The last day of 06/2013 was an iconic day for many Sydney-siders: After 25 years of exciting city-bound loops, the Sydney Monorail closed down. In honour of our wonderful monorail memories, we thought we’d take you on a click-clacking journey along these similar mono-tastic tracks from around the world!
Las Vegas Monorail, USA
Leave it to Las Vegas to combine the thrill of gambling with a captivating monorail ride! The Las Vegas monorail is definitely a unique way to travel back and forth along the dazzling Sin City strip. To coincide with those late night/early morning casino visits, the monorail runs from 7am to 2-3am everyday. Oh, and just in case you were worried, this particular monorail is also eco-friendly!
Palm Jumeirah Monorail, Dubai
If you are heading to luxurious Dubai, perhaps you should stay at the infamous Atlantis Hotel in Palm Jumeirah, just so you can take advantage of the monorail! This monorail was completed in 2009 and is a great way for tourists to both travel to the mainland and gain a glorious glimpse of the Palm.
Chongqing Monorail, ChinaChongqing Monorail
It sprung onto the monorail scene in 2005 and at a whopping 72km, Chongqing is the world’s longest monorail. Much more than a novelty ride, the Chongqing monorail is a significant part of China’s goal to develop transportation in its western regions.
The Shweeb Monorail, New Zealand
It’s the world’s first human-powered monorail! This cost-conscious monorail requires travellers to sit in clear pods and pedal their way around a monorail track. If you’re keen for a mono-pedal, the prototype can be found at Agroventures Park in Rotorua, NZ. It’s clearly not just a fun concept, however; Shweeb recently secured $1 million from Google to develop its cycling/monorail technology and promote the transport solution in urban areas. Imagine going to work on that!
Disneyland Monorail
Is this the happiest monorail on earth? We think so! Now more than 50 years old, the Disneyland monorail is a visitor favourite, zipping over areas like Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and the Disney Adventure Park in just 13 minutes.
Wuppertal Suspension Monorail, Germany
Yes, that’s right – we’ve finally found a city that prides itself on its monorail. The German town of Wuppertal features a one-of-a-kind suspension monorail or ‘Schwebebahn’, which has been in operation since 1901. While it is a popular tourist attraction, many locals also use the Schwebebahn to travel around the city. For a special treat, book yourself a ride in the ‘Kaiserwagen’ carriage – it’s where Emperor Kaiser Wilheim II apparently once sat!
New York World’s Fair Monorail
The 1964 New York World’s Fair was a widely popular event for Americans and the AMF monorail was one of its biggest attractions. This monorail was intended to be the beginning of a whole new system that was to transform the transportation model of the Big Apple. Even though visitors took advantage of the air-conditioned carriages and narrated rides, the whole thing became much more of a novelty than a respected idea and the AMF monorail plan never came to fruition.
The Springfield Monorail, Springfield
Remember when Springfield bought their own monorail (supposedly the same one from the 1964 World’s Fair)? It was a memorable moment for the town, if not for the song they sang about it, then for the fact that Homer became a one-time monorail conductor. Of course, in true Simpson style, the monorail rocketed scarily out of control and could only be stopped by – you guessed it – a giant donut. D’oh!