Astonishment in Vienna – After the fire at U1, new chaos threatens public transport

Angry looks and hurried walking at the Wiener Linien stations on Wednesday morning. “I’m already an hour late,” you hear a woman mutter angrily. The reason for this was probably the large-scale operation on Tuesday between the Südtiroler Platz and Taubstummengasse stations. A special train caught fire and the driver suffered minor smoke inhalation.

No travel between Keplerplatz and Stephansplatz
The U1 must now be divided. The Wiener Linien announced early on Wednesday morning that travel between Schwedenplatz and Reumannplatz is currently not possible. And it will probably remain that way for a few more days. Since Wednesday, the U1 only runs between Oberlaa and Reumannplatz and between Schwedenplatz and Leopoldau. The stations Keplerplatz to Stephansplatz are not observed.

The Wiener Linien asks people to avoid unnecessary travel or to avoid it on a large scale, but that will not be easy in the coming days either: Due to construction work, the trains on line U4 at Friedensbrücke station will run on track 2. Every second train towards Heiligenstadt only goes to Schwedenplatz. The disruption is expected to last until December 17.

Not a usual route for Bim en Bahn
The situation in the vicinity of the main station is furthermore exacerbated by the fact that tram lines 1 and 62 and the Badner Bahn cannot travel to the city center on the usual route via Wiedner Hauptstraße. The reason for this is that the road has been under construction for months.

According to Wiener Linien, lines O and 1 should currently run at shorter intervals.

Vienna faces even more challenges
But in addition to route closures, diversions and construction sites, road users in Vienna face another challenge this week: The weather forecast for Thursday evening and Friday is also causing anxiety for many people. According to forecasts from ZAMG and other weather services, the first snowfall of this winter is expected in the federal capital on Friday. This could lead to a further collapse of roads and local public transport, especially when combined with existing traffic congestion.

Temperatures are expected to drop to around 1 to 3 degrees Celsius, which, combined with snowfall and possibly slippery conditions, could worsen the situation. In the past, small amounts of snow in Vienna have led to traffic jams, delays and overcrowded public transport. Once again, it is advisable that road users plan more time, pay attention to winter road maintenance and, where possible, consider alternative means of transport or a home office.

Driver receives psychological support
The incident at the U1 on Tuesday took place early in the evening. “The driver started the life chain and was able to leave the train,” a Wiener Linien spokeswoman said. The woman received psychological care, the Wiener Linien said. Another employee was also treated by the professional rescue service.

Two metro stations have been evacuated due to fire
“The fire was extinguished with several extinguishing lines and respiratory protection was used,” reports a spokesperson for the professional fire brigade. “Fire out” was the word at 6 p.m. The ventilation measures were still in full swing in the evening. The ventilation systems installed in the subway tunnels worked well and vented smoke outside. As a result, the burning smell was also noticeable outside, the spokesperson said. The two affected stations were routinely evacuated, as were any trains still running, and people were ushered out.