Whoosh Queenstown Plans

(May 27, 2025)

EXPLORE A VISION FOR A FULL WHOOSH NETWORK IN QUEENSTOWN

We've completed early planning for a Whoosh^® network in the Queenstown-Lakes District. Read about the possible phases and how you can share feedback and suggestions.

 

The map above highlights an initial vision of the core phases for a Whoosh^® network in the Queenstown region. The concepts behind these proposed phases and examples of the types of locations they would connect are detailed below. In addition to phase explanations and how your feedback can help shape the future network, we'll also detail the positive environmental improvements a Whoosh network of this scale would bring to the region.

An introduction to the Whoosh transportation technology was presented by CEO Dr. Chris Allington at the Electrify Queenstown summit on May 27, 2025. That brief keynote presentation offers insight and details about what Whoosh is as well as an introduction to the network plans in Queenstown.

If you're new to Whoosh, it's what has been described as an “urban supergondola”, where self-driving cabins navigate an elevated cable network to complete personal trips. A little like an Uber in the sky, riders book a Whoosh from an app, get in, and glide non-stop to their destination. The elevated network allows Whoosh to transcend traffic and other obstacles, completing uninterrupted consistent trips for riders of the system. While it may look like a traditional gondola system at first glance, there's more than meets the eye. Whoosh cabins are autonomous electric vehicles that are free to take riders anywhere on the network.

To be clear, the maps being presented here show different sections of the network in different colors. These are only representations of phases for the network to be built and installed - each serving a different purpose for riders in the area. Once any phase is joined up to the network, riders are able to navigate direct trips to any stop or station along the completed network. In other words, the colors of the phases aren't like light rail or subway routes that are limited to operating solely on their pre-determined route.

The maps below show the extensions of two of the phases from the main map above. The green "Downtown Connector" and purple "Southern Corridor" phases branch off the main network to expand travel options for Whoosh riders in the Queenstown region.

 

 

The two videos below offer insight into where the Whoosh network could go and what it might look like at various locations. The first video shows an overhead tour of the proposed routes, demonstrating the potential phase paths from an elevated perspective. The second video shows a representation of Whoosh operating in the local landscape.

 

 

 

Explore Potential Queenstown Network Phases:

FRANKTON CONNECTOR: 
Slated as the first phase to be implemented when final plan commentary is integrated, this phase aims to connect the Remarkables Park shops and hotels to Queenstown International Airport and existing local transit options. Alastair Porter, Executive Chair & CEO of Remarkables Park Limited, commented about the importance of a phase like this onstage during the Whoosh launch event:

“First of all, it's going to thrill the locals who hate the traffic jams. Not only can we shift the tourists to Whoosh, we can shift the locals as well. Like many things about Queenstown, what's good for the tourists is good for the locals." - Alastair Porter

Indeed, the Frankton Connector phase lays the groundwork for allowing tourists to land at the airport and make their way to key attractions without having to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or, with the realization of the full Whoosh network, ever take up space on the local roadway.

In addition to accessing small footprint stops and stations at ground level, Whoosh also has the capability to use existing structures as supports, or be designed to incorporate directly into new buildings. The rendering below depicts an artists impression of how Whoosh could connect directly to a new real estate development, like the ones being considered for Remarkables Park.

 

 

FRANKTON LOOP: 
Expected to be the second phase of the Queenstown Whoosh network to be implemented, the Frankton Loop joins with the Frankton Connector to complete a full circulator route for the heart of Remarkables Park. These two phases create easy access to the key destinations around Remarkables Park and unifiy the northern and southern areas which are currently separated by the orientation of the airport.

Whoosh is flexible in the ways it can adapt to an existing environment. The image below demonstrates an early Frankton Loop variation that uses a stacked approach to a Whoosh cable network, allowing Whoosh to move in tighter spaces - like this path depicted over Central Street.

 

 

SOUTHERN CORRIDOR: 
This phase is intended to help ease transportation challenges from the anticipated growth and development south of Remarkables Park. While current real estate development discussions focus on residential, commercial, and recreational expansions in response to the increasing population and growing tourism industry in the area, the Queenstown Whoosh network's Southern Corridor looks to create new mobility options for the region - providing a low cost alternative to expanded roadways and costly infrastructure like new bridges.

LADIES MILE CONNECTOR: 
Aspiring to increase transportation flow and options to the communities east of Remarkables Park, this phase connects directly to earlier phases like the Frankton Connector and Frankton Loop for broader Whoosh network access. Whoosh is designed for to overcome geographic obstacles at low cost, making it an ideal enhancement to the transportation needs of the region. The Ladies Mile Connector is designed, in part, to relieve the expected challenges of capacity for the Kawarau Falls Bridge.

EASTERN CORRIDOR: 
The Eastern Corridor phase offers an additional connection path to the region for communities to the east. As with the proposed Ladies Mile Connector the Eastern Corridor of the Queenstown Whoosh network further removes ground-based vehicle traffic from the Kawarau Falls Bridge, helping reduce stress on that key transportation artery for easier access to the heart of Queenstown and Remarkables Park.

Additionally, the Eastern Corridor phase is designed to potentially connect residents, regional hotels, and accommodations directly to a proposed future traditional ropeway gondola servicing the Remarkables Ski Area. Whoosh network expansion to the Remarkables Ski Area would allow easy access for locals, tourists, and staff to the Remarkables Ski Area with no additional strain on existing roadways and infrastructure.

DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR: 
Anticipated as the final phase of the Queenstown Whoosh network, the Downtown Connector would complete the transportation access plan for the region. With the full network in place, the ability for residents and tourists to access major key points around the region would be realized, drastically reducing congestion and transportation challenges.

 

Environmental & Traffic Impacts:

Data from a New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi study shows that a Whoosh network in the Queenstown region could have major positive implications for the area. The impact to existing transport infrastructure would result in a savings of 21 million kilometers of annual travel on current roadways. Additionally, it would lead to the reduction of 5,500 tons of CO₂ and eliminate the need for an estimated 250 new car parks.

That calculation data is based on 4,000 trips per day (⅙ of current regional transport system load & 25% capacity of a small Whoosh network). Additional calculation data was defined by an average of 8 km per trip, 340 travel days per year, and an environmental impact of 0.25T CO₂ per 1,000 km traveled.

The study did not produce statistics for additional Whoosh network benefits such as projections for reductions in roadway accidents and fatalities or the time savings per passenger from avoiding traffic and delays on existing roadway infrastructure.

 

Feedback & Suggestions:

The current phases and locations of a Whoosh network in the Queenstown region are only one possible version of a vision for the future. We are looking for feedback and suggestions from residents, business leaders, and tourists to help us further shape and improve the next round of planning.

Please use the form below to connect with us with your perspective on the Whoosh network plan. We look forward to helping create a positive transportation solution for you and the region. Your participation offers vital insight. Thank you!