Good news! As of December 6th, 2024, the U2 has reopened completely. So the subway line now goes from one end to the other as normal: from Seestadt to Karlsplatz.
Previous info, now fortunately out of date…
Some locations in Vienna of interest to visitors are near stations on the U2 subway line. These stations may be closed temporarily as part of the construction project on a new U5 subway, with tram services and other subway lines compensating.
- The line reopens fully on December 6th, 2024
- Don’t worry: you have plenty of alternatives until then
- See also:
What stations are closed?
(A replacement tram service proved unnecessary as existing tram, bus and subway lines took up the slack. It now only runs on selected night services)
At the time of writing, the U2 subway line in Vienna only runs between Seestadt (in the outer 22nd district) and Schottentor in the centre. So the following stations are closed to the U2 during this period:
- Rathaus
- Volkstheater (the U3 subway line continues to stop here)
- Museumsquartier
- Karlsplatz (the U1 and U4 subway lines continue to stop here)
The stations reopen for the U2 on December 6th, 2024.
Easy travel alternatives
Those stations are fairly central and popular. You should not, however, have any trouble finding alternatives.
As well as the other subway options mentioned above, various trams run parallel to all or most of the closed section of the U2 for part of their route, albeit a block or two closer to the city centre. These include the lines:
- 2 (Oper/Karlsplatz <all stops> Rathaus)
- D (Oper/Karlsplatz <all stops> Schottentor)
- 1 and 71 (Oper/Karlsplatz <all stops> Schottentor and also beyond to Schottenring and the U4 subway line)
You may also spot a replacement nighttime tram service (the U2Z) on Friday nights and Saturday nights and the night before a public holiday.
Again, the closures should not make much difference to your travel arrangements, since the relevant area is well served by those trams and other subway lines. Also, it’s all compact enough that walking remains a decent option.
You should see signs and information in English everywhere affected to ensure you find your way to the right place with a minimum of inconvenience.
For more information, see the info page at the municipal transport authority Wiener Linien.