My October (2024) long weekend in Germany did not have a tourism focus, but I did some anyway.
After my two nights in Köln I headed north for the short trip to Düsseldorf. One of my excursions from there was another short train journey (about 20 minutes), east to Wuppertal this time. I had read about the city starting to wake up to its Schwebebahn being a visitor attraction, and went to see for myself.
It was a good decision.
It is a fascinating piece of public transport engineering, and almost unique. The only other suspended monorail is in Japan. Leaving aside how unusual it is, several other aspects of it interested me.
First, it is not new. It dates from 1901. When everywhere else wanted trams and buses and underground trains for public transport, Wuppertal opted for its Schwebebahn.
Next, for most of its length the track has been built above the river (Wupper) so passengers have that unusual perspective of the route and the surroundings. A small section in the western suburb of Vohwinkel is above the street and gives a very different perspective.
During the day (when I visited) the trains were running every 2-5 minutes, so the service is fantastic. It cost me €8.30 for a 24 hour ticket which allowed me to jump on and off whenever it suited me.
The carriages wobble slightly when passengers board and get off in the stations, but they are completely stable when moving. I got off at the Stadion/Zoo station to have walk about and a look at the stadium, which has just celebrated its centenary.
I suspect I would have spent the whole day in Wuppertal if had more time… but maybe next time.
ⓒ iain taylor, 2024
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