U2 (Vienna U-Bahn)

Line U2 is a line on the Vienna U-Bahn metro system. Opened in 1980, it currently has 20 stations and a total length of 16.7 km (10.4 mi), from Karlsplatz to Seestadt.[1] It is connected to U1 at Karlsplatz and Praterstern, U3 at Volkstheater, U4 at Karlsplatz and Schottenring.

Line U2
U-Bahn-Linie U2
Line U2 train at Donaumarina
Overview
StatusOperational
Termini
Connecting lines
Stations20
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemVienna U-Bahn
Operator(s)Wiener Linien
Depot(s)Erdberg, Seestadt
History
Opened30 August 1980 (1980-08-30)
Technical
Line length16.7 km (10.4 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC third rail
Route map
Aspern sidings
0.000
 Seestadt
1.276
 Aspern Nord
2.673
 Hausfeldstraße
 An den alten Schanzen
(Shell)
4.256
 Aspernstraße
5.057
 Donauspital
5.739
 Hardeggasse
6.376
 Stadlau
7.553
 Donaustadtbrücke
Donaustadt Bridge, New Danube
Donaustadt Bridge, Danube
8.408
 Donaumarina
Connection to Erdberg depot
9.534
 Stadion
10.197
 Krieau
10.944
 Messe-Prater
11.799
 Praterstern
12.760
 Taborstraße
Donaukanal
13.472
 Schottenring
(since 2008)
Link to U1 at Stephansplatz
14.220
 Schottentor
Proposed new south branch
Future connection with
15.141
 Rathaus
 Lerchenfelder Straße
(closed 2003)
15.806
 Volkstheater
16.230
 Museumsquartier
16.838
 Karlsplatz
Neubaugasse
Pilgramgasse
Reinprechtsdorfer Straße
 Matzleinsdorfer Platz
Extension stage 4 or stage 5
 Gußriegelstraße
 Wienerberg

Since May 2021, the section from Karlsplatz to Schottentor has been closed due to the construction of the not-yet-opened U5.[2] Since the closure, Line U2 only runs between Schottentor and Seestadt, totaling just 16 stations and losing its only connection to U3 at Volkstheater, as well as connections at Karlsplatz to U1 and U4.

Stations

Line U2 serves the following stations:[3][2]

No service due to construction:

Currently in service:

History

Construction (1963–1980)

The construction of the tunnel, which was later the centrepiece of the U2, was started in 1963. After the tunnel was completed in 1966 with a length of 1.8 kilometres, it ran from Vienna Secession to Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz. Soon after, the modern construction of Vienna's railway was built on the 3 November 1969.[4] This consisted of the newly built U1 line, and two merged lines from a tram and old metro, of the line U2 and U4 respectively. As the result of a more streamlined network, there were new routes between U1, U2 and U4.[5]

In the 1960s and 1970s, U2 received a total of three new stations: Karlsplatz, Schottentor and Schottenring. On 30 August 1980, the U2 between Karlsplatz and Schottenring was opened, meaning the line was 3.5 kilometres in length.[6]

Expansion (2008–2013)

Between 1980 and 2008, the U2 remained by far the weakest busy line in the Vienna network. As a result, U2 was extended to the Ernst Happel Stadium in 2008, to Aspernstraße in 2010, and finally to Seestadt on October 5, 2013.[7]

Future

It has been proposed that the existing U2 line will be separated into two lines at Rathaus station. The section of the current U2 line from Rathaus to Karlsplatz will be upgraded to allow for driverless operation and become part of a new U5 line. A new U2 line will then be built, extending from Rathaus to Wien Matzleinsdorfer Platz railway station (for interchange with the Vienna S-Bahn), via interchanges with the U3 at Neubaugasse and the U4 at Pilgramgasse, and then on to Wienerberg.[8][9] In late 2017 it was announced that construction on the new line would start in 2018, with entry into service planned for 2024.[10]

Rolling Stock

The development of the cars of the U2 Trains was by Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP) in 1972.[11] This unit had a two-axle motorcar, it was 36.8 metres long and 2.8 metres wide and a permanently coupled twin railcar. A train was made up of three double cars. From 1987, SGP upgraded their cars' technical equipment, which included water-cooled three-phase motors, brakes with energy recovery and modernised emergency braking and safety equipment.[12] In 2006, the U2 LED displays replaced the original in-and-out illuminated telltale displays. In addition, the trains were retrofitted with plastic seats, video surveillance and warning lights that had signalled the door closing. An individual car consists of 49 seats and 91 standing spots.

The line is, as of June 2019, operated with a mixture of the original trains and the newer Type V, with each train having 260 seats and 618 standing spots.

Service
Time Mon–Fri (School) Mon–Fri (Holidays) Saturday Sunday and Public Holidays
04:30 to 07:00 3–5 minutes 4–5 minutes 7 minutes 7 minutes
07:00 to 20:00 3–5 minutes 4–5 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes
20:00 to 00:00 8 minutes 8 minutes 8 minutes 8 minutes
00:00 to 04:30 No service No service 15 minutes 15 minutes

In rush hour and during the night, the entire line is serviced by all trains; during all other operating hours, every second train terminates at Aspernstraße due to lower capacity utilization on the final section.

References
  1. Prillinger, Horst. "Line U2 Seestadt - Karlsplatz". The Vienna Metro. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  2. "Partial closure of Vienna's U2 subway line until fall 2023". Austrian Press. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  3. "Schnellverbindungen" [Rapid services] (PDF) (in German). Wiener Linien. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  4. Rout, Stephen. "Vienna Underground Train System - Information from Vienna Direct". ViennaDirect. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  5. Prillinger, Horst. "The Modern Metro (U-Bahn), Phase 1 - The Vienna Metro". The Vienna Metro. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  6. "U2 Route: TIme Schedules, Stops & Maps". Moovit. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  7. "U2 auf verlängerter Strecke unterwegs". Wiener Linien. Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  8. "Linien U2 und U5" [Lines U2 and U5] (in German). Wiener Linien. 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  9. "Vienna to Introduce Driverless U-bahn Trains". International Railway Journal. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  10. "Linienkreuz U2/U5 steht in den Startlöchern: Erste Bauarbeiten 2018" [U2/U5 Line Crossing is on the Starting Blocks: First Construction in 2018] (in German). Vienna.at. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  11. Prillinger, Horst. "U, U11 and U2 Stock". The Vienna Metro. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  12. "Vienna U-Bahn". Rehau. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
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