Opening Times
To get to the Tramway
Wellington Tramway Museum
Tramway Topics Magazine
Tramlines Newsletter
'Back in Business' Tramway DVD

The Kapiti Coast Electric Tramway

We offer an interesting and rewarding experience for people of all ages. Using real old Wellington trams, you can take a return ride of nearly four kilometres through the Wellington Region’s premier coastal park, - through the coastal dunes and with views of Kapiti Island.

The trams date from the 1920’s and 1930’s and were used in Wellington city until closure of the last tram routes in the early and mid 1960’s. Now they are lovingly cared for and operated by volunteer members of the Wellington Tramway Museum – a not-for-profit incorporated society which built, owns, and maintains the tramway.

Travelling in our trams is an experience not to be missed – for those who can remember “the trams” it is a nostalgic experience, bringing back the sounds and feelings of yesteryear. And if you are younger, it is a piece of history – a learning experience that will help all people understand life in the city in the early and mid 20th century.

The Kapiti Coast Electric Tramway extends from the depot area just inside the Queen Elizabeth Park gates at MacKay's Crossing, to Whareroa Beach. A return ride takes about 20 minutes and the trams run normally every half hour – more frequently when busy.

Fares are Adult $5, Child (school age) $2.50, under five no charge and Family concession $12.50.

An historical display is located in the tram barn and comprises an interesting selection of photographs and other memorabilia. An old Wellington cable-car and other trams may also be viewed. A 10 minute video detailing tram operations in Wellington in the 1950's plays continuously inside our Brisbane ‘Dreadnought’ tram used in the making of the movie 'King Kong'.

Souvenirs, snacks, ice creams, drinks and confectionery may be obtained from the Museum kiosk. (back to top)

Photo: Allan Neilson

Opening Times:

Normal museum opening and tram operating hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am to 4.30 pm.  We are also  open on Public Holidays except for Christmas Day and are also open and operating daily from Boxing Day (Dec 26th) to Wellington Anniversary Day (late January)

The trams may not operate in very cold or wet weather.

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Photo: Graeme Moffatt

To get to the museum:

We are located at MacKay’s Crossing on State Highway One, 45 kms from Wellington, between the northern suburbs of Paekakariki and Paraparaumu on the Kapiti Coast. See Map.

The tramway is well sign-posted on State Highway 1 with brown “tourist” signs designated “Queen Elizabeth Park – Tram Rides”. Take this exit and follow the signs. These will lead you across the railway level crossing and through the Queen Elizabeth Park entrance gates. The Tramway Museum is approximately 50 metres inside the gates on your right.

Alternative access:

Public Transport
Unfortunately there is no access by regular public transport (except by taxi). From Wellington take the electric suburban train to Paraparaumu (the outer suburban terminus) and a taxi for about 6kms from Paraparaumu to the Tramway Museum, MacKay’s Crossing.

Walking / Hiking
Take the train to Paekakariki and either walk along the Beach or, via walking tracks, from the south end of Queen Elizabeth Park until you reach the vicinity of Whareroa Beach which is the tramline terminus. From Paekakariki Railway Station it is an approximately 20 minute walk along Wellington Road to the south end of Queen Elizabeth Park, and a further hour or so on the tracks within the Park.

For great rates on Wellington accommodation at Wotif.com. (back to top)

The Wellington Tramway Museum Incorporated

The Wellington Tramway Museum society, which owns the Tramway, was incorporated in 1964 as a non-profit organisation to preserve tramcars and other items of tramway interest, to establish and operate a working tramcar museum and to foster an interest in tramways generally.

Seven Wellington trams were transported from the Newtown tram sheds in Wellington a few weeks after the closure of Wellington's last tram route on 2 May 1964. After a period of temporary storage all had arrived at Oueen Elizabeth Park by mid-1965.

First tram operation, which was over a very short track length, was in February 1965 and the official opening of the first 200 metres of route was on 19 December 1965. The rails had been obtained from contractors who were ripping them out of Wellington's streets as scrap. They were repaired and laid by Museum members who also erected the overhead wires and installed a 500 volt direct current power supply- initially a generator in a diesel bus.

The Museum site is leased from the Wellington Regional Council. Tram operations have helped provide funds for installation of a permanent (mercury-arc) power supply (1970), the main tram barn (1978) the large storage building at the rear of the leased property (1982), together with track extensions in 1985 and to the Beach picnic area (1988).

Further improvements have been the installation of a tram maintenance pit (1993) and the large tram workshop building (1996). In addition much voluntary effort and funds, go into the maintenance and restoration of the trams with two having so far received major restoration attention.

Tramway Topics Magazine:

The Wellington Tramway Museum publishes New Zealand's Street Tramway Magazine, 'Tramway Topics'.
It contains:

• Historical articles/photographs
• Overseas developments
• Museum progress and news
• Local electric traction news

Keep up with developments - Re-live tramway history
Four issues per year, $35 (incl. GST) per annum posted (NZ) , $46 per annum posted (Overseas)

To subscribe, please contact:

Wellington Tramway Museum Inc.
PO Box 2612
Wellington

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Tramlines Newsletter:

The Wellington Tramway Museum prints a regular newsletter for its members and back copies of this are available to download from this link.

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'Back in Business' Tramway DVD:

The Wellington Tramway Museum has a DVD for sale that portrays the evolution of Wellington’s tramway system from its early beginnings through to its closing in 1964 and the formation of a working museum at Queen Elizabeth Park near Paekakariki.

$27.95 plus $2.00 p&p

Available from Museum Shop or please send payment with order to:

Wellington Tramway Museum Inc.
PO Box 2612
Wellington

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