Scenic World: rides, season, tips

When to go

Scenic World is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day, and its rides run in all weather. Its hours change through the year and with the weather, so check the hours shown for your date. Katoomba sits at about 1,010 metres, so the mountains are cooler than Sydney, with many misty days and occasional snow in winter. The national park service describes the Valley of the Waters as a shady retreat on a hot summer day, and mentions summer wildflowers on the Overcliff-Undercliff track. No official source ranks the months, so choose by what you want to see.

Fire, storms and closures

Blue Mountains National Park is always open but can close at times for poor weather or fire danger, and some parts close overnight. Bushfires and severe storms are the main natural hazards in the region, and the 2019 to 2020 fire season burned a large share of the World Heritage Area. Before you go, check the National Parks alerts for the lookout or track you want. During extremely heavy rain Scenic World may close one or more walkways, or the Railway, to keep to its safety standards, so ask when you check in.

The Scenic Railway

The Railway is the ride most people come for. Its steepest section is at 52 degrees, and Scenic World says it holds the Guinness record for the steepest passenger railway. The line was built for mining in the 1880s and became a ride for visitors in 1945. Reference works add that it is technically an inclined lift rather than a funicular. The ride takes a few minutes. Boarding involves 22 stairs, and Scenic World asks riders to brace with their legs or arms to stay upright, so it suits people who can manage steps.

The Cableway and the Skyway

The Cableway runs between the top and the valley at a 36 degree incline, and Scenic World calls it the steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere. The Skyway is a different ride. It glides between clifftops about 270 metres above the rainforest, with views of the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls and Orphan Rock, and a second station, Skyway East, sits across the valley. It opened in 1958 as Australia's first cable car. Rides leave about every 10 minutes from each station, and every guest must get off at each station and queue again.

The rainforest boardwalks

On the valley floor you can walk any of three connected boardwalks, which take about 10, 30 or 50 minutes. The 10-minute route links the Railway and Cableway stations, is about 500 metres one way, and suits wheelchairs and prams. The longer routes have steep slopes and many stairs. Scenic World describes the Walkway as one of Australia's longest elevated rainforest boardwalks. The longer boardwalks start closing an hour before closing time, so walk them earlier in your visit, not last.

How long to allow

Scenic World suggests two to three hours for all three rides plus the boardwalks. Waits vary: 0 to 10 minutes when it is quiet and 40 to 60 minutes when it is busy. Your session time is valid for 30 minutes, so arrive within that window and check in at the ticket box. After that you can stay, leave and come back on the same day before closing. There are no one-way tickets, because every pass includes unlimited rides. Last rides usually leave the top station 20 minutes before closing, and the valley 10 minutes before.

Getting there and parking

By car, Scenic World is about 90 minutes and 100 km from central Sydney by the M4 and the Great Western Highway, with a free multi-storey car park that has a 2-metre height limit. By train, Sydney Trains run from Central Station to Katoomba on the Blue Mountains Line, and Scenic World is 3 km from the station. Local buses and the Explorer Bus stop outside. You can also walk in along the clifftop from the Three Sisters, or climb out of the valley by the Furber Stairs or the Giant Stairs. Scenic World has no luggage storage.

What to wear, eat and bring

Scenic World is cashless, so bring a card. It sells rain ponchos and umbrellas, and the Railway, Skyway and Cableway cabins are enclosed. Wear shoes you can manage stairs in and bring a layer, because the valley is cooler and damp. The Terrace Cafe and the EATS270 restaurant have halal, gluten-free and vegan options. Food you bring yourself can be eaten only at the picnic table in Skyway Park. Only small foldable strollers fit on the Railway, while prams and strollers can go on the Cableway and Skyway, and there is pram parking in the main building.

Accessibility

The Cableway and Skyway cabins are wheelchair accessible, and so is the shortest stretch of boardwalk. The Railway is not: wheelchairs and mobility aids other than walking sticks are not allowed on it, and boarding involves 22 stairs. Seating is limited on the cabins and the shortest boardwalk. Scenic World accepts companion cards, welcomes guide, hearing and assistance dogs, and has Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards at the guest service desk. Lifts serve every level of the main building. Contact Scenic World before you visit if you have questions about your needs.

Beyond Scenic World

The national park service describes the Prince Henry Cliff Walk as having more than 20 lookouts and three waterfalls between Katoomba and Leura, and the Round walking track as easy to combine with a Scenic World ride. Wentworth Falls is its pick if you are short on time. Scenic World also sells talks and tours led by an Indigenous guide on Gundungurra Country: a 30-minute talk, or a guided tour of about 3 hours with all the rides and the shortest boardwalk. Places are limited, so book ahead. Echo Point and the Three Sisters are covered in a separate guide.

Read next: The Three Sisters: Rock Formation, Legend & Echo Point

Who this isn't for

If you cannot manage stairs or brace yourself on a steep incline, skip the Railway and use the Cableway. If you want solitude, Scenic World is busy, and the national park service points to the lower Grose Valley for crowd-free walks. If you have under two hours, choose rides rather than boardwalks. If you dislike heights, the Skyway sits about 270 metres above the valley. And if you want a full day of hiking, a ride pass is a small part of that, not a substitute for it.