Vienna

Today I'm spending a day in Vienna, and I will explore its railway stations as well as tram and metro system.

Starting my day at Vienna main station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) which opened as recently as December 2015. The station has replaced former Wien Südbahnhof terminus station.

Wien Hauptbahnhof is a through station and it is used both for long distance and local trains. Just like Berlin has modernised its main station after reunification, the new main station in Vienna makes it more convenient for train operations between east to west (and north to south).

Railjet is Austria's high speed train introduced 2008 and capable of speeds up to 230km/h. 

Railjet is a push pull train set consisting of 7 coaches and a locomotive of type Taurus.

Locomotive Siemens ES64U2 (ÖBB Class 1116 Taurus) is famous for its starting noise

Railjet has service both in Austria and in neighbouring countries (Germany, Switzerland, Czech republic and Hungary).

The concept "...jet" is also including "Cityjet" and "Nightjet" trains.

Railjet service to Germany includes Frankfurt via Munich and Stuttgart while German ICE service is operating Vienna from Frankfurt via Passau and Nürnberg.

Since 2007, a joint venture between ÖBB and DB is operating service Vienna-Frankfurt with 15 ICE-T trains modified for service in Austria. 12 trains are the DBAG Class 411 and 3 trains are the ÖBB Class 4011.

ICE-T is just like Railjet capable of max speed of 230km/h. However, unlike Railjet, ICE-T has tilting technology.

Vienna S-Bahn is operating its commuter services here. Here is ÖBB Class 4024 (Bombardier Talent).

The train has its maximum speed of 140km/h

While some Railjets are only approved for domestic services, others are approved for several neighbouring countries, such as this one.

Some services are served by two joint trainsets which might be coupled and separated on their way. For example, a trainset incoming from Budapest is coupled with another incoming from Vienna International Airport at Vienna main station.

The station features a 25,000m² diamond-shaped, translucent, glass and steel roof over the platforms.

Main hall

Wiener Linien is the company operating busses, metro and trams in Vienna.

Vienna has one of the largest tram network in the world with 29 tram lines. ULF (Ultra Low Floor) tram Type A is operating here. The tram is manufactured by Siemens in 1997.

Time to visit some highlights in Vienna, starting with Schloss Belvedere. Warning message from recent storms.

Gates of Belvedere

Belvedere Gardens

Soviet War Memorial (Heldendenkmal der Roten Armee). The Heroes' Monument of the Red Army in Vienna was built to commemorate 17000 Soviet soldiers who fell in the Battle for Vienna of World War II.

Karlskirche

Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station

Type E high floor tram from 1970's

Type A1

Badner Line is a 30km line beween Vienna and Baden operated with WLB Series 400 tram from Bombardier

Opera

The opera was opened in 1869 with presence of Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph.

Today is very warm summer day

I'm taking a tram to see Hundertwasserhaus

The Hundertwasser House is built from 1983 to 1985 by Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Similar houses can be found in several cities, and I have already seen one earlier in Magdeburg (Green Citadel).

Viaduct for the Vienna Metropolitan Railway

Type A tram is designed by Porsche. Line "O" to Praterstern.

ULF trams was a product of a consortium of companies Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP, now Siemens) and ELIN EBG Traction (which in turn was also taken over by Siemens).

The ULF is characterised by its axis-free chassis and the world's lowest entry height at trams

One of the most famous sights in Vienna is the Giant Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad).

I'm now at Wien Praterstern station which is the former Nordbahnhof station destroyed during WW2.

ÖBB Class 4020 is an EMU from 1980's

Driving coach of double deck push pull "CityShuttle" train

I have arrived to Floridsdorf on the other side of Danube river

Here I have a chance to view the newest EMU from ÖBB - Class 4746 (Siemens Desiro ML). It is replacing some of the lines operated by Class 4040 (Talent).

Maximum speed is 160km/h, just like the Desiro ML trains I saw earlier in Belgium and Germany.

"CityShuttle" train with "Wiesel" livery

Vienna Metro Line 6 and Type T Bombardier Wien Schienenfahrzeuge (BWS) train

Since Eurovision Song Contest held in Vienna in 2015 there are traffic lights with gay couples

This photo was taken outside Westbahnhof station

Westbahnhof was the major terminus station in Vienna until opening of Hauptbahnhof in 2015. It is still used for some domestic services.

During the WW2 the former station was destroyed and the new station was built in 1952

"CityShuttle" service is operating here

The private operator WESTbahn is operating its Intercity service to Salzburg. From 2017 there will be services from main station instead of Westbahnhof.

Stadler Kiss train

"Für das Kind" is a sculpture commemorating the "Kindertransport" rescuing of Jewish children at Vienna Westbahnhof from the Nazis

I'm taking tram 52 from Westbahnhof to Schloss Schönbrunn

Schönbrunn palace

The Gloriette in the Schönbrunn Palace Garden

Siemens ES 64 U4 with Czech railways livery

ÖBB Class 4020 at Wien Meidling station

ÖBB Class 4020 was manufactured by ELIN and Siemens

I'm back to Wien Hauptbahnhof. One of the international service is to neighbouring Slovakia and the capital Bratislava.

The REX (Regional Express) service is once per hour, and the travel time just 1h.

Train composition consists of Austrian Bmpz-I coaches (to the right) and Slovak Bdteer coach (to the left).

Vienna-Bratislava service is a cooperation between ÖBB and ZSSK (Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko)

The service is operated with diesel locomotive Siemens ER20 Hercules "Eurorunner"

ÖBB Class 2016

Siemens ES 64 U2 with ÖFB livery (Austrian Football Association).

ÖBB Class 5047 diesel railcar from 1980's

Desiro ML

Metro line U6 and Type T train

U6 is the only metro line in Vienna operated by overhead wire instead of third line. This is because it is using elevated part of the former Vienna Stadtbahn.

ULF Type B seven part long version

My last visit for today is to Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof built for the Franz Josef railway lines to Prague and Eger. Today it serves regional services only.

The original train station was destroyed during WW2, the new station was inaugurated in 1978.

Some parts of the original station are remained.

Even though it is a regional train station, there are services to Czech republic,

Franz Josef station