Emirates Air Line - Cable Car Experience!

So I realise that this isn't technically an 'event' post, but I been talking about the new Emirates Air Line (aka the new London cable car) to everyone and anyone who will listen, so I thought I would share with you all!

First of all some facts:

- Opened on 28th June 2012, taking just under a year to complete

- Travels between Greenwich Peninsula (the o2) and the Royal Docks (Excel Centre)

- 1100 metres long and 90 metres high

- Cabins arriving every 30 seconds, transporting up to 2500 people in one hour (equivalent of 30 bus loads)

To sum up my experience, I would say 'AMAZING'. This was the most stress-free and easy 'tourist attraction' that I have ever been on.

Now I must admit, we were very lucky. We arrived at about 7pm on Saturday evening to find only a few people in the queue in front of us. This meant that we waited no time at all, and had a cabin all to ourselves!

The views were spectacular! I will let the pictures below speak for themselves. The journey lasts around 10 minutes each way (5 mins during certain times for commuters).

View of o2 and Canary Wharf

Decending in to the Royal Docks

Emirates Greenwich Peninsula Station

River Thames

Putting my 'sponsorship' hat on, I think that the branding team at Emirates have done a fantastic job. Everything ties in with the brand: trips are called 'flights', the staff wear airline style uniforms, you are even greeted with a take off style message as you depart the station. Some may find this cheesy, and I can imagine that if you are using this to commute every day the novelty will definitely wear off, but I think that it works nicely!

The TFL website states that Emirates have invested £36m in a 10 year sponsorship deal, and I have no doubt that it will get London using the Emirates name in every day language, just like the brand 'o2' for the old Millennium Dome.

Overall, I would highly recommend that you give the Emirates Air Line a go. One piece of advice would be to top up your Oyster card before you go as there was a queue for the ticket machine. Tickets are around £6.40 return if you have an Oyster card and I definitely was not disappointed with the service or the views!

One last thing is that you can hire a private cabin for £86 for 10 people. I wonder whether they will branch out into corporate hospitality in the future? Watch this space.......

Thank you for reading! Yellow Owl