E-scooters in Wellington, New Zealand: Flamingo and Lime, prices, the rules, the hills and the airport

Which e-scooter apps work in Wellington?

Two companies rent e-scooters on Wellington’s streets in 2026: Flamingo and Lime. On 20 January 2026 Wellington City Council awarded its shared micromobility tender to both, to follow licences due to expire on 1 March 2026. Flamingo has run here since 2019; Lime launched its e-scooters in March 2026.

Early on the morning of 23 October 2026 the map of Wellington showed about 430 Flamingo scooters: a snapshot of what was on the map, not the fleet. Lime runs in Wellington too but isn’t on our map, because it publishes no open data here; open the Lime app to find its scooters. Flamingo also rents e-bikes, and Lime planned to add its own from April 2026; our map shows e-scooters only.

How many are allowed? The council has agreed to raise the number of shared e-scooters and e-bikes from 1,300 to up to 2,000, split evenly between Lime and Flamingo, RNZ reported on 2 July 2026, when 1,000 e-scooters and 300 e-bikes were in use. We couldn’t confirm when the increase takes effect or when the licences end.

Porirua and Tawa. Flamingo runs a separate area to the north, “Porirua City (and Tawa)”, at the same price, so Tawa’s scooters belong to that area; the Porirua map showed about 50 early on 23 October.

How much does an e-scooter cost in Wellington?

Flamingo’s Wellington rate is NZ$1 to unlock and 55c a minute, 24 hours a day; on 23 October 2026 its open data listed that single plan, for scooters and e-bikes alike.

Discounts. Flamingo offers up to 50% off to students at an accredited higher education institution with a valid ID, to SuperGold, Community Services, Total Mobility and Hāpai Access card holders, and to holders of the council’s LeisureCard, on standard ride rates only.

Free minutes. AA members who link their membership get 30 free minutes to use in their first 30 days, then 15 free minutes a month; the unlock fee still applies. Parking in a Ruru Rack or a Drop Zone, the marked spots on Flamingo’s map, earns ride credit.

Charges. Flamingo’s terms allow charges of up to $50, or more, for riding outside its area, parking in a no-parking zone or in the way, or an unclear end-of-ride photo.

Lime’s price shows in its app. New to shared e-scooters? See how to rent an e-scooter.

E-scooter rules in Wellington: national law, the council and the operators

The riding rules are national, in the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, as Greater Wellington Regional Council’s e-scooter guide explains; the same rules apply in Auckland. Flamingo’s local rules are below; Lime’s are in its app.

No licence. NZTA, the national transport agency, has declared e-scooters of up to 300 W not to be motor vehicles, so you need no driving licence or registration, visitor or not. It renewed that declaration in September 2023 for five years, to 2028.

No helmet law, but Flamingo requires one. NZTA strongly recommends a helmet, and Flamingo’s terms say you must wear an approved bicycle helmet. Account holders can order a free Flamingo helmet, paying $10 for delivery.

Cycle lanes are new. A change to the national road rules opened them to e-scooters on 1 October 2026; until then, riding in one was illegal. Since the same day, a driver passing you in the same lane must leave at least 1.5 m.

There’s no 15 km/h footpath limit. The Ministry of Transport consulted on one in 2020, in a package called Accessible Streets, but it was never brought in, and the 2026 changes didn’t add one. The 15 km/h you’ll meet is Flamingo’s slow-zone limit.

Where to ride and park: the Golden Mile, Cuba Mall and the waterfront

Flamingo’s app colours its zones: orange for low speed, yellow for no parking, red for no riding. Lime said at launch it would set no-ride and slow zones and parking bays in busy areas: check its app.

The Golden Mile. Flamingo keeps you off the footpaths of Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Manners Street and Courtenay Place, and you can’t end a ride on any of them. Late at night, check the app before riding into the Courtenay Precinct.

Cuba Mall and Civic Square. Flamingo’s no-ride zones cover Cuba Mall, between Manners and Ghuznee streets, and Civic Square with the City to Sea Bridge.

The waterfront and Oriental Bay. Flamingo slows its scooters to 15 km/h on the waterfront and asks you to keep left and keep to the posted limit. Frank Kitts Park and Waitangi Park are no-ride zones, and you can’t end a ride outside Te Papa. On Oriental Parade, Flamingo asks you to use the cycle path, also at 15 km/h. It has marked parking spots at Queens Wharf, Taranaki Wharf and Shed 13.

Parks. Flamingo’s data makes the Botanic Gardens a no-ride zone, apart from a cycle path at 10 km/h, and also Bolton Street Cemetery, Otari-Wilton’s Bush and the Southern Walkway. It’s 15 km/h around Parliament and 10 km/h at Wellington Hospital, with no parking at either.

Parking. Leave the scooter at the side of the footpath, ideally by street furniture, without blocking the walkway or an entrance. Flamingo told RNZ it checks every rider’s parking photo and moves from education to fines and bans. Report a badly parked Flamingo in its app or on 0800 352 646.

Wellington’s hills and wind on an e-scooter

Hills. Greater Wellington’s e-scooter guide advises avoiding steps and steep inclines where you can; on steeper ones you may have to push with your foot or walk the scooter. Flamingo says its scooters govern their speed downhill.

Kelburn and the university. The Wellington Cable Car climbs 119 m over 609 m from Lambton Quay to Kelburn, in 4 to 5 minutes, with cars every 10 minutes. A one-way adult fare is $7, or $4 at the ticket box with a New Zealand student ID, SuperGold or Community Services card. Te Herenga Waka Victoria University asks riders to take particular care on the hilly streets around Kelburn and to walk scooters through campus, where they can’t be parked.

Wind. Spring is consistently Wellington’s windiest season, NIWA says: in an average October, gusts top 60 km/h at the airport on about half the days. Flamingo’s terms bar riding in strong wind, heavy rain or electrical storms, so plan around them.

To the Hutt. Te Ara Tupua, a 4.5 km walking and cycling path along the harbour from Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One (Petone), opened in May 2026. Flamingo’s data showed no zones or scooters along it beyond Ngā Ūranga, and Lower Hutt isn’t on our map: check the app’s service area first.

Metlink buses and trains, and the airport

Metlink. A scooter you can carry by hand, folded where possible, travels free on buses and trains as luggage, if there’s room. A shared scooter stays outside: end your ride before you board. Don’t ride on railway platforms. Wellington Station itself is a no-ride zone for Flamingo, and the stations of the Johnsonville line are no-parking zones.

Wellington Airport. Flamingo puts the ride from the CBD at about 30 minutes and about $20. Its parking area is at the bike parking in the car park building: follow the signs to Covered parking, then the lane marked “Loading Dock”. Arriving, cross the taxi and pick-up lanes from the ground floor and turn left. Few scooters waited there on the evening of 23 October; the Airport Express bus, from Door E, reaches Wellington Station in 25 to 35 minutes.

Did you know?

• Wellingtonians took more than 2.3 million Flamingo rides between its 2019 launch and November 2023, the company says.
• Flamingo’s Gen 5 scooters arrived in Wellington in November 2023 with an onboard camera, partly to spot riding on the Golden Mile’s footpaths.
• The cable car passes through three tunnels and over three bridges on its 609 m run, and has carried passengers for more than 120 years.