Wiener Linien Advances Landmark U2xU5 Subway Transformation to Debut Vienna’s First Driverless Metro Line with Siemens X-Wagen Fleet

Generational Subterranean Reconfiguration Carves Vienna’s Clean Mobility Backbone

VIENNA, Vienna — In the most complex and ambitious public transit modernization project in modern Austrian history, municipal transit operator Wiener Linien and the City of Vienna (Stadt Wien) have accelerated critical subterranean civil engineering, tunnel excavation, and station cavern construction across the landmark U2xU5 subway intersection and expansion program. Representing a multi-billion-euro capital investment co-financed by the Federal Republic of Austria and the City of Vienna, the generational project simultaneously expands the existing U2 line southward and constructs Vienna’s very first fully automated, driverless rapid transit line: the turquoise Line U5.

By uncoupling and realigning the heavily utilized southern section of the U2 from Karlsplatz and rerouting it through Rathaus down toward Matzleinsdorfer Platz, the project creates two independent, high-frequency subterranean trunk corridors beneath Vienna’s historic Ringstraße. The reconfiguration eliminates severe transit bottlenecks, unlocking rail capacity to transport over 300 million additional passengers annually across Greater Vienna.

The Turquoise Line U5: Vienna’s Premier Automated Driverless Metro Line

The debut of Line U5 marks Vienna’s historic transition into Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) unattended train operations, featuring world-class safety and architectural innovations:

• Karlsplatz to Frankhplatz Central Trunk: The initial operational segment connects Karlsplatz, Museumsquartier, Volkstheater, and Rathaus, terminating at the brand-new Frankhplatz station adjacent to the University of Vienna's Altes AKH campus.
• Automated Platform Screen Doors: For universal passenger protection and climate efficiency, all U5 underground station platforms are fitted with full-height automated glass platform screen doors (PSDs) that synchronize seamlessly with train doors upon arrival.
• Rathaus Station Megahub: Carved deep beneath the historic Neo-Gothic Vienna City Hall, the newly constructed two-level Rathaus station interchange enables seamless subterranean transfers between lines U2 and U5 without ascending to street level.
• State-of-the-Art Operations Control Centre: Centralized digital supervision monitors automated track switches, energy recuperation, and high-resolution platform video analytics in real time.

The Siemens X-Wagen: Next-Generation Walk-Through Electric Rolling Stock

Commercial services across the modernized network are anchored by a custom fleet of 34 six-car X-Wagen trainsets designed and manufactured by Siemens Mobility at its specialized rail plant in Vienna-Simmering. Engineered with a lightweight aluminum body structure that is over 90 percent recyclable, the trains feature continuous, open walk-through gangways that optimize passenger circulation and onboard security.

The X-Wagen introduces several global engineering innovations, including an air-free, electro-hydraulic braking system that drastically reduces maintenance downtime, and the cutting-edge Passenger Information Plus (PI+) visual system. Positioned above every passenger doorway, dynamic ultra-wide digital screens project real-time station maps, platform elevator positions, upcoming bus/tram connections, and carriage passenger load distributions.

Pivotal Milestone for Climate Protection and Urban Decarbonization

Wiener Linien and municipal environmental directors emphasize that the U2xU5 project represents Vienna’s single largest public investment in climate protection. By providing an attractive, high-frequency electric alternative to private vehicle use across central Vienna, the completed network is projected to eliminate up to 75,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

By linking major biomedical research centers, university campuses, and residential districts with zero-emission, automated mass transit, the U2xU5 project solidifies Vienna’s global reputation as the world's most livable city and a pioneer in sustainable urban infrastructure.