The Suspension Train at Düsseldorf’s Airport

Airports have always held a certain fascination for me. It’s no secret that I am spiritually dedicated to travel, and airports are like the cathedrals of my weird religion. So for a travel junkie like me, it was exhilarating to discover that Düsseldorf’s airport is not only about airplanes, but that it’s got another cool method of transportation: an incredible suspension train which connects the airport with the railway station.

The main reason for my visit to Düsseldorf was to attend the Zena Trophy firework festival in nearby Kalkar, but I arrived early on Friday, and found myself with plenty of time to explore. If there’s one thing I like almost as much as fireworks, it’s unique ways to get around — so I set myself an itinerary that would allow me to visit two crazy suspension trains.

Düsseldorf’s suspension train, the Sky Tram, floats ten meters over the ground, stretches over a distance of 2.5 kilometers, and can reach speeds of 50 km/h. That sounds fast, but the train actually feels quite slow. The best part of the ride is entering the outer tunnel of the airport — it’s got a very 1970s sci-fi feel to it, and I’d be surprised if it hasn’t been used in movies.

Strangely, you have to get a ticket before riding the Sky Tram — you might think it would be free, since it’s basically an airport shuttle. That’s what I thought, anyway, so I was a little horrified to find that I’d been a “Schwarzfahrer” (illegal passenger) all day! I had rode the train three times, back and forth, that day! Luckily, I learned later that the ticket for the airport’s viewing terrace also is valid for a train ride. Still, it’s worth knowing.

It’s not just the train which makes it special: overally, Düsseldorf has an awesome airport. It’s not too crowded, and very modern, with a lot of interesting architectural features which will appeal to most photographers. Also, the huge viewing terrace is a nice touch, along with restaurants that are actually good, like Jamie Oliver’s food truck, and a small shopping street.

But, of course, the highlight of the airport for me was the Sky Tram. If you find this kind of transportation as interesting as I do, stay tuned, because I also visited the famous suspension train in Wuppertal, on the same trip. I’ll write about this soon, so if you don’t want to miss that, make sure to subscribe to our blog!

It was my first visit to Düsseldorf’s airport, and it immediately landed high on my list of top airports around the world. What’s your favorite airport and why? Leave a comment, and let us know!

–Rent a car at the Düsseldorf Airport