IFS Cloud Cable Car: Routes, Prices & Worth It

Anyone who’s glanced up from the Greenwich Peninsula has seen the cable cars tracing a quiet line across the Thames skyline. The IFS Cloud Cable Car has been ferrying passengers between the Royal Docks and Greenwich since 2012, yet it still divides opinion — is it a practical commute link or a pricey tourist diversion? This guide lays out the real fares, journey times, and trade-offs so you can decide for yourself.

Length: 1.1 km ·
Journey time: 10 minutes (one-way) ·
Cost (adult single): £6 (Oyster/contactless) ·
Opened: 2012 ·
Sponsorship: IFS Cloud (2022–2026) ·
Daily capacity: 4,000 passengers

Seven key specs, one pattern: the IFS Cloud Cable Car is designed for short, high-frequency urban crossings, not long-haul transit.

Where does the IFS Cloud Cable Car go?

Which terminals does it connect?

• The cable car runs directly between the Greenwich Peninsula Terminal and the Royal Docks Terminal, crossing the River Thames (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• The Greenwich Peninsula terminal is a short 3-minute walk from North Greenwich Tube Station (Jubilee line) (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).

What landmarks can you see along the route?

• Panoramic views of the Thames Barrier, The O2 arena, the Emirates cable car’s distinctive towers, and the growing skyline of the Royal Docks and Canary Wharf in the distance (ExCeL London (events and visitor destination)).

The implication: the route is short — just over a kilometre — but the visual payoff is intentionally generous. For a visitor heading to an event at ExCeL or The O2, it functions as a scenic connector, not a raw commute link.

How much is the IFS cable car?

Single ticket price

• An adult single fare is £6 when paid with Oyster, contactless, or a TfL Travelcard, according to Transport for London (official transport regulator).
• Children aged 5–15 pay £3 one-way; children under 5 travel free (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• A special visitor fare of £3.50 one-way is available for ExCeL attendees, compared with the standard £7 walk-up fare displayed on site (ExCeL London (events and visitor destination)).

Return ticket price

• An adult return (round trip) costs £12; a child return costs £6 (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• Family round-trip pricing for 2 adults and up to 3 children comes to £30 (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).

Discounts for children and groups

• Children aged 5–15 receive a 50% discount on adult fares (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• Group discounts are not explicitly listed; the family ticket is the only published bundled deal.
• A multi-journey ticket offers 10 one-way trips for £17, available only at the cable car ticket offices (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).

The pattern: single-ride walk-up fares are steep, while multi-journey and advance-booking discounts cut the cost by nearly a third. The casual tourist pays full price; the savvy local plans ahead.

What is the point of the IFS cable car?

Commute alternative

• The cable car provides a direct link between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks — a crossing that otherwise requires a tube detour via Canning Town or a river bus (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• According to GetYourGuide (third-party ticketing platform), the ride saves roughly 15 minutes compared with the equivalent tube journey for certain origin-destination pairs.

Tourist attraction

• ExCeL London describes the cable car as “the UK’s first and only urban cable car,” positioning it as a sightseeing experience that doubles as transport (ExCeL London (events and visitor destination)).
• The 90-metre height offers uninterrupted 360-degree views of the Thames corridor (ExCeL London (events and visitor destination)).

Connection to ExCeL and The O2

• The cable car directly serves two major event venues: ExCeL London on the Royal Docks side and The O2 on the Greenwich Peninsula side (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• For exhibition visitors, the £3.50 ExCeL-specific fare makes it a competitive option against taxis and buses.

What this means: the cable car occupies a hybrid role — it is registered as part of London’s public transport network, but its pricing and marketing lean heavily into tourism and event access. For the commuter traveling between Greenwich and the Royal Docks daily, the multi-journey ticket is the only way to make the economics work.

How long is the IFS Cloud Cable Car journey?

One-way duration

• The one-way journey takes approximately 10 minutes from terminal to terminal (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• The cabins run every 30 seconds, so wait times are minimal outside peak event periods.

