The Badner Bahn or Wiener Lokalbahn is a
tram-train
A tram-train or dual-system tram is a type of light rail vehicle that both meets the standards of a light rail system, and also national mainline standards. Tramcars are adapted to be capable of running on streets like an urban tramway but a ...
service in the metropolitan area of Vienna. It runs for between
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and
Baden
Baden (; ) is a historical territory in southern Germany. In earlier times it was considered to be on both sides of the Upper Rhine, but since the Napoleonic Wars, it has been considered only East of the Rhine.
History
The margraves of Ba ...
, and is operated by the
Wiener Lokalbahnen Aktiengesellschaft
(; abbreviated AG ) is a German language, German word for a corporation limited by Share (finance), share ownership (i.e., one which is owned by its shareholders) whose shares may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria ...
. The entire Badner Bahn is part of the and is one of the most important passenger services owned by WLB. In 2013, 35,000 passengers per day used the service.
Route
Starting from the
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera (, ) is a historic opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by ...
, the service uses the tracks of
Vienna's tram network as far as the
Schedifkaplatz tram stop in the
Meidling
Meidling () is the 12th district of Vienna (). It is located just southwest of the central districts, south of the River Wien, west of the Gürtel belt, and east and southeast of Schönbrunn Palace. Meidling is a heavily populated urban area w ...
district, including parts of a
tram tunnel. From Schedifkaplatz to Leesdorf in Baden and between Leesdorf and Josefsplatz, the train service has its own infrastructure, of double-track light rail and of tram line, respectively. These tracks are owned and maintained by Wiener Lokalbahnen.
Since 14 December 2014, there is a new train station at the state clinical center () in Baden. Despite its addition to the route, the length of a journey could be kept at 62 minutes.
From April until November 2024, trains will be diverted from their normal northern terminus due to construction. During this time, trains end at Quartier Belvedere station, near
Wien Hauptbahnhof
Wien Hauptbahnhof, Vienna Central Station or Vienna Main Station is the main railway station in Vienna, Austria, located in the Favoriten district. It became fully operational in December 2015, linking major railway lines from the North railway ...
.
Rolling stock
Original 26 class 100 high-floor units built between 1979 and 1993 by
Simmering-Graz-Pauker
Simmering-Graz-Pauker AG (SGP), founded as Simmering-Graz-Pauker AG für Maschinen-, Kessel- und Waggonbau, was an important Austrian machine and engine factory, manufacturing: machinery, boilers and rail vehicles. It was established in 1941 thr ...
served the line. In order to provide headways of 7.5 minutes 14 low-floor class 400 units were ordered from
Bombardier, they were produced from 2000 to 2010 and put in operation as double-unit trains with a class 100 units to provide accessibility. In December 2018 Wiener Lokalbahnen presented the new class 500 Flexity trams designed by Bombardier Transportation (now part of
Alstom
Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...
), 18 trains were ordered with an option for 16 more, 12 of those were taken in 2023. The new trams will replace all class 100 units of which only 10 are still in service.
References
External links
*
Website of Wiener Lokalbahnen
{{Coord, 48.0994, N, 16.3149, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Rail transport in Austria
Railway lines opened in 1873
Standard-gauge railways in Austria