Schwebebahn: Why Wuppertal's Trains Are Much Cooler Than Yours

Wuppertal has possibly the world's most badass public transport: a 120-year-old swingin' suspension railway. But the question is: why? When everyone else was busy building trams and undergrounds, what made Wuppertal say "NOPE", and build this instead?

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Tom Scott Video:

Kaiserwagen photo:

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With 12 months to go before Brexit, I am spending the year travelling around the EU and visiting interesting places. Kind of an EU Farewell Tour. If you enjoyed this video, please hit like and subscribe to the channel, and I will make more.

[TheTimTraveller]

Hi all - just a quick note on this video: I think a few people are mishearing me at 0:43 where I say this is "the world's oldest suspension railway... it's also one of the world's only suspension railways". I did not call it "the world's only suspension railway" - there are others, including one not too far away from here at Düsseldorf Airport, another in Memphis, US, and some more in Japan. TLDR: it's the oldest one but not the only one. Thank you for your attention :)

[skiingcrocodile]

This takes "mind the gap" to a whole new level...

[lookiloo]

They should put glass floors in it, obviously

[fireaza]

Wuppertal Engineer 1: "Hans! You have your schematic upside down! The trainline is supposed to go on the ground! Not in the air!"
Wuppertal Engineer 2: "Scheisse!"

[PythonPlusPlus]

Suicidal people: I’m gonna jump in front of a train.
Schwebebahn:

[QuiltingCrow]

I was born in Wuppertal and lived there the first 31 years of my life. To me, the Schwebebahn was a normal thing and I used it to get to school and into the city :) But I remember that there were a lot of tourists, which always bewildered me. Today I live far away from Wuppertal (and I miss it), and you brought me back a piece of my home <3

[DonMas-car-pone]

Three things you need to do in Germany:

1. Autobahn
2. Schwebebahn
3. Reeperbahn

[TrollsliterZZ]

I‘m living in Wuppertal, and I think that this was the most heartwarming video about the Schwebebahn I ever saw. Thank you so much! Nowadays all Cabin-Vehicles are modern. So you drove in the older ones. The only one that was built before 2016 is the Kaiserwagen. So Wuppertal has got a really modern suspension railway now. :) Greetings from Wuppertal ☺️

[eledelapido]

Cities skylines players be like: I wonder if this would work on my city.

[normanusrex]

Actually, Wuppertal did have a tramway, too. And it was once one of the largest networks in Germany, reaching many suburban areas and even other cities. It was discontinued only in 1987, because - basically - tramways were unfashionable at that time.

[KemalYusup]

i thought this is what normal train looks like?
- Australia

[patriciabristow-johnson]

"It's also one of the world's *only* suspension railways, as you will have noticed if you've been...anywhere." Your sense of humor brings genuine smiles to my face

[kaidrache]

It's been 13 years since leaving my home town Wuppertal for southern Hesse and each and everyday I miss this wonderful city. Completely bankrupt, sometimes dirty and loud, but always a sight to behold and filled to the brim with people that have a real personality. Used to ride the Schwebebahn on a daily basis whilst going to school and until today I have very fond memories of the old carriages (the orange and blue ones). Need to visit sooner rather than later....

[markuss]

The word "schweben" means "to hover". The Schwebebahn is therefor properly translated as the "floating railway". It is a wonderful experience and worth a visit. I was fortunate to have been invited on the Kaiserwagen which was hired by a client for an event and as a thank you for the team working on their project in Wuppertal (a Marks & Spencer department store on which they spent millions of Pounds and promptly closed 10 months later).

[Oxideacid]

4:08
"It's very rare for a sheep to wander onto the line"

What did he meant by _rare?_

[cedmaster]

You could have mentioned the elephant who fell out of the train😂

[theblah]

Weird seeing one of the pillars going through a building at 1:11

[TheHolyMongolEmpire]

How in the world have I never heard of this being a huge fan of Public transit. This is so badass and it’s even more badass that it survived WW2 and to the current day.

[madeyestudios]

Random Wuppertal citizen: I love my house
Wuppertal: *Our house*
1:11

[peterscarborough]

I've worked in Wuppertal a few times and never miss the oppurtunity to take a ride on the schwebebahn, it's so smooth with excellent views of the city through the windows. Good video with interesting historical info too...