Vienna’s transportation system is one of the best in Europe and the world, according to the International Association of Public Transport. Apart from the buses and tram line that travel around the city, it has an underground railway system called U-Bahn (Untergrundbahn) which provides a faster travel time for commuters.
It is referred to as a rapid transit system. In the year 2009 alone, more than 1.3 million people rode the U-Bahn on a daily basis. In 2010, the number went up to more than 534 million.
Initially, the network consisted of five lines covering a route of 74.6 kilometers and servicing 101 stations. In October this year, however, 3 stations were added to the U2 line.
The U-Bahn which was originally called Stadtbahn began operating way back in 1898. The more modern system opened much later in 1976.
This month, it was announced that the U6 underground line will be expanded with shorter intervals. To ensure a faster travel time for passengers and accommodate more people, five additional trains will be added. When this happens, the U6 will run every 2.5 minutes even during the peak rush hour periods.
With the five extra trains, it is expected that the passenger capacity of each train will be increased by 20 percent particularly during the rush hours.
Not many people know that the U6 line is the most utilized in Vienna accommodating nearly 130 million passengers per year. People riding this line normally travel between Siebenhirten and Floridsdorf.
