Vienna U-Bahn

Vienna U-Bahn
Train sets of lines U6 and U4 entering Längenfeldgasse interchange
Overview
Native name	U-Bahn Wien
Locale	Vienna, Austria
Transit type	Rapid transit
Line number	(future)
Number of stations	98[1]
Daily ridership	1.3 million (avg. daily, 2009)[2]
Annual ridership	459,8 million (2019)[3]
Website	Wiener Linien
Operation
Began operation	8 May 1976 (1976-05-08) (test operation) 25 February 1978 (1978-02-25)[4] (official opening)
Operator(s)	Wiener Linien
Number of vehicles	778[1]
Headway	2–15 minutes
Technical
System length	83.3 km (51 mi 61 ch)[5][6]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	750 V DC third rail (U1–U4) 750 V DC overhead lines (U6)
Average speed	32.5 km/h (20.2 mph)[5]
Top speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
System map Legend  System map Seestadt Leopoldau Aspern Nord Grossfeldsiedlung Hausfeldstraße Aderklaaer Straße Aspernstraße Rennbahnweg Donauspital Kagraner Platz Hardeggasse Kagran Stadlau Alte Donau Donaustadtbrücke Kaisermühlen-VIC Donaumarina Donauinsel Stadion Vorgartenstraße Krieau Messe-Prater Floridsdorf Neue Donau Simmering Handelskai Enkplatz Dresdner Straße Zippererstraße Jägerstraße Gasometer Erdberg Heiligenstadt Schlachthausgasse Spittelau Kardinal-Nagl-Platz Friedensbrücke Rochusgasse Roßauer Lände Praterstern Taborstraße Nestroyplatz Schottenring Schottentor Schwedenplatz Rathaus Landstraße Bf. Wien Mitte CAT Stadtpark Nußdorfer Straße Währinger Straße- Volksoper Stubentor Michelbeuern-AKH Stephansplatz Alser Straße Herrengasse Josefstädter Straße Thaliastraße Volkstheater Burggasse-Stadthalle Museumsquartier Karlsplatz Neubaugasse Zieglergasse Kettenbrückengasse Pilgramgasse Westbahnhof Margaretengürtel Gumpendorfer Straße Längenfeldgasse Taubstummengasse Südtiroler Platz- Hauptbahnhof Schweglerstraße Keplerplatz Johnstraße Reumannplatz Hütteldorfer Straße Troststraße Kendlerstraße Altes Landgut Ottakring Alaudagasse Neulaa Meidling Hauptstraße Oberlaa Schönbrunn Hietzing Niederhofstraße Braunschweiggasse Bahnhof Meidling Unter St. Veit Tscherttegasse Ober St. Veit Am Schöpfwerk Hütteldorf Alterlaa Erlaaer Straße Perfektastraße Siebenhirten Top and bottom correspond roughly to north-east and south-west,respectively This diagram: view talk edit

The Vienna U-Bahn (German: U-Bahn Wien), where U-Bahn is an abbreviation of the German word Untergrundbahn (English: underground railway), is a rapid transit system serving Vienna, Austria. The five-line network consists of 83.1 kilometers (51.6 mi) of route, serving 109 stations.^[5] 459.8 million passengers rode the U-Bahn in 2019.^[7] The network is undergoing expansion and rolling stock renewal. Since 1969, 200 million euros have been invested annually in the extension of the Vienna U-Bahn.^[2]

The modern-day U-Bahn opened on 25 February 1978,^[5][4] after test operations that began on 8 May 1976. Parts of two of the lines, designated U4 and U6, date back to the Stadtbahn ("city railway") system, which opened in 1898. Parts of the U2 and U6 lines began as subway tunnels built to accommodate earlier tram lines. Only the U1 and U3 were built wholly as new subway lines.

Lines are designated by a number and the prefix "U" (for U-Bahn) and identified on station signage and related literature by a colour. There are five lines; U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6. Since the late 1960s there have been numerous suggestions of routings for a line U5, but all these projects had been shelved until the construction of a new U5 was announced in early 2014.^[8] Stations are often named after streets, public spaces, or districts, and in some special cases after prominent buildings at or near the station. The policy of the Wiener Linien, however, states that they prefer not to name stations after buildings.^{[citation needed]}

Ticketing for the network is integrated under the Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region [de] (VOR) along with other means of public transport in Vienna, including trams and buses. Local tickets are valid on S-Bahn suburban rail services and other train services but those are operated by the state railway operator, ÖBB. Tickets are not valid on bus services operated by Vienna Airport Lines or the City Airport Train express train.