The public transport system in Vienna is very well developed. If you want to travel to any part of the city, you can take the underground, trains, trams or buses and reach your destination in no time. Wiener Linien, the city’s main transport operator, is responsible for ninety different bus routes, twenty-four of which run at night, twenty-nine tram lines and five underground systems. On public holidays and weekends, Viennese can use the underground throughout the night.
To put it simply, Vienna’s public transport is the best of any European city. Although it may be difficult to prove, the system is definitely among the best in every department. While the city’s tram and bus network is seemingly extensive, the underground system is still being expanded and there are suburban rail networks that extend well into the outskirts of Vienna. The best part of it all is the integrated nature of public transport in Vienna, which allows you to travel on all modes of transport with just one ticket.
Let us now describe the various means of public transport in the city that you can use to explore the many places of interest around this historic European city of Vienna.
Public Transportation in Vienna Map
Map of public transport system in Vienna showing different lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the map in PDF format.
Buses and streetcars in Vienna
Take a bus or tram on any route in the city and you are likely to come across a low-floor vehicle. They have been installed in large numbers on the streets of Vienna to make it easier for people with reduced mobility to get on and off. These low-floor trams are now in use on almost every other line, with the exception of line thirty, which is only used as a shuttle service. Tram stations are equipped with a flashing wheelchair symbol to indicate how long a vehicle will wait at the stop before departing.
Trams in Vienna
Trams are the most common form of public transport in Vienna, dating back to the early eighteenth century and having undergone several upgrades since then to keep up with advances in technology. Tram lines criss-cross almost the entire city, with most services running to and from the city centre, like the spokes of a wheel. Some lines also run special services at night to help local people get around.
Trams on lines one and two are the most popular with tourists. They run along the Ringstrasse and offer views of some of the city’s most popular tourist destinations: University, Burgtheater, Votivkirche, City Hall, Parliament, Hofburg Palace and the Opera. However, these lines no longer run the full length of the Ring and you will need to change at the many overlapping stations to complete your journey.
It may be worth noting that a new yellow tram has been introduced to run along the entire Ring. With a running audio commentary inside describing the various tourist attractions along the way, it is safe to say that this tram has been introduced purely for tourists. Travelling on this tram is also more expensive than on the standard trams on the aforementioned routes.
Vienna U-Bahn or Vienna subway system
Compared to other forms of public transport in Vienna, the subway is a modern system, with the first phase having only been opened in 1978. While the red U1 line runs north-south, the orange U3 line runs east-west. City Station in the centre of Vienna is the intersection of the two lines. The purple U2 line starts at Karlsplatz station and ends at Aspernstrasse in the 22nd district. It also has a stop at Messe Wien, which is close to the Vienna Convention Centre. The green U4 line connects the north and west and loops around the eastern half of the city centre. The brown U6 line is the oldest of all, operating trains similar to the old trams that ran at the turn of the century. Designed by Otto Wagner, most of this line is elevated rather than underground like the others. Note that there is no line U5, which was not built due to a bureaucratic mess, an event that the Viennese will surely remember forever.
Vienna S-Bahn
This is the suburban railway system in Vienna, which runs from the city centre to the outer suburbs. It consists of numerous branch lines that provide services in more than one direction. While services on most lines are fairly frequent, the frequency on the central main line is only every few minutes. The service is mainly operated by the Austrian Federal Railways.
Getting around in Vienna
There are many places where you can buy your tickets – machines at various tram and bus stops, ticket offices, TABAK or tobacco and newspaper stands, and also online. As it is an integrated transport system, this single ticket can be used on all means of transport, provided it is validated either by the bus or tram driver or at the designated points at all stops and stations. Travelling to the outskirts of Vienna is no longer a problem, as there are numerous bus and tram routes in these areas. Enjoy your stay in the city and use public transport in Vienna to explore the various tourist attractions in a fast, cheap and highly efficient manner.