Round trip duration

• A round trip — riding to the opposite terminal and back — takes about 20 minutes of actual travel time, plus boarding and any queuing at the turnaround terminal.
• Including walking to the terminals and purchasing tickets, a round trip typically takes 30–40 minutes total.

The catch: the total time investment for a round trip is roughly comparable to taking a bus or tube for the same cross-Thames journey, but with far better views and a more reliable schedule (cable cars don’t get stuck in traffic).

Is it worth riding the IFS Cloud Cable Car?

Pros and cons

Best time to ride

• Sunset offers the most dramatic views, with the Thames and London skyline lit up. Weekday afternoons are quieter than weekend afternoons when event crowds at ExCeL or The O2 are highest (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
• Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8am–9pm, Friday 9am–10pm, Saturday 9am–11pm, Sunday 9am–9pm (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).

How to ride the IFS Cloud Cable Car: a step-by-step guide

1. Get to a terminal: Take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich station (3-minute walk to the Greenwich Peninsula terminal) or take a bus to Royal Victoria station for the Royal Docks terminal (Visit Greenwich Peninsula (local tourism authority)).
2. Choose your ticket: Buy a single (£6 adult), return (£12 adult), or multi-journey ticket (£17 for 10 trips) at the terminal ticket office. Oyster and contactless are accepted at the gates (Transport for London (official transport regulator)).
3. Board: Cabins arrive every 30 seconds. No seat reservations — just step in with your group. Bicycles and luggage are allowed (Transport for London (official transport regulator)).
4. Enjoy the ride: The 10-minute crossing gives you clear views of the Thames Barrier, The O2, and Canary Wharf.
5. Exit and explore: At the Royal Docks terminal, you’re a short walk from ExCeL London, the Emirates Royal Docks, and river bus services. At Greenwich Peninsula, The O2 and the riverside path are within a 5-minute walk.

The implication: the process is straightforward and family-friendly — the main friction point is the ticket price, not the logistics.

Timeline

• 28 June 2012 – The cable car opens as the Emirates Air Line, built by Doppelmayr at a reported cost of £60 million (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• 28 June 2022 – The Emirates naming rights expire; the line is temporarily branded as the “London Cable Car” (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• 20 October 2022 – IFS Cloud takes over as the sponsor, rebranding the line as the IFS Cloud Cable Car (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• 28 June 2024 – FirstGroup begins operating the line under a 5-year contract (with an option for 3 more years) (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• March 2023 – TfL removes the £1 discount for Oyster and Travelcard holders, effectively raising the standard adult PAYG fare (Wikipedia (community-sourced transport database)).
• Expected 2026 – The IFS Cloud sponsorship agreement ends; future sponsorship or operational model to be confirmed.

The signal: the cable car has gone through three identities in 14 years — a sign that its revenue model remains a work in progress. Each sponsorship and operator change has been accompanied by price adjustments, and the 2026 expiry opens another chapter of uncertainty.

Clarity check

“We used the IFS Cloud Cable Car to travel between ExCeL and The O2 for dinner and back. Tickets were easy to purchase and the views at sunset were spectacular. For event-goers, it’s a no-brainer.”

— TripAdvisor reviewer, verified visitor, 2025

“The London Cable Car runs between Greenwich Peninsula Terminal and Royal Docks Terminal, providing a quick, scenic crossing of the Thames. It’s part of the city’s integrated transport network.”

— Transport for London, official operational statement

The IFS Cloud Cable Car delivers exactly what it promises: a short, scenic, and reliable crossing of the Thames with views no tube journey can match. But the pricing model creates a clear divide — for the tourist or event-goer with a specific destination (ExCeL, The O2), it is a convenient and memorable option. For the daily commuter trying to save money, the multi-journey ticket at £17 for 10 rides brings the cost per trip down to £1.70, competitive with a bus fare. For a London resident without an event ticket, the decision is clear: ride it once for the experience, then let the tube or a river bus handle the repeat journeys.

For a detailed breakdown of routes and ticket prices, check out this comprehensive IFS Cloud Cable Car guide.

Frequently asked questions