Latest news with #IFSCloudCableCar
Time Out
3 hours ago
- Time Out
London's cable car is launching an incredible glass floor experience
Swaying in the wind and dangling 90 metres above the Thames, London's cable car is already one of the hairier ways of getting about the capital. But from today (June 20), you're able to book an even more thrilling way of experiencing the service. The IFS Cloud Cable Car – as it's officially called – has launched a 'Glass Floor Experience', which means travellers can see even more of their surroundings. As well as sights such as the City's skyscrapers, the Isle of Dogs, the O2 Arena and the Olympic Parks, cable car riders will be able to peer down into the murky Thames. Two cabins on the cable car service are fitted out with glass floors, and they'll open to the public on Monday June 23. Getting a go in a glass-bottomed cable car cabin won't simply be a case of turning up and hoping you get one. You'll be able to book the experience in advance, and it will cost more than a normal IFS Cloud Cable Car trip. During peak times (weekends and school holidays), it'll cost £35 for adults and £17.50 for children (age 5-15), and off-peak it'll be £25 for adults and £12.50 per child. London's cable car – previously known as the Emirates Air Line – opened in 2012 and runs between Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula. It takes 15 minutes each way and a regular, non-glass-bottom cabin costs £7 one-way for adults (£13 return) and £3.50 for children (£6.50 return). To get the Glass Floor Experience up and running TfL is offering 20 percent off for visits between June 23 and August 31 if you book online. You'll need code 'GFE20' to get that discount.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NEW glass floor cabin opens at London cable car costing twice a regular ticket
Thrill-seekers can now book a glass floor cabin at London's cable car between Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Transport for London (TfL) has said that from today (June 20), it is possible to book the 'unique' glass floor experience at IFS Cloud Cable Car. Initially opened in 2012, the cable car has attracted a steady stream of visitors, hitting a record 1.5 million passengers last year. This is despite the fact it has failed to entice commuters to use the route. READ MORE - Earlier this year, TfL pushed back its opening hours, claiming only 20 customers a day used the cable car in its first hour of operation. Two of the 34 cabins have been fitted with the glass floor, offering enhanced views of the River Thames and landmarks such as the O2 arena. The cable car offers views of the O2 arena in Greenwich (Image: TfL) Josh Crompton, TfL's head of the IFS Cloud Cable Car, said: 'The cable car has been one of London's leading attractions for more than a decade and is a much-loved landmark in the city's skyline. 'We're excited to offer this new experience to customers, extending the incredible views from the cabin even further thanks to the panoramic glass floor.' TfL has recommended that, 'to avoid disappointment', passengers should book in advance if they want to ride in the glass floor cabin. It will still be possible to buy a ticket at one of the two terminals, depending on availability. Ticket prices are substantially more than the £13 for a trip in a regular cabin. READ MORE - Off-peak tickets cost £25 for an adult, increasing to £35 at peak times, which covers weekends and school holidays. All glass floor cabin tickets come with 'fast track' perks. For those booking online for trips between June 23 and August 31, the code 'GFE20' will provide 20 per cent off the ticket price. In the financial year 2023/24, TfL's revenue from the cable car hit £10 million, which was £1 million higher than the previous 12 months. Freedom of Information (FoI) data suggests that the cable car had an operating surplus of £2.6 million over the same time period.
Evening Standard
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Evening Standard
Thrill-seekers required! Cable car across the Thames gets glass-floor cabins (and sky-high prices)
The cable car, officially known as the IFS Cloud Cable Car, is run by Transport for London, having been launched by former mayor Boris Johnson in 2012 as part of the celebrations for the London Olympics.
