Riding the Upside Down Train: The Schwebebahn

In Wuppertal, Germany, a city of 350,000 near Dusseldorf, there is an upside-down train, called the Schwebebahn. The train runs for twenty stops along an 8-mile, 35-minute long route, with the tracks and wheels above the train, and the passenger compartment hanging below. The Schwebebahn is a beloved tourist attraction in Wuppertal and carries 80,000 passengers every weekday through the city. It was built and began operation in 1901, following an 8-mile route that takes riders above the Wupper River to the Wuppertal Zoo.