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Aerial cableway

Cable cars and mountain lifts

Not a metro. These are visitor attractions rather than transit, sold as admission rather than as travel. They are here because they are aerial passenger cableways and people reasonably look for them alongside the cable car in London.

Outside London, Britain’s aerial cableways are all leisure operations. The Llandudno Cable Car is the longest in the country, running a mile up the Great Orme; the Heights of Abraham lifts you over the Derwent gorge at Matlock Bath; and the Nevis Range gondola is the only one in Britain serving a ski area from the valley floor.

Serves
Llandudno, Matlock Bath, Fort William
Operator
Various private and local authority operators
Opened
1969
Lines
3
Fares by
Return admission, not transit fares
Cable cars and mountain lifts — Aerial cableway

Photo: Immanuel Giel · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ticket options

Llandudno Cable Car return

£12.50

Best for The Great Orme summit

A mile long, the longest cable car in Britain. Seasonal, and it closes in wind.

Heights of Abraham (Matlock Bath)

£21.00

Best for A family day out

The fare includes the show caverns and the hilltop grounds, which is why it looks expensive for a cable car.

Nevis Range gondola return

£24.00

Best for Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor

Runs year-round for skiers in winter and walkers in summer.

Great Orme combined ticket

£19.00

Best for Doing both Llandudno routes

Combines the cable car one way with the Great Orme Tramway the other. The best way to see the headland.

Fares checked September 2026. Confirm on the operator’s own fares page before you buy.

How to pay

  • Card and cash at the base station
  • Online booking, usually a little cheaper
  • No smartcards or transit ticketing of any kind

Concessions

  • Under 5s usually travel free.
  • Child and family rates are offered at all three.
  • No statutory concessionary travel applies, as these are attractions rather than public transport.

Worth knowing

  1. All three close in high wind, and the two Welsh and English ones are seasonal. Always check before travelling.
  2. In Llandudno the combined tramway and cable car ticket is much better value than buying either return separately.
  3. These are priced as attractions. Do not expect anything resembling a transit fare.

Photos

Great Orme Cable Car, Llandudno
Great Orme Cable Car, Llandudno Stephen Craven  · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nevis Range gondola, Fort William
Nevis Range gondola, Fort William Peter S  · CC BY-SA 2.0

Common questions

How much is a single on these cable cars and lifts?
The cheapest single listed is £12.50 (Llandudno Cable Car return).
What do children pay on these cable cars and lifts?
Under 5s usually travel free.