Wuppertal: Suspension Railway, Trails and Industrial Heritage

Wuppertal can be explored through a variety of themes: the suspension railway shapes the city, as do paths along former railway lines, parks and attractions related to industrial history. To start planning, consider whether you would mainly like to take a ride, spend time outdoors or learn about the city’s history. The following places and activities each offer a different focus.

Suspension Railway and Paths Along Former Railway Lines

The Wuppertal Suspension Railway runs between Oberbarmen and Vohwinkel. Its route is 13.3 kilometres long and includes 20 stations; a full journey between the termini takes around 30 minutes. This makes the entire route a possible activity in its own right. The railway officially began operating in March 1901 and connects the east and west of Wuppertal.

You can also discover Wuppertal from a different perspective along two former railway lines. The Sambatrasse, about ten kilometres long, runs from Elberfeld to Cronenberg and is now used as a walking and cycling path. It is suitable for pedestrians, Nordic walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users. The Nordbahntrasse offers a different setting: its gentle gradients give it broad curves and ravines, as well as tunnels, bridges and viaducts. Blue signs along the route provide information about Wuppertal’s industrial history.

You can also use a mountain bike, skateboard, inline skates or scooter on the asphalt surface of the Nordbahntrasse. When planning your time in Wuppertal, these differences can help you choose: the Sambatrasse stands out for its roughly ten-kilometre length and use as a walking and cycling path; the Nordbahntrasse combines features of the route with information about industrial history and additional ways to use it.

Parks and Viewpoints

The Green Zoo Wuppertal is both a landscaped park and a zoo. It opened in 1881. This combination of park and zoo sets it apart from the former railway lines, which are experienced primarily as paths. Along the Nordpark Panorama Trail, a series of highlights and viewpoints stretches from Ehrenhain and the Skywalk in the east to Kakaoplatz in the west. Both places complement the themes of transport and industrial heritage with parks and landscapes.

City History and Industrial Heritage

If you would like to learn more about the history of the suspension railway, the Schwebodrom offers three stations where you can experience it. The Schwebodrom opened on October 21, 2023. The Engels House focuses on the life and work of Friedrich Engels, probably Wuppertal’s most famous son.

The Wuppertal Museum of Industrial Culture presents the city’s industrial heritage in several ways, including guided city tours, industrial heritage routes and maps, as well as events, talks and workshops. Its presentation across several historically authentic sites gives the subject a setting of its own. If you would rather focus on a single exhibition venue, the Visiodrom in the Wuppertal gasometer houses Europe’s largest 360-degree screen across five floors. The programme may change.

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Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Bottrop, Bochum, Dortmund, Duisburg, Bonn, Remscheid, Mönchengladbach, Essen.

For the overview of the wider region: North Rhine-Westphalia.