The Vienna Metro (U-Bahn in German) is the fastest and most efficient way to get around the Austrian capital. With five lines criss-crossing the city covering over 83 kilometres and serving 109 stations, the Viennese metro is one of the most modern, cleanest and punctual networks in Europe, used by hundreds of thousands of commuters and tourists every day.
Inaugurated in 1978, the metro has gradually replaced and integrated the old urban tram and railway system, becoming the beating heart of the city’s mobility. The stations are easily recognisable thanks to the characteristic white ‘U’ symbol on a blue background at the entrance to each stop.
The metro network perfectly connects the city centre with the main tourist attractions, railway stations, residential areas and interchange points with other means of public transport. Whether you want to visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace or the Prater, the underground will take you to your destination in just a few minutes.
Vienna’s underground network consists of five main lines, each identified by a colour and a number. Each line has specific characteristics and serves different parts of the city, together forming a comprehensive network covering practically every relevant urban area.
The U1 line, easily recognisable by its red colour, runs through Vienna from north to south, connecting Leopoldau with Oberlaa on a route of about 19 kilometres with 24 stations. This is probably the most important line for tourists as it runs through the heart of the city.
The Stephansplatz stop is located in the heart of the city centre, just a few steps from St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Vienna’s most elegant pedestrian zone. From here you can easily walk to the Hofburg, the imperial palace, and the main shops in the centre.
Karlsplatz station is an important interchange hub where the U1 crosses the U2 and U4 lines. Here you will find the magnificent Karlskirche (Church of St. Charles Borromeo), the Museum of the History of Vienna and the Musikverein, the prestigious concert hall home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Continuing north, the Praterstern stop takes you directly to the famous Prater, the large public park where the iconic Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad), one of the symbols of Vienna, is located. This station is also an important interchange with suburban S-Bahn trains and the U2 line.
To the south, the U1 serves the Wien Hauptbahnhof (stop of the same name), the modern central station opened in 2015 from which international and national trains depart and arrive. If you arrive in Vienna by train, this will probably be your first metro stop.
The purple-coloured U2 line runs on a semicircular route connecting Karlsplatz with Seestadt through about 16 kilometres and 20 stations. This line has undergone recent expansion and modernisation, making it one of the most technologically advanced in the network.
The U2 is particularly useful for reaching the MuseumsQuartier, one of the largest museum complexes in the world, which houses the Leopold Museum, the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art) and numerous exhibition spaces. The stop of the same name leaves you right at the entrance to this cultural quarter.
The Schottentor station serves the University of Vienna and the Votivkirche, one of the city’s most impressive neo-Gothic churches. From here you can easily walk to the Ring and many cultural institutions.
Continuing eastwards, the Praterstern stop (shared with the U1) provides access to the Prater and the Ernst Happel stadium. The Stadion station serves this sports area, which is particularly crowded during football events and concerts.
The newer stations of the U2 towards Seestadt serve modern residential neighbourhoods and urban sprawl areas, less interesting for tourists but essential for residents.
The U3 line, identified by the colour orange, runs through Vienna from west to east, connecting Ottakring with Simmering along approximately 13.5 kilometres and 21 stations. This line intersects the other main lines at strategic points, making changes and travel easy.
The Westbahnhof stop serves the western railway station of the same name, which is important for connections to Salzburg, Munich and western Germany. Many westbound trains depart and arrive here.
Stephansplatz is also again served by the U3, offering an alternative to the U1 to reach the city centre. This station is one of the busiest nodes on the network, with a continuous flow of passengers changing lines.
The Herrengasse stop leaves you within walking distance of the Hofburg, the imperial palace complex that houses the imperial flats, the Sissi Museum and the Imperial Treasury. From here you can also easily reach the Austrian National Library with its spectacular Baroque State Hall.
The Volkstheater and Neubaugasse stations serve lively neighbourhoods with numerous shops, cafés, restaurants and art galleries, perfect for exploring contemporary Vienna beyond the classic tourist routes.
