Whenever we talk about transportation in Monaco, it is easy to think of the multiple exotic and luxurious cars we see parading on the streets of Monte Carlo or Beausoleil. After all, they are a perfect match to the glamorous and ostentatious lifestyle which characterizes the principality. However, did you know that it is more than prepared for you to explore its attractions on foot?
Unbelievable, right? But yes, Monaco has a unique network of public elevators, escalators, and walkways which allow you to cross the principality from East to West in around 45 minutes with nothing but your feet. In this article, we are going to see all about that interesting feature as well as the ways in which you can get the locations of those pedestrian aids of free and public use.
What are the public elevators in Monaco?
The principality as a whole is located in a region filled with mountains and hills. While it is not a problem for cars or motorcycles, it surely poses a challenge for people traveling on foot – not to mention people with reduced mobility. That network of pedestrian aids was built over the past years so as to make it easier for everyone to reach their destinations in the principality on foot.
Escalators, especially the electric ones, are useful to make pedestrians move faster. However, elevators accomplish the same goal while being accessible to people with reduced mobility as well. Because of that, Monaco has been gradually replacing its public escalators with elevators over the past few years. These days, the principality has 90 public elevators and 35 escalators.
What are the benefits of the public escalators Monaco?
The principality has defined strict goals towards sustainability, so this network of elevators and escalators is a great tool to meet them. It encourages people to walk, rather than depending on cars. Besides that, it is worth mentioning again that it offers a solution for people with reduced mobility; they get easier access around Monaco using the same resources as the other people.
Besides that pedestrian network, Monaco has enforced many other mobility initiatives. There is a bus system powered by clean energy; incentives for car-sharing and using low-emission cars, rental stations for electric bicycle rentals, and zones where it is encouraged to walk instead of driving. All those initiatives surely contribute to make Monaco more sustainable year after year.
Is the pedestrian network easy to use?
Of course! The principality has emitted “Monaco Malin”, a brochure that shows everything you need to know when it comes to walking in Monaco. While its appearance suggests it was made in the 2000s, it concentrates a lot of information on two pages. You are going to see a full map of the principality and where to find the public elevators and escalators categorized by region.
You may also like to know that this system gets adequate maintenance. Monaco replaces aging devices regularly and plans to have half of its network updated by the end of this year. Besides, all the necessary work is done outside of peak hours to minimize inconvenience. In case you get stuck, the fire crew is ready to help; you are brought back to safety in usually 45 minutes.
Where are the Monaco public elevators?
Now that you know all about the principality’s pedestrian network, it is time to find the devices! The first step is to download Your Monaco, an official app that presents all kinds of information about Monaco. Then, you can open the Explore tab and filter the map to see the locations of all the public elevators (it does not show escalators). Another option is to check the table below: