The Viennese subway line U2 is now operating along its entire route again. The years-long partial closure ended today, Friday. The purple line is now also serving the section between Schottentor and Karlsplatz, which has been out of operation since 2021. The reason for the closure was work for the future U2/U5 line intersection. Among other things, sliding doors were installed on the platform of the recently closed section, which did not exist in the Viennese subway network before.

U2 Partial Closure in Vienna is History

They are intended to later enable the fully automatic operation of the driverless U5. Originally, operations on this section should have resumed more than a year ago, but technical problems led to delays. The U2 will continue to run to Karlsplatz until at least 2030. After that, it will branch off at the Rathaus junction onto the completely newly built route towards Matzleinsdorfer Platz.

Premiere for Platform Doors in the Viennese Subway Network

The start on Friday was celebrated by the Viennese Lines with a slogan on the displays in the stations: "Comeback of the Year" could be read there. Not a few passengers marveled at the new ambiance when entering the platforms - that is, the continuous glass front in which the sliding doors are located.

Their operation is uncomplicated, as the push button is similar to those on modern trains. However, people who are in a hurry need to be careful when getting off. The platform door opens a little later, anyone who rushes out of the train without looking could bump into it.

New Entrance at the Viennese City Hall

Otherwise, a familiar picture was presented in the stations, in the "Museumsquartier" passage, the small bookstore located there has moved back in. There is a new entrance directly at the city hall, where construction work for the U2/U5 line intersection is still in full swing. The old one was located on that part of the area where extensive digging is now taking place.

As the Viennese Lines announced in the morning, the first train started its journey towards Seestadt from Karlsplatz station at 05.01 am. The route is already being frequented by numerous users again, they emphasized. Overall, the transport companies expect again 180,000 passengers per day on the entire U2.

"I am Very Pleased About the Reopening of the U2 to Karlsplatz"

"I am very pleased about the reopening of the U2 to Karlsplatz. The Viennese and all visitors to our city can look forward to a comprehensively modernised underground with new platform doors," said the responsible city councillor Peter Hanke (SPÖ). The technical challenges posed by the new system were also once again highlighted.

200 platform door modules with 16,000 square metres of glass surface have been installed, it was emphasised. In addition, the replacement of 4.8 kilometres of rails was on the agenda. The exact cause of the recent problems with the new doors is still under investigation. According to Vienna Lines, unexpected earth movements were responsible for damage to the already installed modules.

Various rumours have been circulating in the city hall for weeks about this. For example, there is talk that platforms have sunk because they were reinforced for the installation of the doors - which is said to have caused additional weight load. According to "Kurier", there are also rumours that concrete injections at the Rathaus construction site are responsible for the movement of platforms. Here, an elevation is mentioned.

Opposition Demands Clarification

The opposition demanded swift clarification once again on Friday. City Councillor Hanke recently promised at a media event that the matter will be investigated. He assured that appropriate conclusions will be drawn from the problems.

For any possible acute problems with the new technology, the Vienna Lines will have more staff in the service and technical area in the coming days, it was announced. They are to monitor the system.

Siemens Mobility was pleased with the now operational real operation. The company is responsible for the train safety and control technology, it was explained in a press release. The technology enables the control and monitoring of the trains, regardless of whether they are driven by a driver or in fully automatic operation. The system also supports the door openings of the platform doors and the handling process at the stations.

If there is a driver in the trains, the signals are active and display driving instructions according to Siemens Mobility. In the later fully automatic operation, the new X-car trains will be on the move independently. Data such as the position of the trains or speed would then be exchanged permanently via a radio system.

(APA/Red)

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