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    // transport · top 10

    🚌Top 10 Ways to Get Around Wellington

    Last updated: August 2026

    Buses, trains, ferries, cable car — the capital's transport ranked.

    // The short answer

    Get a Snapper card. It works on Metlink buses, trains and the harbour ferry, and it is cheaper than cash almost everywhere — the Airport Express is $12 cash but $9.23 on Snapper. The city is small enough that the bus network plus your own feet covers nearly everything; the Cable Car ($7 one-way, $13 return) and the East by West ferry are worth riding for their own sake.

    1. #1
      Editor's Pick
      Metlink Bus Network — Transport in Wellington

      Metlink Bus Network

      The region's bus, train and harbour-ferry operator, and the backbone of getting around the city. Pay by Snapper card, cash or contactless.

      Local tip: A Snapper card is cheaper than cash on almost every service, and the same card works on buses, trains and the harbour ferry.

      Citywide (Greater Wellington regional network)· See metlink.org.nz for route timetables
      SnapperAppCitywide
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    2. #2
      Wellington Cable Car — Transport in Wellington

      Wellington Cable Car

      $

      Lambton Quay to Kelburn in five minutes — a genuine piece of the transport network as well as the city's most photographed ride.

      Local tip: Adult $7 one-way / $13 return, child (5–15) $3.50 / $6.50. Return tickets carry no time restriction.

      Cable Car Lane, 280 Lambton Quay· Mon–Thu 7:30am–8pm, Fri–Sat to 9pm
      IconicHeritageView
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    3. #3
      Johnsonville Line — Transport in Wellington

      Johnsonville Line

      The Metlink commuter rail line (JVL) from Wellington Station out to Johnsonville — single track with passing loops, and one of the more scenic suburban runs in the country.

      Wellington Station, Bunny Street· See Metlink timetable
      TrainCommuterSnapper
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    4. #4
      East by West Ferry — Transport in Wellington

      East by West Ferry

      The harbour ferry from Queens Wharf to Days Bay and Mātiu/Somes Island, running since 1989 — and home to Ika Rere, the southern hemisphere's first electric ferry.

      Local tip: It is a commuter service that happens to be the best-value harbour cruise in the city — ride the Ika Rere if the timetable lets you choose.

      Queens Wharf, Wellington Waterfront· See eastbywest.co.nz for sailings
      FerryDays BayScenic
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    5. #5
      Airport Express Bus — Transport in Wellington

      Airport Express Bus

      $

      Metlink's airport service between the Wellington Station bus interchange and the airport, seven days a week, every 10–20 minutes.

      Local tip: Adult $12 cash but $9.23 on a Snapper card; child $6 / $4.62 and under-fives free. The trip takes 25–35 minutes.

      Wellington Station Stop B ↔ airport ground-floor carpark, Door E· Daily, every 10–20 minutes
      AirportDirectSnapper
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    6. #6
      Flamingo — Transport in Wellington

      Flamingo

      Shared e-scooters and e-bikes across the city. Flamingo holds one of the Wellington City Council micromobility licences confirmed in January 2026, alongside Lime.

      Local tip: Replaces Beam, which lost its Wellington licence after exceeding and misreporting its scooter cap — older guides naming Beam are out of date.

      Citywide, Wellington· 24 hours
      E-scooterE-bikeLast-mile
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    7. #7
      Switched On Bikes — Transport in Wellington

      Switched On Bikes

      Waterfront e-bike hire beside Ferg's Kayaks — plus small-group guided waterfront e-bike tours and a service workshop.

      Local tip: An e-bike is the easy way to do the waterfront-to-Miramar run without the hills defeating you.

      Shed One, Queens Wharf, Wellington Waterfront· Daily 9am–5pm
      E-bikeWaterfrontTour
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    8. #8
      Kāpiti Line — Transport in Wellington

      Kāpiti Line

      Metlink's KPL line from Wellington Station out to Waikanae — the fastest way to the Kāpiti Coast. Some peak services start or terminate at Porirua or Plimmerton.