The U4 line, recognisable by its green colour, connects Hütteldorf in the west with Heiligenstadt in the north, running about 16.5 kilometres with 20 stations. This line is particularly interesting from an architectural point of view, as many of its stations retain the original structures designed by Otto Wagner, master of the Viennese Jugendstil.
The Karlsplatz station (shared with U1 and U2) is itself an architectural masterpiece, with Otto Wagner’s famous Art Nouveau pavilions perfectly preserved on the outside. These ornate iron and glass buildings have become symbols of early 20th century Viennese architecture.
The Schönbrunn stop takes you directly to Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburgs and one of Europe’s most beautiful Baroque complexes. From the underground subway you will reach the palace entrance in less than 5 minutes on foot.
The Kettenbrückengasse station serves the Naschmarkt, Vienna’s most famous food market, where you can find specialities from all over the world, ethnic restaurants and antiques during the Saturday flea market.
The Schwedenplatz and Schottenring stations connect the centre with the Danube Canal, an increasingly lively area with clubs, outdoor restaurants and leisure areas along the river banks.
The brown U6 line is the longest of the network with approximately 17.5 kilometres and 24 stations, connecting Siebenhirten in the south with Floridsdorf in the north. This line is partially elevated, offering panoramic views of the city in some sections.
The U6 has a special history: it largely follows the route of the old Stadtbahn (urban railway) built in the late 19th century, and many of its stations are Jugendstil architectural works designed by Otto Wagner. The elevated stations with ornate iron and stone structures are architectural highlights.
The Westbahnhof station (shared with the U3) is an important interchange point for those arriving from the train station of the same name. The Längenfeldgasse station offers another interchange with the U4, facilitating cross-city travel.
The U6 runs mainly through residential districts and less touristy areas, thus being less useful for visitors than the other lines. However, it is essential for residents of the northern and southern suburbs.
A curiosity: the U6 is the only partially above-ground line, and in some sections it offers beautiful views of Vienna, especially when it crosses the historic viaduct designed by Otto Wagner above the Wien river valley.
Maps of the network are posted at every station and inside every train carriage. These maps show all the lines, the interchange stations highlighted with concentric circles, and the main points of interest. The map is also available as a free PDF download below.
Vienna Metro map in PDF
The Vienna Metro operates with extended timetables and high frequencies that guarantee maximum travel flexibility. On weekdays (Monday to Thursday), trains run from 5:00 a.m. until around midnight, covering practically the entire day.
On Friday evenings, Saturday nights and the night before public holidays, the metro runs 24 hours a day without interruption. This night service is particularly popular with those who want to enjoy Vienna’s nightlife without having to worry about transfers to the hotel. During the night, trains run at a frequency of about 15 minutes.
On weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) during the day, the service maintains regular timetables from 5 a.m. with frequencies similar to weekdays. On Sunday evenings, the service ends again around midnight, as on weekdays.
During peak hours (7:00-9:00 am and 4:00-6:00 pm on weekdays), trains run every 2-4 minutes. This high frequency means that you will rarely have to wait more than a couple of minutes on the platform before the next train arrives.
During the middle of the day and in the early afternoon, the interval between trains is 5-7 minutes, which is very convenient and quick. In the evening, after about 8.30 p.m., the frequency decreases slightly to 7-10 minutes, still maintaining a more than adequate service.
At night on weekends (when the metro runs H24), trains run about every 15 minutes on all lines. Although the wait is slightly longer than during the day, the night service is still efficient and reliable.
At the stops and on the platforms, digital displays indicate the arrival of the next trains in real time with a countdown of the missing minutes. This information is constantly updated and very accurate, allowing you to plan your journeys precisely.
Vienna Metro tickets are part of the integrated fare system operated by Wiener Linien, valid on all public transport in the city: metro, tram, bus and suburban S-Bahn trains within the urban area. We have covered tickets and fares on the Vienna Transport page.
The Vienna City Card is a tourist card that combines unlimited public transport (including the metro) with discounts at over 200 attractions, museums, restaurants and shops. It is available in 24, 48, 72-hour or 7-day versions.
