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Monorail systems have been built in many countries around the world，many of them on elevated tracks through crowded areas that would in another way require the construction of expensive underground lines or have the disadvantages of surface lines.
Asia
Japan has used monorails for rapid transit in seven cities，including Tokyo and Osaka—The Tokyo Monorail carries around 100 million passengers yearly.
Kuala Lumpur Monorail—Kuala Lumpur，Malaysia
Shanghai Maglev Train in Shanghai，China—Completed in 2004，the Shanghai Maglev Train is a maglev monorail that runs for 30km between Pudong International Airport and the Shanghai Lujiazui financial district.Designed for speeds up to 500km/h，its regular service speed is in the region of 430km/h and now is the fastest commercial railway system in the world.
Europe
Belgium：There’s a monorail in the Plopsaland theme park.
Germany operates a suspended monorail in Wuppertal，the Schwebebahn Wuppertal，dating back to 1901.There is also the experimental Transrapid in Emsland that has been built by the German producers as a link from the City of Shanghai（China）to Shanghai International Airport.
England has monorail systems at Chester Zoo and Gatwick Airport.
Listowel，Ireland is the location of the world’s first commercial monorail，named the Lartigue system after Charles Lartigue who built this railway in 1888.
North America
Monorails can be found in the following places in North America：
Walt Disney World in Orlando，Florida—One of the world’s best-known，which serves over five million passengers yearly
Disneyland in Anaheim，California—Known for having the“First daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere”
Seattle，Washington—short monorail（Seattle Center Monorail）built for the Century 21 Exposition in 1962
Jacksonville，Florida—Jacksonville Skyway—public transit
Las Vegas，Nevada—public transit
Tampa International Airport in Tampa，Florida—people mover
Newark International Airport in Newark，New Jersey—people mover
Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal，Quebec—once part of a larger monorail systems built for Expo 67
Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley，Minnesota
Toronto Zoo in Toronto，Ontario—not used after a fatal accident
Morgantown，West Virginia at West Virginia University
Miami Metromover in Miami，FL，an automated monorail that runs through the downtown area
South America and Australia
Sydney，Australia has a monorail at first designed as public transport but has found more use as a tourist attraction.
The Gold Coast，Queensland has two monorails：a 2-km monorail around the Sea World Theme Park；a link between Conrad Jupiters Casino and the nearby Broadbeach shopping district.
Brazil has lately built new monorail systems：Aeromovel built a test track in Porto Alegre，Brazil back in 1987.
Future Monorail Projects
London Monometro
The 1-mile monorail built in Seattle for the Century 21 Exposition in 1962 is expected to be taken the place by the Green Line，a 14-mile monorail line that will serve as public transit（construction begins in 2005）.
Extensions of the Las Vegas Strip monorail north to the city center and south to the airport are being planned.
A 10-30km monorail through the tourist district of Niagara Falls，Ontario is planned to take the place of the existing bus-based Niagara Parks Commission peoplemover system.The line will connect hotels and the road-based transportation network in the area to attractions like Clifton Hill，Lundy’s Lane，Casino Niagara，Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort，the Skylon Tower，Maid of the Mist and the falls itself.
Several new systems are being built in Asian cities including：
Tehran，Iran.
Putrajaya，Malaysia
Sentosa Express，linking Sentosa，Singapore to the main island
Chongqing，China
Jakarta，Indonesia
West Kowloon Cultural District，Hong Kong，linking the WKCD with Tsim Sha Tsui
New Delhi，London MonoMetro Limited have planned a system in New Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and proposed to the British Government a 270km network in London part of which to be completed for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Questions for Discussion
1.Which one is known for having the“First daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere”？
2.How many new monorail systems are being built in Asian cities？