Vienna: Wagner's Art Nouveau "metro" is already 115 years old

The historical milestone of Vienna's public transport dates back to 1898. It has been exactly 115 years since the "Stadtbahn" urban railway was put into operation.
On June 1, 1898, the then "metro" began its service on the "Gürtellinie" route and through the valley of the Wien River, in the upper part of the "Wientallinie" route. Today, the metro U6 runs along the then 8.2-kilometer-long "Gürtellinie" route between the Heiligenstadt and Meidlinger Hauptstraße stations, transporting over 91 million passengers annually. The above-ground operation owes its existence to this history. The total length of the "Wientallinie" route was divided into "upper" and "lower" sections. The upper section had its starting point in Hütteldorf and ran along the Wien River to the Meidlinger Hauptstraße stop. Today, this is part of the green U4 line, which passes through the Schönbrunn station, among others.

Otto Wagner's architecture influenced Vienna
The architectural appearance - the Art Nouveau stations, railway stations, and bridges - was dedicated to the city by the Viennese architect Otto Wagner. The infrastructure of the "Stadtbahn" urban railway was characterized by a unique, coherent concept at that time. The stops, bridges, and arches beneath the viaducts have shaped the image of the city on the Danube for 115 years, and some of them are under monument protection. The history is evident in the metro network, but it also blends with modern architecture and new uses. The pavilions at Vienna's Karlsplatz are no longer used as stops.
The decision to build the "Stadtbahn" urban railway was made in 1892. Steam locomotives ran on the double-track line. Electric operation followed in 1925. Since 1976, the "Stadtbahn" has been transformed into a metro. The U4 metro has been operating on the upper section of the "Wientallinie" since 1981. In 1985, the "Stadtbahn" on the Gürtel was replaced by the U6 metro. Integrated as both suburban and urban transport, the "S-Bahn" train network serves the connection S45, which also runs on the originally historic route.