The card includes unlimited travel on the entire public transport network and offers reductions of generally 15-25% on entrance fees to major museums. An interesting advantage is that a child up to 15 years of age travels free with each adult card.
Many underground stations in Vienna are true architectural works of art that deserve attention if only for their aesthetic and historical value. Some date back to the period of the Stadtbahn designed by Otto Wagner, while others represent state-of-the-art contemporary architecture.
Otto Wagner’s stations on the U4 and U6 lines are jewels of the Viennese Jugendstil. The Karlsplatz pavilions on U4, with their green and gold iron structures decorated with Art Nouveau floral motifs, have become symbols of the city. These buildings, built in 1898, have been perfectly restored and one houses a small museum dedicated to Otto Wagner.
The Stadtpark station on the U4 retains Wagner’s original architecture with elegant wrought-iron decorations and stained glass windows. The Schönbrunn and Hietzing stations also retain historical architectural elements that testify to the evolution of Viennese public transport.
On the U6 line, elevated stations such as Alser Straße and Josefstädter Straße feature stone and iron structures running on historic viaducts, offering panoramic views of the city. The Gürtel viaduct, along which part of the U6 runs, is considered an engineering masterpiece of the late 19th century.
Among the modern stations, Karlsplatz in its underground complex is an example of functional contemporary architecture, with large bright spaces, integrated artworks and perfect accessibility. The recent Seestadt on the U2 represents the cutting edge of station design, with natural lighting, sustainable materials and smart technologies.
The history of the Viennese metro has its roots in the late 19th century with the construction of the Stadtbahn, the urban railway designed by Otto Wagner and inaugurated in 1898. This partly elevated and partly underground city train system served Vienna until the 1970s.
The modern U-Bahn was officially opened on 25 February 1978 with the opening of the first section of the U1 line between Reumannplatz and Karlsplatz. This marked the beginning of a radical transformation of Viennese public transport, with the gradual conversion and integration of the old Stadtbahn lines into the new metro system.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the network expanded rapidly with the opening of new lines and the extension of existing ones. The U6 line, which is now the longest, incorporates much of the historic Stadtbahn route, retaining many of the original stations designed by Otto Wagner, now considered the city’s architectural heritage.
The U5 line, currently under construction, represents the last major expansion project. Initially planned in the 1970s but then cancelled for economic reasons, it has been completely redesigned and will open in the next few years, connecting new areas of the city and relieving traffic on the most congested lines.
Today, the Vienna Metro transports more than 440 million passengers a year, forming the backbone of the city’s public transport system. Continuous investments in maintenance, modernisation and expansion ensure that the network remains at the forefront of efficiency, comfort and environmental sustainability.
During excavations for the construction of the metro, exceptional archaeological finds were made. Remains of Roman buildings, medieval walls and objects from different eras were discovered under Vienna, bearing witness to the city’s millennia of history. Some of these finds are exhibited in small museums in the stations.
The missing U5 line is a curiosity that intrigues many: why is the U4 being changed to the U6? The answer is that the U5 was planned in the 1970s but was cancelled. When what was to be U5 was built, it was renamed U3. The ‘real’ U5 will finally be opened in the next few years with a completely different route than originally planned.
Some stations have recently changed their names to facilitate searching on mobile devices and GPS. For example, ‘Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring’ has become ‘Ring, Volkstheater U’ to make the reference to the theatre and the line serving the station more immediate.
The deepest station in the network is Volkstheater on the U3, which is about 26 metres below street level. In contrast, many U6 stations are elevated, offering panoramic views of the city.
Vienna was one of the first cities in the world to adopt a system of platform doors on some newer lines. These automatic glass doors align with the train doors and only open when the train is stopped, greatly increasing safety and preventing accidents on the tracks.
The Viennese metro is powered 100% by electricity from renewable sources, mainly hydroelectricity. This makes every metro journey virtually emission-free, contributing to the city’s environmental sustainability goals.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel