Schwebebahn

The Schwebebahn is a cable-drawn suspension railway that has connected Loschwitz with Oberloschwitz in Dresden since 1901 and is operated by the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe.

What it is

The lower station is in Loschwitz, near Körnerplatz, and the upper station is in Oberloschwitz. The ride takes 4.5 minutes and climbs 84 metres.

The line is 273.8 metres long. The view from the upper station over the Elbe valley is known locally as the "Schöne Aussicht".

History

The Schwebebahn went into service in 1901, six years after the Standseilbahn. The cars were first moved by a compound steam engine; a direct-current motor has been used since 1909.

The railway is a listed monument, and DVB gives 1975 as the year it was listed.

How it works

The railway works on the single-rail suspension principle of the Cologne engineer Eugen Langen: the two cars hang below the rail and are pulled by a cable, with the hoisting machine in the upper station. The track girder is carried by 32 pendulum supports and one fixed support.

Seeing it

Checked 11 October 2026 At the upper station visitors can go up the machine-house tower to a viewing platform and see a small exhibition on the technology and history of the railway; both are open every day during the Schwebebahn's operating times, with last entry 45 minutes before the last trip.

Checked 11 October 2026 DVB offers a leaflet, "Rundgang an der Schwebebahn", for a walk of about half an hour through Oberloschwitz, and a geocaching tour between the upper stations of the Schwebebahn and the Standseilbahn.

Checked 11 October 2026 The railway is closed twice a year for inspection; the autumn closure in 2026 is from 2 to 13 November.

Checked 11 October 2026 Because it is a protected monument, the Schwebebahn cannot be used by wheelchair users. Check the operator's own page before you go.

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