Leitner has been selected for the Queenstown Airport to town centre route, proposed to travel via the Frankton Bus Hub, while Doppelmayr would lead detailed design development for the Frankton Bus Hub to Ladies Mile line.
The proposed route would connect the transport hub with the growing Ladies Mile residential and commercial area, via a station at the Queenstown Central precinct.
Southern Infrastructure chief executive Ross Copland said the evaluation process was extensive and highly competitive.
"There are many ropeway technologies that fall under the broad definition of ‘cable car’, so it was critical we explored the full spectrum — from conventional gondolas to newer concepts.
"What mattered most was high capacity, aviation-grade safety performance, financial strength, and a proven ability to deliver in New Zealand.
"For this specific urban transport application, gondola technology stood clearly above the rest."
Leitner was already well known in New Zealand, having delivered major installations including NZSki’s Coronet Express, Mt Ruapehu’s Sky Waka gondola and Mt Hutt’s new eight-seater chairlift.
Doppelmayr had been operating in New Zealand for 50 years — its projects included the country’s first detachable chairlifts and the recent Skyline Queenstown gondola redevelopment.
Mr Copland said Southern Infrastructure assessed a wide range of established and emerging transport technologies, including Whoosh, hybrid concepts such as Ropetaxi, and platforms that combined conventional gondola and autonomous vehicle technology, before selecting the preferred solution for the first two lines of the network.
"For the backbone of the network we’ve selected a proven, build-ready system that can be delivered immediately.
"Queenstowners don’t want to be the guinea pigs in a transport science project — they need reliable mass transit yesterday.
"Importantly, the network has been designed to be future-ready, with the flexibility to integrate new technologies as they mature."
Mr Copland said the door remained open to expanding the network with alternative technologies as they demonstrated "reliability at scale".
The next phase of the project, which recently received conditional endorsement from the Infrastructure Commission as a project of national significance, would include detailed design and engineering, environmental and technical assessments and landowner and community consultation.
Construction was targeted to begin in 2027 with the first line anticipated to be operational by 2029, subject to approvals.
"Early next year we’ll be in a position to share more detail and work through feedback ahead of lodging our substantive consent application, subject to confirmation of the appropriate consenting pathway," Mr Copland said.
"This project isn’t just about transport — it’s about unlocking Queenstown’s economic potential.
"By easing congestion and providing a reliable, sustainable alternative, we’re supporting local businesses to thrive by decoupling traffic growth from economic growth."
Doppelmayr New Zealand chief executive Garreth Hayman said in a statement while they were "naturally disappointed" not to have been selected for the Queenstown Airport to town centre route, "ultimately the real winner here is Queenstown".
"Each step forward brings the town closer to the modern transport infrastructure it needs to support growth, reduce congestion and improve quality of life."
- ALLIED MEDIA