      Wellington Station, Bunny Street· See Metlink timetable
      TrainKāpitiSnapper
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    9. #9
      Uber & YourRide — Transport in Wellington

      Uber & YourRide

      Ride-hailing in the capital: Uber, plus the New Zealand app YourRide, which books registered taxis from a network of established NZ taxi companies.

      Local tip: YourRide replaced Zoomy, which shut down in September 2023 — if a guide still tells you to download Zoomy, it is out of date.

      Citywide· 24 hours
      RideshareApp24/7
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    10. #10
      Interislander Ferry — Transport in Wellington

      Interislander Ferry

      The 3.5-hour Cook Strait crossing to Picton aboard the Kaitaki and Kaiārahi, carrying vehicles as well as foot passengers — the gateway to the South Island.

      Local tip: The terminal sits between the city and SH1, so allow for the transfer out of the CBD on top of the check-in time.

      Aotea Quay / Kaiwharawhara terminal, about five minutes from the central city· Multiple daily sailings
      South IslandScenicVehicle ferry
      Maps ReviewsWebsite
    ~/guide/transportLive · 2026

    Buses, trains, ferries, cable car — the capital's transport ranked.

    Wellington's compact size and the Metlink network mean you rarely need a car. This guide covers the train lines, the bus network, the cable car, the harbour ferry and the e-bike, e-scooter and ride-hailing options Wellingtonians actually use. A Snapper card works across bus, train and ferry services.

    This Wellington shortlist starts with Metlink Bus Network, Wellington Cable Car, Johnsonville Line. The leading picks cover Citywide (Greater Wellington regional network), 280 Lambton Quay, Bunny Street, with strengths including snapper, app, citywide, iconic; compare the addresses, hours and local tips below before choosing.

    Rankings are editorial; read our ranking method and corrections policy.

    • Wellington transport
    • Metlink
    • Snapper card
    • Wellington trains
    • Wellington bus
    • Wellington airport transfer

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    // Same list, other cities

    Best transport in Auckland, Rotorua & Queenstown

    Ranked to the same editorial standard as this page, by the same team.

    Good to know

    Transport in Wellington — FAQ

    Our current #1 pick is Metlink Bus Network (Citywide (Greater Wellington regional network)). The region's bus, train and harbour-ferry operator, and the backbone of getting around the city. Pay by Snapper card, cash or contactless. A Snapper card is cheaper than cash on almost every service, and the same card works on buses, trains and the harbour ferry.

    Metlink's Airport Express runs seven days between the airport (ground-floor carpark, near Door E) and Stop B at the Wellington Station bus interchange, every 10–20 minutes. The trip takes 25–35 minutes. An adult fare is $12 in cash or $9.23 on a Snapper card; children are $6 / $4.62 and under-fives travel free.

    You do not need one — buses take cash and contactless — but Snapper is cheaper on most services and the same card covers Metlink buses, trains and the harbour ferry. On the Airport Express alone it saves about $2.77 a trip.

    Adult $7 one-way and $13 return; children aged 5–15 pay $3.50 and $6.50. Return tickets have no time restriction. It runs 7:30am–8pm Monday to Thursday and until 9pm on Friday and Saturday.

    Yes. Wellington City Council confirmed its micromobility licences in January 2026, and they went to Flamingo and Lime. Beam is no longer licensed here after it exceeded and misreported its scooter cap, so older guides naming Beam are out of date.

    Editorially — a ranking position is never sold, and no business can pay to move up this list. (BestWellington does sell advertising: sponsor banners and partner cards are labelled "Sponsored", and any advertiser appearing in a list is labelled too — see our Advertise page.) We shortlist from each venue's public standing (its Google reviews and local press at the time we check it), then order the list on local knowledge and confirm every entry is still trading. We do not hold our own review scores, so we publish no star ratings; each entry links straight out to its real Google reviews so you can judge for yourself.

    This guide ranks 10 transport in Wellington, with the top 10 featured first. Every entry was last checked in August 2026. You can search and shortlist any of them, then open Google Maps, reviews or the business website directly.