On our winter 2023 visit to Wiesbaden the Nerobergbahn was undergoing maintenance and was not in…read moreservice until Spring 2024. We have however ridden the Nerobergbahn in warmer months and I found it to be a fun, pleasant way to get up to the Neroberg overlook. Besides great views over looking vineyards, a park setting here offers open space where you can relax on a sunny day, picnicking, reading or napping. A short walk from this area will take you to a Russian Orthodox Memorial Chapel. This church, completed in 1855, was built by the husband of Princess Elisabeth Michailowna, Grand Duchess of Russia after she died in child birth in Wiesbaden.
Access to the nerobergbahn station is on the north side of Wiesbaden on Wilhelminenstrasse. We walked from our hotel through the pedestrian zone, and then up to the station, but you can also take a bus or tram. Originally opened in 1888, the tram has two cars connected by a stranded cable. At the top, a reservoir in the upper tram is filled with water. This added weight in the upper tram pulls the lower tram up the hill as the upper one descends. At the bottom that water is pumped back up the hill. Besides a fun ride, it's historical and scientific.
The funicular takes approximately three and a half minutes one way. It traverses an arched bridge section near the base and moves at about 7km/hr. Although the seated carriage has windows to enjoy the views, there is also a platform at the end where you can stand during the trip. Fifty people are allowed on the downward tram, but only forty are allowed on the way up. In the middle of the route, there are two separate tracks, but at the top and bottom a single track brings you into the station. A cog wheel under the carriage connects to a center rail. I recommend checking out their technology and history web pages.
Tickets are five euro round trip for an adult and two fifty for children between three and fourteen. They also have a family ticket for two adults and three children for twelve euro at the time of this review. One way tickets are a little bit less. Non-electric wheelchairs can use the Nerobergbahn, but be aware the pathways at the top are paved (stones, not tar) and may not be easily accessible for a pushed wheel chair. Your furry family members are welcome on the tram which runs every fifteen minutes between 9am and 7pm daily April to October. Check the website for info.
If you have time in your schedule, I recommend you take the trip to the top. The tram is a fun, short ride and the views from the top, lovely.