Wuppertal celebrates 125 years of Schwebebahn with festival and free rides

Wuppertal is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its iconic Schwebebahn (suspension railway) with a major event on September 19, 2026. To mark the milestone, the Wuppertaler Stadtwerke (WSW) and Wuppertal Marketing GmbH have announced a large-scale family festival at the main station.

As part of the celebrations, rides on the Schwebebahn will be free of charge throughout the city for the entire day. However, this free access does not extend to buses or other transport methods, which will follow standard VRR tariffs. Due to expected high demand, WSW plans to increase vehicle frequency and deploy additional cars.

The festival, running from 12:00 to 18:00, will feature a variety of activities including bouncy castles, games, a bus simulator, and an exhibition titled ‘125 Schwebebahngeschichten’ documenting local anecdotes. Additionally, a historical 1950-series railway car has been displayed at the main station as a new visual landmark.