Vienna U-Bahn

Infobox Public transit
name=U-Bahn Wien


imagesize=100px
locale=Vienna
transit_type=Rapid transit
began_operation=1976
system_length=km to mi|69.5|abbr=yes|precision=1
lines=5
stations=84
ridership=
track_gauge=RailGauge|sg
operator=Wiener Linien

The Vienna U-Bahn is a rapid transit (metro) system consisting of five lines mostly running underground, except for the central section of line U6, which runs above ground on the viaduct of the old Vienna Stadtbahn. The first section of the modern "U-Bahn" opened on 8 May 1976, but two of the lines (U4, U6) go back to the "Stadtbahn" system, which first opened in 1898.

The network is interconnected with the S-Bahn system. All means of public transport in Vienna, including trams, buses and railways, can be used with the same ticket. The stations are often named after streets or city areas, and in some special cases after prominent buildings at or near the station, although the official policy of the Wiener Linien states that they prefer not to name stations after buildings.

The lines do not have any specific names. They merely have a number and the prefix "U" (for U-Bahn). Additionally, each line can be identified by a colour. There are currently five lines, U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6. There have been numerous projects for a line U5, with a variety of suggested routes, but all these projects have been shelved, and it is unlikely to be built in the near future.

The Vienna U-Bahn has three origins: Conversion from the 1898 Stadtbahn (lines U4 and most of U6), conversion from a premetro (parts of U2 and parts of U6), and newly-built subway (U1, U3, parts of U2 and U6).

The network

The network's total length is 69.5 kilometers while it carried on average 1.31 million customers per day [http://www.vcoe.at/start.asp?ID=4031] . Currently there are five U-Bahn lines (U1-U4 and U6) with 84 stations, including nine transfer stations. The U-Bahn runs between 5 am and around 1 am. Intervals are between two and five minutes during the day and, up to eight after 8 pm.

Each U-Bahn line has its own colour. Apart from the colour each line has its own characteristic design elements. Many U6 and some U4 station buildings have preserved the design of Vienna's Jugendstil architect Otto Wagner.

U1

Colour: orange

Line U3 opened in four phases between 1989 and 2000. All but two stations are underground.

* Ottakring
* Kendlerstraße
* Hütteldorfer Straße
* Johnstraße
* Schweglerstraße
* Westbahnhof Public transport Vienna|U6
* Zieglergasse
* Neubaugasse
* Volkstheater Public transport Vienna|U2
* Herrengasse
* Stephansplatz — City Public transport Vienna|U1
* Stubentor
* Landstraße Public transport Vienna|U4
* Rochusgasse
* Kardinal-Nagl-Platz
* Schlachthausgasse
* Erdberg
* Gasometer
* Zippererstraße
* Enkplatz
* Simmering

U4

Colour: green

For line U4, Stadtbahn line WD (originally opened between 1898 and 1901) was modernized between 1976 and 1981. The first section between Heiligenstadt and Friedensbrücke opened on 8 May 1976. All stations except Stadtpark have been rebuilt on platform level, although several still use the original station buildings above ground.

"WD" stood for "Wiental-Donaukanal", which is exactly the route of this line. It first runs parallel to the Wien River (from Hütteldorf to Landstraße), and after a left turn follows the Donaukanal upstream till Heiligenstadt.

* Hütteldorf
* Ober St. Veit
* Unter St. Veit
* Braunschweiggasse
* Hietzing
* Schönbrunn
* Meidling Hauptstraße
* Längenfeldgasse Public transport Vienna|U6
* Margaretengürtel
* Pilgramgasse
* Kettenbrückengasse
* Karlsplatz Public transport Vienna|U1 Public transport Vienna|U2
* Stadtpark
* Landstraße Public transport Vienna|U3
* Schwedenplatz Public transport Vienna|U1
* Schottenring Public transport Vienna|U2
* Roßauer Lände
* Friedensbrücke
* Spittelau Public transport Vienna|U6
* Heiligenstadt

U6

Colour: brown

Line U6 is the longest line of the Vienna U-Bahn system. Between Längenfeldgasse and Spittelau it uses the original Stadtbahn viaduct. Unlike line U4, most stations were left in their original design, this being one of the reasons why line U6 uses different train stock than the other lines, and optical signalling. The southern section of line U6 from Siebenhirten to Philadelphiabrücke (opened in 1995) partly uses an elevated section built for an express tram in the late 1970s. The section from Philadelphiabrücke to Längenfeldgasse runs underground and was opened in 1989. The northern section from Spittelau to Floridsdorf, alternately above and below ground, opened in 1996.
* Floridsdorf
* Neue Donau
* Handelskai
* Dresdner Straße
* Jägerstraße
* Spittelau Public transport Vienna|U4
* Nußdorfer Straße
* Währinger Straße — Volksoper
* Michelbeuern — AKH (Allgemeines Krankenhaus)
* Alser Straße
* Josefstädter Straße
* Thaliastraße
* Burggasse — Stadthalle
* Westbahnhof Public transport Vienna|U3
* Gumpendorfer Straße
* Längenfeldgasse Public transport Vienna|U4
* Niederhofstraße
* Philadelphiabrücke — Meidling
* Tscherttegasse
* Am Schöpfwerk
* Alterlaa (southern terminus for some U6 trains)
* Erlaaer Straße
* Perfektastraße
* Siebenhirten

Gallery

ections under construction

The first section of the U2 extension, from Schottenring to Stadion, was completed on 10 May 2008, just in time for the 2008 European Football Championship games. [ [http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=3333177 U2-Verlängerung in Betrieb gegangen] , Der Standard, 10 May 2008] The further extension across the Danube river to Aspern will be completed by 2010, according to Wiener Linien.

See also

* Vienna S-Bahn
* List of rapid transit systems

References

External links

A map of Vienna's "Schnellverbindungen" (Fast Connections), consisting of underground lines, S-Bahn lines, the Lokalbahn Wien-Baden and the City Airport Train (CAT) is available in PDF format: [http://www.wienerlinien.at/media/files/2008/Schnellverbindungsplan_englisch_3104.pdf www.wienerlinien.at]
* [http://www.wiennet.at/wien/index_en.htm Timetable information & Route planner]
* [http://homepage.univie.ac.at/horst.prillinger/metro/ Vienna Metro German/English]
* [http://www.schnellbahn-wien.at Vienna S-Bahn German with Basic Information in English]
* [http://metros.hu/kulfold/becs.html Vienna Metro on metros.hu]
* [http://viennaunderground.eu Vienna U-Bahn stations as Google Map overlay]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpTvdNx54rQ Presentation video of all U-Bahn lines]