Still on the waiting track

Public transport hammer: New U5 now coming 4 years later!

There were difficulties with the U2xU5 construction mega-project right from the start. The schedule did not hold, and then the construction costs exploded. Now there is also the tight budget.(Bild: Veröffentlichung honorarfrei bei Namensennung ausschließlich für redaktionelle Nutzung.)

There is still a lot of sand in the gears when it comes to the construction and opening of the new U5. Now there is even a delay of four years. However, the U2 extension is also experiencing huge delays. The specified construction schedule can no longer be adhered to. The reason: the tight budget!

Vienna's public transport network is one of the best in Europe. But the federal capital continues to grow rapidly, so an expansion is immensely important and essential. But this costs money, a lot of money. And has now once again come to a standstill. The city has to save money and is also cutting back on public transport expansion.

Because there is no money, the opening of the new U5 line has been postponed for a whole four (!) years until 2030. But that's not all.

The extension of the U2 line, the start of the second construction phase, has also been delayed once again and will open much later. It has been postponed by two years - to 2030 - and the further extension of the U5 towards Hernals is not due to start until 2028 at the earliest. In other words, one year later than previously planned. If the plan actually holds.

The new U5 station should nevertheless be completed in 2026. After that, however, it will remain a "ghost station".(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

There were difficulties with the U2xU5 construction mega project right from the start. The schedule did not hold, and then the construction costs exploded. Now there is also the tight budget.(Bild: Veröffentlichung honorarfrei bei Namensennung ausschließlich für redaktionelle Nutzung.)

Councillor Sima: "There is no construction freeze!"
City Councillor for Transport Ulli Sima (SPÖ) and Wiener Linien boss Alexandra Reinagl informed the public about the current developments on Wednesday morning. Sima spoke of "a few temporary adjustments", but these will have a huge impact on the entire public transport network. "It is important for me to emphasize that there is no construction freeze on the project! We will complete the U2xU5 extension by the mid-2030s," said City Councillor for Transport Sima. 

Wiener Linien boss Alexandra Reinagl and City Councillor for Transport Ulli Sima (SPÖ)(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

But what will the delays mean for the budget? The extension of the project will ease the situation, as Sima explains. The costs of the individual years would now be spread over several years. According to Wiener Linien boss Reinagl, the postponement of the opening of the U5, i.e. the commissioning of the 630 meter long line between Frankhplatz and City Hall, will save the city between 18 and 20 million euros.

The advantage for the public transport network is not great enough to financially justify a double run of the U5 and U2 on four stations between Karlsplatz and City Hall. Commissioning will take place in 2030 - as soon as the U2 to Matzleinsdorfer Platz is completed.

Wiener Linien Chefin Alexandra Reinagl

Currently, every third passenger in Vienna travels on the U6, U3, 6, 43 and 13A lines. It is precisely these lines that are to be relieved by the U2xU5 extension. The fact that this is precisely where the money is being saved is causing enormous resentment. But there was already bad news for all public transport users in the city in 2024. Two years later and 300 million euros more expensive, it was called "Vienna's largest climate protection project". At the time, it was "geological challenges" that ruined the schedule. 

The tunnel boring machine 'Debohra' has completed the first of two new tunnel tubes of the future U2, and the excavation work and interior work in the stations is also running at full speed, according to Wiener Linien.(Bild: Simon Wöhrer)

The new U5 should originally have been opened in two stages. The first section from Frankhplatz to Karlsplatz was originally planned for 2023, while construction work on the extension to Hernals was due to start in 2025. The extension of the U2 to Matzleinsdorfer Platz was originally due to be completed before 2028. With 12 new subway stations, six new public transport hubs and 11 kilometers of additional track, the U2xU5 extension is set to make Vienna's subway network even more efficient and should also create space for an additional 300 million passengers per year.