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Located in the city of Wuppertaler in western Germany, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn railway has a total length of approximately 13.3 km, passing through the city and the Wuppert River.
The Wuppertal Schwebebahn railway is considered a groundbreaking and unique concept, with train cars suspended at a height of 12 or 8 meters depending on the terrain below. Currently, the railway still serves more than 80,000 people daily. Over time, the train has been renovated and modernized many times to ensure safety and meet the needs of tourists.
Origin
In the late 19th century, as industry flourished in the city of Wuppertal, local officials believed they had the means to build a groundbreaking transport system – a suspended railway. At the same time, other German cities were merely constructing subways.
In the town of Wuppertal at that time, the local textile industry boomed, transforming the area from a small riverside settlement along the Wuppert River into a metropolis of 40,000 residents with high transportation needs. Due to the long and winding river valley, traditional rail or surface tram options were deemed impractical.
In 1893, businessman and engineer Eugen Langen submitted the design for a suspended railway to the city authorities. Prior to this, Langen had experimented with using a suspended railway to transport goods at a sugar factory in Cologne. Construction began in 1898, and the railway line was inaugurated in 1901 at a total cost of $680 million (approximately 15.7 billion VND). Emperor Wilhelm II himself attended the trial run of the railway along with his wife, Auguste Viktoria.
The Wuppertal suspended railway can overcome obstacles such as roads and waterways.
The project used 20,000 tons of steel to create an elevated railway line winding through the city, along with 20 beautiful stations. The train carriages, made of glass and wood, could carry 65 passengers each. The network was gradually expanded, reaching a length of 13.3 km by 1903. The journey began and ended at the intersection between Vohwinkel and Oberbarmen stations.
Over the following years, the length of the trains increased from two to six carriages, with a train running every five minutes. The number of passengers subsequently decreased as many workers in Wuppert enlisted in the army, but by 1925, the network had carried 20 million passengers across the Wuppert River.
Operating since 1901, the Schwebebahn is the world's oldest electric elevated railway with suspended carriages and one of only a few of its kind.
Despite its seemingly dangerous appearance, as of 1999, this railway line was considered the safest form of public transport in Germany, with only a few minor accidents in nearly 100 years of operation. After a few incidents, the line reopened in 2019 and continues to be widely used by the people of Wuppertale.
A one-of-a-kind symbol
The elevated train system is a safe and environmentally friendly mode of transport, running on electricity and producing no emissions. Furthermore, because it runs above ground, it doesn't put pressure on ground traffic. The Schwebebahn has undergone numerous renovations and modernizations over time. The carriages have been replaced with newer electric cars featuring cushioned seats, air conditioning, information screens, LED lighting, and new motor systems.
The new electric train cars feature cushioned seats, air conditioning, information screens, LED lighting, and a new motor system.
For railway operators, the advantages of the project include relieving traffic congestion and intersections, in addition to high speed. Suspended railways are a rare form of transportation, so the Schwebebah railway line with its inverted electric train also attracts many tourists.
Visitors can enjoy stunning views of Wuppertal city.
Not only is it a source of pride for the people of Wuppertal, Germany, the upside-down suspended train has become famous worldwide. This is because very few cities on the planet possess a public transport system that carries 25 million passengers annually without ever touching the ground.
The railway transports 25 million passengers annually.
An interesting fact related to this suspended railway dates back to 1950. Schwebebah's most famous guest was Tuffi, an Indian elephant from the Althoff Circus. Tuffi was generally fearless, so circus owner Franz Althoff frequently took her around to promote his show.
After a few minutes of traveling by train, Tuffi began to panic and became agitated. She trampled on a row of seats, breaking them, and jumped out of the window into the river below, 10 meters deep. Fortunately, the elephant only suffered minor injuries, but the incident attracted nationwide attention in Germany in July 1950.
Tuffi the elephant fell from the boat into the river but luckily only suffered minor injuries.
Following the incident involving the Indian elephant mentioned above, the management has stipulated that passengers are only allowed to bring guide dogs or police dogs on board the train.
The basalt statue, created in 2020 by artist Bernd Bergkemper, stands at the exact spot where Tuffi landed in 1950.
Today, the Schwebebahn still operates with 25 million passengers annually, a status not met with the Covid-19 pandemic. A 24-hour train ticket costs $7.80 USD (over 180,000 VND). Passengers can enjoy the journey and admire the eye-catching, modern architecture of the 20 stations, from Kluse to Werther Bridge.
With 20,000 tons of steel used to create the elevated railway line winding through the city, along with 20 beautiful stations.
