Queenstown is about to change drastically! The town needs to “carry” it into the sky! Amazing plan…

Reprinted from the New Zealand Chinese Pioneer Public Account (ID: Chinese_Herald)

Queenstown is the crown jewel of New Zealand’s tourism crown.

Everyone knows the beauty of Queenstown, but everyone knows it is blocked, especially during peak seasons, tourists are like dumplings, and cars are like trapped beasts fighting.

On May 27, at the Queenstown Electrification Trade Show, two companies proposed plans to lay public cable cars throughout the town to replace buses, so that the town can “carry” into the sky!

Order cable car trips like a uber

Let’s first look at the plan of the first company, which is a native Christchurch company—Whoosh。

The name is like its dream: with a whoosh, it sends you from home to the ski resort.

They are developing a cool “air autonomous cable car” system. Passengers only need to place an order through the mobile app, and the car is hanging in the air and floating over it. It is as convenient as calling Uber, and it is easy to travel through Queenstown.

Does it sound a bit like a science fiction movie? But Whoosh CEO Chris Allington said yesterday

“This is not a PPT, nor an animation, it’s really something that can be built and will come soon.”

They have designed a six-segment aerial network diagram, planning to connect to Shotover Country from Frankton to the Remarkables ski slope.

The first phase of the project, about two kilometers of pilot line, is expected to start construction and operation in Remarkables Park next year.

Allington also emphasized that Whoosh’s system is modularly designed and has a very fast construction speed and can be put into use while building.

He said: “We don’t need to complete all of them before they can be opened. We will spread them to the same side and slowly spread them out.”

The preliminary estimated cost of the entire project is currently $250 million, with funds mainly coming from local shareholders and overseas investors.

Rich and old cable car companies support

Let’s look at the plan of another company, this company is calledSouthern Infrastructure。

They also want to build cable cars, but they take a more traditional route-Electric high-speed cable car system, seven stations, which run through the entire Queenstown, the route spans from Arthur’s Point to the center of Queenstown, and then extends to Ladies Mile. There will be stations at the airport and Frankton bus stations in the middle.

This design is not drawn by the head. The company CEO Ross Copland said that this is the result of years of research on various factors such as terrain, building height restrictions, ecological protection areas, etc.:

“We try to avoid residential areas and reduce the impact on the visual landscape so that it will be easier to pass the approval.”

Behind this company is also a big supporter – New Zealand rich man Rod Drury (Founder of Xero) and the world’s top ski lift manufacturer Doppelmayr.

Their goal is to officially open by the end of 2028, with up to 3,000 passengers per hour.

The first phase will connect the city center of Queenstown and Frankton/Queentown Airport, a flight departs every 12 seconds, providing fully electric and zero emission services.

What about the cost? $200 million.

Copland said they hope to be included in the public transportation system so that tourists and locals can achieve integrated “bus-ferry-cable car” travel. If the government supports it, then follow the fare model and passengers use it at their own expense.

Queenstown businesses are happy to see it

Although the two companies have their own plans on the “cable car route”, they are highly consistent in their goals – solving the pain points of traffic difficulties and environmentally friendly travel in Queenstown.

Sharon Fifield, CEO of Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, said local businesses are happy to see the obvious benefits of the proposal.

“I’m glad to have the support of the business community. Queenstown needs forward-looking solutions that balance livability and economic resilience – this cable car meets both of these.”

Mat Woods, CEO of Queenstown Tourism Bureau, believes that the project is very consistent with Queenstown’s global tourism industry image.

The cable car plan will be submitted to parliament later this year, with the first phase opening at the end of 2028.

Auckland has proposed a cable car crossing plan

In many cities around the world, cable cars are useful as public transportation, such as Chongqing, which is familiar to everyone:

In Bolivia, there is a 31-kilometer-long urban cable car that transports more than 265,000 passengers per day:

In Portland, USA, there is also a cableway, each car can carry 78 people:

Even in the first two years, Doppelmayr proposed a new North Shore cross-sea access to the Auckland Transportation Bureau: a 4.2-kilometer-long cross-sea cable car was built within two or three years.

The planned route will connect the downtown Wynard Quarter, the North Shore Bayswater and the Akoranga bus station in Takapuna.

(Cable Car LineRoad diagram)

The cross-sea cable car can transport 6,000 people per hour, and can run up to 20 hours a day, and the carriage can also transport bicycles.

Bayswater’s site can solve the problem of travel difficulties in Devonport Peninsula. If local residents object, the site can also be cancelled, directly from the city to Takapuna.

But there is no description of this plan so far.

I don’t know if Queenstown can realize this plan this time. If it can be realized, it will become another characteristic landscape of Queenstown.

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