Metro
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I tried out every Londoner's worst nightmare and spoke to other commuters
Trapped in a cable car with strangers. Nope, this isn't a new horror film. But that is what came to my mind when I heard about the TfL's chatty cabin initiative in North Greenwich. Running for the second time, the chatty cabins initiative on the IFS Cloud Cable Car allows people to talk to each other while taking in the unobstructed view of London. It's been set up to help tackle loneliness in London, which, according to the campaign to end loneliness, which estimates 8% of Londoners experience severe loneliness. Interested in the real-life psychological experiment, I wanted to try every Londoner's worst nightmare – eye contact and conversation in public transport – while dangling 295ft over the River Thames with nowhere to escape. But I discovered that curiosity is not dead – and Londoners are a warm bunch when one person dares to break the ice. While the Tube air hangs heavy with stressed commuters trying to avoid eye contact, the cable car I jumped into with five other passengers invited conversation. Facing each other on the ski lift-style cabin, conversation began to flow as we took in the sights and introduced ourselves. Any shred of anxiety was gone as the cable car whizzed on, making the journey ahead with strangers feel more like an opportunity to be present rather than a torture chamber (although the mostly see-through cabin was very warm). With only a 20-minute ride ahead of us, it was clear we all wanted to make it count and use the rare opportunity where talking to strangers is not considered too nosy. William Bolding was the first to admit that 'I'm afraid of heights' as he clutched the handrail and braced for the journey ahead. As the wind picked up, he asked whether it was normal for the cable car to swing so much. He had booked a slot on the chatty cabin – which sold out last time the initiative ran – to challenge his fear, he admitted. Jackie Hufford had ridden the cable car with her children years ago when it launched for the 2012 London Olympics, and she wanted to relive the memory after reading about the chatty cabins in Metro. 'I love talking to new people and travelling,' the south east Londoner said. Caroline McLeary joked that 'everyone thinks we know each other already, but Jackie and I have just met,' and the pair, both from the Lewisham area, shared numbers at the end of the ride. Caroline said she wanted to come try the chatty cabin to 'do something for myself' although she had to catch two buses to get there. 'Everyone experiences loneliness,' she said. Naturally, the conversation turned to travel as the City Airport loomed in the background. While we couldn't agree on which London airport is the handiest to get to, one thing we agreed on was how expensive travel in the capital is. Despite the heavy and personal theme of loneliness, which brought us for the ride in the first place, my face hurt from smiling by the time we touched back down on the Greenwich Peninsula terminal. I could have easily gone for a pint with our chatty cabin gang. Despite the sold-out success of the first chatty cabin, there are no plans to bring it on the Tube. 'It would be difficult on the Tube,' Josh Crompton, the head of IFS Cloud Cable Car for TfL, said. More Trending 'The Cable Car is different because it's a closed environment. But we certainly encourage people to have conversations.' Josh said the range of people who have tried the chatty cabins includes people 'who struggle with bereavement to tourists coming to London on their own and wanting to engage with people, single parents who are in with their children all day and are looking to get out.' 'I'm one of those people who struggles opening conversations as much as people do, and that's why we create that environment. It's quite refreshing to have a conversation with people, and I don't generally do that, and I find it quite hard, and this was easy and quite refreshing,' he said. The chatty cabins initiative runs this week until Friday and aims to help tackle loneliness in London as part of the Loneliness Awareness Week. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Cap on bus fares to stay in place until 2027, Rachel Reeves announces MORE: Beyoncé giving away free concert tickets to London shows after 'poor sales' MORE: Map reveals the most up-and-coming sex positions in major UK cities
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Some e-bikes to be banned on most TfL services
Non-folding e-bikes will be banned from 31 March on most of the Transport for London (TfL) network, it has operator said customers travelling with these kinds of e-bikes - including ones converted to e-bikes using kits - will not be permitted to travel on most services such as the Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line and DLR. It comes after the Aslef union said earlier this month it was considering balloting members for strike action over e-bikes being allowed on the London said it had made the decision to "ensure the safety of customers and staff" and added it had carried out a review of safety of e-bikes on the network. TfL drew on its own analysis which it said suggested bikes adapted using electronic conversion kits posed a greater fire risk than purpose-built e-bikes, although it pointed it could be hard to differentiate between modified and unmodified said it was instigating the ban "until improved product safety measures are in place for converted cycles, batteries and chargers".It comes after a small number of e-bike fires on the transport network, including one which exploded and caught fire on a Tube station platform in north-west London in April an e-bike also exploded and burst into flames on a platform at Sutton railway station. The operator said it "will keep these changes under review, pending any future changes to legislation by the government regarding e-bike safety standards". Existing rules around non-folding bikes and e-bikes will remain in place, including rules stipulating that no e-bikes are permitted on the IFS Cloud Cable Car and that no non-folding bikes are allowed on buses or stressed non-foldable e-bikes would continue to be permitted on the Silvertown Cycle Shuttle Service, Woolwich Ferry, river services depending on the operator and coach services depending on the operator. 'Build a safer London' Lilli Matson, TfL's chief safety, health and environment officer, said: "We have been working closely with the London Fire Brigade on a review of the safety risks associated with e-bikes on our network. "This safety ban will play a vital role in keeping our transport system safe for everyone, and we continue to work with partners in government and beyond to improve e-bike safety."Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: "The safety of Londoners is my top priority and, while most e-bikes are safe, there have been a small number of incidents where non-foldable e-bikes have caught fire on the transport system, which have caused me great concern."I have asked TfL to continue to work with government and partners to improve e-bike safety as we build a safer London for everyone."
