Schwebebahn-Lauf

Wuppertal's Unique Running Event

The Schwebebahn-Lauf is one of the most distinctive city run events in North Rhine-Westphalia — because the running course leads directly under Wuppertal's world-famous suspension railway, the city's landmark. While the suspension railway glides overhead, runners race their distances on the B7 (Friedrich-Engels-Allee), which is closed to traffic.

14th Edition on June 14, 2026

Sunday, June 14, 2026 marks the 14th edition of the competition. Registration is already open via schwebebahn-lauf.de. Start and finish for all races: Zur Dörner Brücke.

Seven Distances — from Half Marathon to Children's Run

The program is structured to offer something for everyone:

• 9:15 AM — Half Marathon (21.1 km)
• 9:25 AM — 10 km Run
• 12:00 PM — Children's Run (500 m)
• 12:15 PM — Youth Run 2 km
• 12:15 PM — Youth Run 4 km
• 2:10 PM — Main Run 5 km for companies, teams, and individual runners aged 16 and over (families from birth year 2018 welcome)

The Course Under the Suspension Railway

The B7 / Friedrich-Engels-Allee runs parallel to the Wupper river in the Wuppertal valley, directly beneath the suspension railway line. For runners, this means a unique experience: the historic suspension railway passes overhead every few minutes, while below, they run on a main street closed to traffic, set against an urban backdrop.

Race Day Inclusives

Participants receive:

• Personalized race bib with timing chip
• Medical support along the course and at the finish
• Refreshment stations with water and sports drinks
• Finisher medal at the finish line
• Results available via QR code
• Dedicated start blocks for wheelchair athletes and handbikes

Race Bib Collection

Race bib collection takes place the day before (Saturday, June 13, 2026) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM — details on schwebebahn-lauf.de.

Organizers and Sponsors

The organizer is Schwebebahn-Lauf Wuppertal gGmbH, a non-profit organization. The main sponsor is Stadtsparkasse Wuppertal. A joint social-sporting initiative with Bergische Diakonie has been a tradition for years.

Wuppertal

Wuppertal, with approximately 355,000 inhabitants, is a central city in the Bergisches Land region. The famous suspension railway — in operation since 1901 — is the city's landmark and the world's only hanging monorail system. The Schwebebahn-Lauf cleverly uses this landmark to boost the city's sporting and tourist image.