to 120 metres (394 feet) over a length of 612 metres (2,008 feet).

Painted in bright red, it resembles an old-fashioned train coach, ticket of which costs $5 NZ each way. As I stepped in, there seemed tourists from everywhere, along with some locals who live in Kelburn neighbourhood, the final stop on the zenith of the hill. Cynosure of the ride was, of course, the panoramic views of the capital, including its harbour, though these are briefly interrupted by small tunnels. Kelburn is also home to magnificent Wellington Botanic Garden and a museum that unfolds history of cable car's birth.

The cable car was opened in 1902 to offer easy transportation to residents living up on the hill where population was on a rise. Considering its vintage allure, it soon became a tourist attraction.

Interestingly, a large number of locals have their private cable cars. According to April, a young volunteer at the documentary room of the museum, “It was in the 1950s when first personal cable car came up. The idea originated from small cable cars that were used for ferrying construction material and denizens were smart enough to get these made for themselves, too, as many lived in the hills.”

According to Wellington tourism, there are nearly 300 small cable cars in and around the capital, though only 150 stand registered. Taking cognizance of their ease, permission applications for more keep pouring in at the city council's office.

 “Tourists like you keep swarming to see our fancy rides. Without these cable cars, it would have been arduous for us, considering the topography here, but whenever we are enjoying the ride, we, too, feel like tourists, being treated by views along. We love these cable cars more than our cars. When we don't feel like using our cars, we use these,” says Mary Church, one of the proud owners of a cable car, adding many of their guests return again and again because of the splendour they experience in these short journeys, zipping up or down the hills.

While some allow tourists to take pictures, some instantly announce it's their private ride, a signal to 'no photography' but the scene of this unique private transportation does delight almost every tourist.