In 1901, Wuppertal opened a railway suspended 26 to 40 feet above the city. 125 years later, the 8.3-mile Schwebebahn remains the backbone of local transport, carrying more than 80,000 passengers every day

A train ride in Wuppertal, western Germany, is unlike a typical journey. Instead of running along tracks on the ground, the city’s Schwebebahn hangs from an elevated steel structure, carrying passengers above the streets and the Wupper River.

Often called Germany’s “flying train,” its carriages travel between 26 and 40 feet above the ground. From inside, passengers can watch the Wupper, roads, buildings, cyclists and pedestrians pass below.

The Schwebebahn opened to the public in 1901. In 2026, 125 years later, it remains part of everyday life in Wuppertal, carrying more than 80,000 passengers each day along its 8.3-mile route.

A railway born from a difficult landscape

The idea for the Schwebebahn dates back to the 1880s, before Wuppertal became a city.

Several towns, including Elberfeld and Barmen, had grown along the Wupper River and developed into important centers of Germany’s textile industry. As their populations increased, traffic also grew, creating a need for better transportation.

The valley made that difficult. Factories and homes occupied much of the space beside the river, while steep hills surrounded the communities. There was little room for additional roads or conventional railway tracks, and the hard, rocky ground made underground construction impractical.

Thomas Helbig, managing director of the Schwebodrom, an interactive museum dedicated to the railway, said that, “A ride on the Schwebebahn is special and unforgettable,” adding, “That’s why we have a saying in German: ‘Einmal im Leben durch Wuppertal schweben,’ which means ‘Once in your lifetime, you have to ride the Schwebebahn in Wuppertal,’” as quoted by Smithsonian Magazine.

An elevated railway offered a way to connect the towns without taking up space on the ground.

Carl Eugen Langen's unusual idea

German engineer and entrepreneur Carl Eugen Langen proposed a railway in which carriages would hang from an overhead steel track.

Elberfeld and Barmen joined the project, followed by Vohwinkel. The railway was formally approved in 1894, construction began in 1898, and the first section opened to the public on March 1, 1901.

Langen did not live to see the completed railway, but he had already given it its name: Schwebebahn, meaning “suspended railway.”

The design attracted considerable attention. Newspapers across Germany followed its progress with a mixture of excitement, skepticism and disbelief. A 1895 cartoon in the Berlin satirical magazine Lustige Blätter captured the uncertainty surrounding the project.

The railway soon demonstrated that its unusual design could work, linking communities along the Wupper Valley without competing with roads for space.

Built to follow the Wupper

Wuppertal is often described as a “linear city” because it developed along the river valley. The Schwebebahn was designed around that geography.

Engineers replicated the curves and bends of the Wupper so the railway could remain directly above it. Its elevated position also allowed the system to operate independently of road traffic and without crossings.

Christian Kindinger, head of technology at Wuppertal’s transport division, said that, “The suspension railway was a technical masterpiece of its time,” adding, “Its design was revolutionary because it did not require any space on the roads, had no crossings and operated independently of traffic,” as quoted by Smithsonian Magazine.

Today, the line runs from Vohwinkel in the west to Oberbarmen in the east, serving 20 stations along the valley’s busiest corridor. The journey covers nearly 8.3 miles and takes about 30 minutes.

The railway helped bring the towns together

The Schwebebahn was already connecting Elberfeld, Barmen and Vohwinkel when a territorial reform created Wuppertal in 1929.

The three towns had been linked by the railway for nearly three decades. Helbig said, “The train was the glue that had brought the towns together,” adding, “The reforms formalized it,” as quoted by Smithsonian Magazine.

The railway therefore became part of the history of how the separate communities came together as a single city.

From daily transport to tourist attraction

The Schwebebahn remains unusual more than a century after its opening. Only a handful of comparable systems exist elsewhere.

The Dresden Suspension Railway uses the same overhead-hanging technology developed by Langen. Japan’s Shonan Monorail and Chiba Urban Monorail use a newer system known as SAFEGE technology.

For visitors, the Wuppertal railway is an attraction in its own right. Belgian rail enthusiast Clara Francken says she has visited the city so many times because of the Schwebebahn that she has lost count.

The elevated view offers a different perspective of Wuppertal, with the river, streets and buildings visible below. For tourists, the ride can feel like sightseeing, while for residents it remains part of their daily commute.

The elephant who became part of the railway's story

One of the best-known stories connected to the Schwebebahn involves a young elephant named Tuffi.

In July 1950, a traveling circus placed Tuffi inside one of the carriages as part of a publicity stunt. The elephant became frightened by the reporters and noise and fell from the train into the Wupper River.

Tuffi survived with only a small scratch on her neck.

The incident became part of Wuppertal folklore. Tuffi now appears on postcards, bags, mugs and other souvenirs. A stone sculpture marks the spot where she fell, while a full-size bronze statue stands near Wuppertal’s town hall.

Every winter, the city also installs a giant illuminated “Winter-Tuffi” sculpture at the entrance to the Barmen pedestrian zone.

A royal ride from another era

The railway’s history also includes the Kaiserwagen, or “king’s wagon.”

German Emperor Wilhelm II and his wife, Augusta Viktoria, rode the royal carriage on October 24, 1900, several months before the Schwebebahn opened to the public.

The original Kaiserwagen has been renovated with authentic upholstered seats, vintage lamps and Art Nouveau details. A replica is displayed at the Schwebodrom.

Visitors can book the original carriage for special occasions or join coffee rides, during which guides dressed in period costumes share stories about Wuppertal and the railway while passengers enjoy coffee and cake.

More than a railway

The Schwebebahn was created as a practical response to Wuppertal’s difficult geography. Its elevated design allowed the communities along the narrow river valley to gain a transportation link without requiring more space on the ground.

Over the decades, however, it became closely connected with the city's history and culture.

Families ride alongside commuters, children carry Tuffi toys, and visitors look through the windows at the landscape below. The railway continues to serve its original purpose while offering travelers one of the most distinctive ways to experience Wuppertal.

Its history, unusual design and connection to local stories have made the Schwebebahn a symbol of the city.