Media Release: Building a Better Connected Queenstown: What We Covered in Our Latest Community Webinar - Monday, 6 July 2026
Thanks to everyone who joined us for our fourth community webinar on the proposed Queenstown Urban Cable Car Network.
These webinars are becoming a really valuable way for us to share where the project is up to, explain some of the work happening behind the scenes, and most importantly, hear the questions that matter most to the community.
One thing that came through strongly during this session is that this project isn't just about building a cable car.
It's about solving a transport problem that isn't going away.
As Ross Copland explained during the webinar, the cable car is intended to become the backbone of a wider public transport network, working alongside buses, walking and cycling connections, Park and Ride facilities and other transport improvements - not replacing them.
Why now?
If you've driven through Frankton or along State Highway 6 recently, you've probably experienced the problem first-hand.
Queenstown continues to grow. More people are choosing to live here, visitor numbers remain strong, and new housing developments - particularly in the eastern corridor - continue to add pressure to a road network that is already stretched.
One example Ross shared during the webinar was needing 17 minutes to travel just a few hundred metres through Frankton while taking his son to an appointment. It's a story many locals can relate to.
The reality is that while roads and buses will always be part of the solution, Queenstown also needs a high-capacity transport option that isn't sitting in the same traffic as everyone else.
That's where the proposed Urban Cable Car Network comes in.
Fast Facts
Two proposed lines
Queenstown Airport to Town Centre
Frankton Hub to Ladies Mile via Five Mile and Lower Shotover
Capacity
Up to 3,000 passengers per hour in each direction
Equivalent to around 60 buses or approximately 2,000 cars
Independent modelling
Around 5–6 million passenger trips per year by 2035
Increasing to 8–9 million trips by 2055
Park and Ride
Proposed facilities at Ladies Mile, the Airport and the Town Centre
Timeline
Subject to approvals, construction is currently targeted to begin from late 2027.
New information since our last webinar
One of the biggest updates shared was the completion of independent transport modelling by WSP.
The modelling looked at how Queenstown's transport network is expected to grow over the coming decades and how the proposed cable car could fit into that future network.
The findings reinforced what a number of previous transport studies have already identified—that Queenstown will need a significant shift towards public transport if it is going to keep pace with future growth.
Importantly, the modelling also confirmed that the cable car works best as part of a wider transport system, alongside buses, Park and Ride facilities and other initiatives already being explored.
Progress continues across the project
A lot has happened since we last caught up with the community.
Recent progress includes:
- Completion of updated transport modelling.
- Planning for three Park and Ride facilities.
- Appointment of Naylor Love to support development of the building and civil works package.
- Continued work on the project's funding and commercial model.
- Preparation of the substantive Fast Track Approvals application.
- Inclusion of the project on the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission's National Infrastructure Pipeline.
- While there is still plenty of work ahead, the project team remains focused on progressing the design and approvals process as efficiently as possible.
Your questions
As always, some of the best conversations happened during the Q&A session.
People wanted to know how much a trip might cost, whether locals could pay less than visitors, what happens to nearby properties, whether bikes, luggage and dogs could travel on the cable car, how the network would cope with busy periods like airport arrivals, and when construction could begin.
There was also strong interest in how Park and Ride facilities would work, how the project would be funded and how residents can continue supporting the project as it moves through the approvals process.
We'll be answering all of these questions - and many more - in a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section that will be published on the website shortly.
Looking ahead
Work continues on the Fast Track Approvals application, detailed design, technical assessments and funding discussions.
One exciting piece of work currently underway is an interactive 3D model of the proposed network, which will allow people to explore the route, stations and surrounding environment in much greater detail.
We'll also continue holding community webinars as the project progresses. Every conversation helps improve the proposal, and the feedback we receive genuinely shapes the work we're doing.
Thank you again to everyone who joined us. We appreciate the time you've taken to learn more about the project, ask questions and share your thoughts. We look forward to keeping you updated as we move into the next stage of the journey.