A beautifully nostalgic ride in restored tramcars as you climb from Victoria Station up the Orme, passing through winding roads towards open sky views — pure Llandudno heritage in motion.
The Great Orme Tramway is one of those things that sounds like a novelty but turns out to be genuinely extraordinary. Britain's only surviving cable-hauled street tramway, it has been running up the face of the Great Orme since 1902, and riding it remains one of the most distinctive things you can do in North Wales.
The tramway was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1898 and opened to its first paying passengers on 31st July 1902, seen off by the town band playing God Save the King. It runs in two separate sections -- lower and upper -- with passengers changing trams at the Halfway Station, where you can watch the Victorian cable-winding machinery at work. The lower section departs from Victoria Station on Church Walks, just a short walk from the promenade, and climbs steeply through the streets of the town before reaching open hillside. The upper section carries you the rest of the way to the summit at 207 metres (679 feet).
The tramcars are permanently fixed to the cable -- making it a funicular rather than a conventional tram -- and the maximum gradient on the lower section reaches 1 in 3.7, which is steep enough to make the ascent feel like a genuine adventure. On a clear day the views from the summit stretch to the Isle of Man, Blackpool, and the Lake District.
The tramway passed into municipal ownership in 1949 and is now operated by Conwy County Borough Council. Between 1999 and 2001 it received over two million pounds in restoration funding, and the Halfway Station was completely rebuilt and re-equipped. It is one of only three cable street tramways still operating in the world -- the others are in San Francisco and Lisbon -- and it is all the more remarkable for being hidden away on a headland in North Wales.
Tickets cannot be booked in advance. Return ticket sales may close after 3pm. Dogs are welcome, and a coat is advisable -- the Orme has its own weather.
- ✦ Highly rated by our guests
- ✦ Easy to reach from The Rosedene
- ✦ Suitable for all guests
