Partial closure after fire in Vienna’s U1 subway probably lasts until December

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Following Tuesday’s fire on Vienna’s U1 underground line, Wiener Linien is still working hard to get the route back into operation.

Partial closure of the U1 for days after the fire
At a press conference on Friday, Wiener Linien announced that the U1 will not be able to resume continuous service until the first week of December.

50 meters of track need to be replaced after a fire in U1
After the fire, the tunnel walls and the track bed were examined. 50 meters of track were affected; “15 of them completely and very badly”, said Wiener Linien Managing Director Alexandra Reinagl.

The tracks, sleepers, 400 meters of cable trays, and several kilometres of cable must be renewed there. Only then will trains be able to use the section again. For now, the U1 subway line will, therefore, only run between Oberlaa and Reumannplatz and between Schwedenplatz and Leopoldau. The stations Keplerplatz to Stephansplatz will not be maintained.

Trains of the same type are checked after the fire in Vienna’s U1 line
In addition, an inspection of the old “Silver Arrows” of the same type as the train involved in the accident, which was built in 1993, is being carried out. There are 37 trains of this type, with one train consisting of a train set of three double trains, Reinagl explained. “The vehicles of this type are now all undergoing intensive testing in the workshops and will then be phased out.”

An independent fire expert was consulted for the police fire investigation by the Vienna State Office of Criminal Investigation, reported the Wiener Linien Managing Director. “We are not participating in speculation and will only communicate the cause—I ask for your understanding—when we have reliable information,” she emphasized. The fire occurred in the middle of the train with six carriages. The train had come to a burning halt in the tunnel between Taubstummengasse and Südtiroler Platz/Hauptbahnhof.

Driver “did everything right” during the fire in Vienna U1
“As far as we know today, the driver did everything right and set the rescue and information chain in motion immediately,” said Reinagl. The train, a special train without passengers at the time of the fire, “was travelling with passengers for some time beforehand,” she explained when asked. She could not say the exact minutes. “Passengers were not at risk at any time during this drastic event,” the Wiener Linien boss assured. The train had been on its way as a reserve train, had then “completed its service, emptied itself and was on its way back to the siding”, said Reinagl. “The train had only been checked a few days earlier and had nothing wrong with it,” she added.

Reinagl thanked the employees, first and foremost, “also our driver.” The 25-year-old had also been able to leave the hospital in the meantime and, like five station employees had suffered mild smoke inhalation. Since the fire department extinguished the fire late Tuesday afternoon, 300 employees have been working “around the clock to restore continuous operations as quickly as possible”.

Passengers need patience after the fire in Vienna U1
Wiener Linien would also like to thank passengers directly for “their understanding and patience”, emphasized Reinagl. “Due to these incidents, we are currently unable to meet our performance targets fully.” The closure of five stations is necessary due to the position of the points in the rail network.

Streetcar line D will remain extended to Reumannplatz for now; between Börse and Schwarzenbergplatz, it will be rerouted via Schwedenplatz and Franz-Josefs-Kai. It thus connects the two U1 stations, Schwedenplatz and Reumannplatz. It is also possible to change to the 1 and O lines. In addition, bus route 13A has been reinforced. The U2Z streetcar in night service before weekends and public holidays does not end at Oper/Karlsplatz but will also run to Reumannplatz.