Perched 12 meters above a river, this suspended metro is one of the most impressive trains in Europe. Inaugurated in 1901, it is still in operation. And he has even transported an elephant!
In an urban landscape where vehicles glide silently above the streets, a suspended train winds between buildings, defying gravity with futuristic elegance. This scene, worthy of the greatest science fiction films, could seem straight out of the collective imagination. However, it is very real and has existed for over a century.
In the heart of the German city of Wuppertal, the Schwebebahn, a suspended monorail, transports thousands of passengers daily to a height of 12 meters above the Wupper River. Inaugurated in 1901, this futuristic means of transport was designed to meet the challenges of rapid urbanization on narrow, rugged terrain prone to flooding. Its creator, Eugen Langen, initially proposed this system for Berlin, but it was in Wuppertal that his invention found its home, becoming the world’s first suspended monorail.
The Schwebebahn covers 13.3 kilometers and serves 20 stations, connecting the districts of Vohwinkel and Oberbarmen in around thirty minutes. Its metal structure, emblematic of the industrial architecture of the early 20th century, contrasts with the modernity of its concept. Every day, around 75,000 passengers take this atypical train, testifying to its relevance and efficiency, even after more than a hundred years of service.
Over the decades, the suspended train has had some notable moments. In 1950, an unusual event attracted national attention: a local circus brought its elephant, Tuffi, aboard the train for a publicity stunt. Frightened by the noise and movement, the animal broke through the wall of the wagon and plunged into the river below, fortunately emerging unscathed. This incident reinforced the reputation of the monorail.
But some accidents have had a much more tragic outcome. The most serious occurred in 1999, when a train derailed due to poorly executed maintenance work, killing five people and injuring 47 others. This incident led to a re-evaluation of security protocols and major renovations to ensure the sustainability of the service. A power rail also fell into the river in 2018, but fortunately no one was injured.
The success of the Wuppertal train quickly interested other cities, in particular because of the numerous advantages it represents: small footprint, lower construction costs, reduced noise pollution, no interference with other modes of urban transport, etc. Nevertheless, it remains the only one of its kind in Europe, although other transport of this type has appeared in Germany, such as the Schwebebahn Dresden, the H-Bahn or the SkyTrain in Düsseldorf. Worldwide, the best-known copy is the suspension train in the city of Chiba in Japan, which was built 87 years later.