In Transit

Getting Around in Vienna    

I’m sure it’s quite possible that there are better public transit systems in the world, but the ease of getting around Vienna without a car is a big part of what makes this truly one of the most livable cities.

 

Of course, size does matter. Vienna is only 160 square miles – half the land mass of New York. And the Ubahn is newer than the subway. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the Austrian system is far superior, and would never work back in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

For one thing, it works on the honor system. What’s that, you say? They actually trust their citizens to pay? Well, actually, yes. That isn’t to say that some don’t try to cheat it. But here’s how it works. You can ride any Ubahn, city tram or bus just by getting on. You don’t have to swipe a card or pay a cashier. Really, you just walk on. Of course, you’re supposed to pay – by the ride, day, week, month or year – and if one of the undercover ticket agents shakes you down and you don’t have a ticket, you pay a steep fine:  €75 (about $100). So far I’ve seen it happen only once, and the agent  took pity on the tearful young student and let her pay the fare instead of issuing a summons for the fine.

So I decided to buy a year pass (Jahreskarte), which comes with a significant discount, and now I never have to think about it. I can ride as many trains, trams or buses as I like without having to pay for each trip. And, here’s a bonus for Austrian seniors:  you qualify at 60 for steeply reduced rates, so it costs next to nothing to use public transit! Just a little over a year for me to go – wohoo!

Another benefit, and it’s probably no surprise – Vienna transit runs on schedule, and on time!  Every Ubahn station and tram or bus stop has a printed daily schedule you can check, and most have a digital readout that updates every minute to tell you exactly when the next one is coming – and the one after that too, which is typically only a couple of minutes. Miss a train? No problem! Next one should be along any minute. Running to catch a train was never my idea of good exercise anyway; now I don’t have to.

Dang! Just missed a train.
No problem, another one will be here in
a couple of minutes.

Here it comes now!

    

But if you really can't bear to stand idle for two minutes, or are anxious about getting where you're going, Vienna will even entertain you while you wait! Several Ubahn stations have plasma screens along the tunnel walls, which display videos of news, cultural listings, ads, and even cartoons. And, with safety in mind, when the train is about to enter the station, the screen shifts to a warning to step back, then goes blank. Take a look!

And you know those garbled PA announcements on the NYC subways? Vienna’s got them beat there too. Not only are the announcements clear (even I can understand the German), it’s the same recorded voice throughout the system, and he tells you not just the next stop, but all the other Ubahn, tram and subway lines you can connect with there. Oh, and in case you want to prepare, he also tells you which side of the car the doors will open.

I also think that the Vienna transit system – WienerLinien – hires graphic designers with a fetish for maps and signs. Clear as a bell, colorful and easy to interpret. 

Here's where you are, where you're going, and when you'll get there.

And that’s not all. Don’t know the best way to go from point A to Point B? Just go online. Provide your address or nearest stop, your destination, the date and time of your trip, and voilà – within seconds several possible routes appear, with multiple combinations of Ubahn, tram and bus rides, and it tells you exactly how long each one takes. Click on the PDF symbol, and you’ll even get a map showing the path to walk from the station to the particular location. The date and time is very important because their computer knows the precise schedule for every day and hour, so if you plug in, for example, the time you have to be somewhere, you’ll know exactly when you have to leave. And barring some natural disaster, you can reliably predict that you will be on time. Neat, huh?

Don’t get me wrong – Vienna has plenty of cars and trucks on the road. But I get the feeling they really want to encourage using public transit because they make it so accessible. You can ride with your baby stroller, shopping cart, bicycle – no problem. Not only does every Ubahn station (I think) have an elevator, but there are special parts of each car reserved for these people, and in my experience, riders always make way for them. Trams and buses have flat, wide entrance platforms in addition to the usual steps.

Got the munchies? The question is:
What don't I want?

And never fear, you simply cannot go hungry in Vienna, no matter how long your commute. In or near every Ubahn, tram or bus station is an assortment of bakeries, sandwich shops or pizza/sausage/kebab stands. And they are well patronized!

Last, for now, and certainly not least, dogs are permitted! They are required to be muzzled, but I have to say that this regulation is not always observed. Nonetheless, and probably because the Viennese are so besotted with their canine companions, I think I’ve seen every breed and size of pooch riding the rails. I have yet to introduce Scout to this novelty, but I suspect that before too long I will – it’s simply a necessary part of her Viennese education and assimilation process. (Check out this clip and you'll see.)

There is one similarity with the NY subway, though – you hear an unending variety of languages spoken. Vienna has always been a crossroads city, and many immigrants, or visitors, live and travel here. And while I may have an ear for languages, I think I’ve heard many more that I don’t recognize than ones that I do. It’s a mysterious and delightful cacophony!

All kids love to push buttons. So smart Viennese moms
let theirs push the ones on the Ubahn doors,
which you need to do if you want to exit.