2024 Review: Highlights and Challenges for Wiener Linien

The Wiener Linien have announced significant milestones for 2024, reporting a customer base of 1.3 million loyal riders. During a press conference, the management highlighted both achievements and challenges faced throughout the year.

In terms of ridership, Wiener Linien recorded 873 million passengers, marking a 6.8 percent increase from the previous year. However, this figure falls short of the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019, when ridership peaked at 960 million. Despite continuous growth since the pandemic, the numbers have yet to reach their former heights. The management noted that since December, monthly ridership has surpassed that of 2019, with January and February 2025 showing promising trends. While morning peak hours have returned to 2019 levels, the lingering effects of remote work and flexible schedules are evident, with fewer people commuting during off-peak hours. Additionally, many individuals have developed a preference for cycling, walking, or using scooters for shorter trips during the pandemic.

The modal split, which indicates how different modes of transport are used, reveals a decline in car usage, with public transport usage increasing. Currently, 34 percent of trips are made via public transit, up from 32 percent in 2023. The percentage of journeys made by car has decreased from 26 to 25 percent, while cycling has risen from ten to eleven percent. However, concerns have been raised regarding the methodology used to collect these statistics, which relies on surveys of 2,000 individuals on their travel habits. Experts suggest that utilizing mobile data could enhance the accuracy of these findings.

Addressing staffing shortages has been a priority for Wiener Linien, with a five-point strategy successfully increasing personnel numbers to approximately 9,700, or over 10,000 when including apprentices. In 2024 alone, the company trained 337 tram drivers, 105 subway operators, and 199 bus drivers. Ongoing recruitment events are being held to ensure a steady influx of new talent, especially as many employees from the baby boomer generation are set to retire by 2031. The management has also worked to improve working conditions and clarify job expectations to retain new hires.

However, 2024 was not without its setbacks. Significant delays were encountered in the construction of the U2 subway extension, which has been postponed from its initial 2028 completion date to 2030 due to unforeseen geological issues. This project is also expected to exceed its original budget by approximately 300 million euros due to inflationary pressures that were underestimated in earlier projections.

The reopening of the U2 main line, which had been under construction, was also delayed because of issues that arose during the work, including damage to newly installed platform doors and miscommunications between the Wiener Linien and the French manufacturer of these components.

Additionally, severe flooding in September disrupted operations, particularly affecting the U4 line, which runs alongside the Vienna River. Construction sites, including those for the future U2 line, experienced damage, necessitating lengthy recovery efforts. Fortunately, repairs were completed quickly, allowing services to resume without significantly impacting the overall timeline for future projects.

Financially, Wiener Linien received approximately 1.54 billion euros in funding for 2024, significantly increasing from 864 million euros in 2023. This budget includes 736 million euros allocated for the expansion of new lines and modernization initiatives, supported by both the City of Vienna and federal funding. The increased operational subsidy from the city, amounting to 807 million euros, reflects rising energy costs and overall inflation.

Throughout the year, two notable incidents drew public attention: a technical failure that led to a fire in a special U1 train in November, causing extended service interruptions, and a quirky incident in July when a rail cleaning machine derailed on the U6 line, which was resolved the same day.