The metro is the main public transport element in Vienna and is supplemented by several S-Bahn lines, which can also be used as a fast means of getting around the city.

The metro provides quick access to all the major sights in Vienna, from Schönbrunn Palace to St. Stephen's Cathedral, and is also an excellent transport option from the P+R car parks if you are arriving in Vienna by car.

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Underground lines

Vienna's underground is criss-crossed by 5 relatively long underground lines, known as the "U-Bahn" in Vienna.

• U1 - Red (Leopoldau - Oberlaa): runs via Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz, Prater, Central Station or UNO City
• U2 - purple (Schottenring - Seestadt): runs from the city centre via Prater to the east of the city, with an extension in the direction of Matzelinsdorfer Platz under construction and a change of line (previously the line ran under the Ringstrasse, where it will be replaced by the U5)
• U3 - yellow (Ottakring - Simmering): runs e.g. via Stephansplatz, Mariahilf, West Station or Erdberg bus station
• U4 - green (Heiligenstadt - Hütteldorf): runs around the whole centre and to Schönbrunn
• U5 - under construction
• U6 - brown (Floridsdorf - Siebenhirten): tangential line across western Vienna, not going directly to the centre

A detailed listing of stations, lines and timetables can be found at wienerlinien.at.

S-Bahn lines

The city railway is not only used for commuting from the surrounding towns and villages to Vienna, but can also be conveniently used for getting around Vienna. Lines S1, S2, S3, S4, S7, S40, S45, S50, S60 and S80 run on Vienna's rails.

The S-Bahn is most used along the Floridsdorf - Prater - Wien Mitte (centre) - Main Station (Hbf) - Meidling axis, where 4 lines (even 5 from Floridsdorf to Wien Mitte) run at intervals of about 2-10 minutes.

You can also use the S-Bahn to get from the centre of Vienna to the airport, which is served by the S7 line.

Underground map

You can download the complete up-to-date maps of Vienna's public transport to your mobile phone from the official website of the transport company wienerlinien.at.

Metro and S-Bahn tickets

• 1 ride (80 minutes - any number of transfers) - 2,40 eur
• 24 hours - 8 eur
• 48 hours - 14,10 eur
• 72 hours - 17,10 eur
• 7 days - 19,70 eur

Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at all metro stations, via the WienMobil app or at newsagents.

All tickets can also be used on trams, buses and trains within Vienna, for more information on other public transport modes see the chapter Transport in Vienna.

How to use a ticket?

There are no turnstiles at the entrance to the station , only blue or orange validators where you "click" the ticket, and always only the first time you use it.

So if you are travelling with, for example, a 24-hour ticket, you will only mark it on your first journey and you don't need to mark it afterwards.

S-Bahn trains work in the same way, you must always mark your ticket in the validator ("Entwerter") on the platform or when you enter the platform.

If you use tickets from the mobile app, you just select the start of validity, activate the ticket and you don't have to load a QR code anywhere. You only show your ticket when prompted by an inspector who occasionally passes inside metro, tram or bus cars.

Does the Vienna metro run 24/7?

All metro lines run at intervals of 2-6 minutes on weekdays and 5-10 minutes on weekends.

The metro runs from 5:00 am until about 0:00 am, when the last trains leave the terminus.

From Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday the metro runs all night.