Inside the Vienna Metro
Photographer Rik Moran visited the Austrian capital to take pictures of the U-Bahn. Here, he shares his thoughts on the network.
Hi Rik. What was your first impression of the Vienna Metro system?
Solid, reliable and clean. It felt pretty spacious compared to London and New York with lots of open space in the foyers and great signposting – it’s very easy to get around.
Does it cover the whole city?
It covers the majority of Vienna with good connections further afield. A lot of it was based on the earlier ‘Stadtbahn’ [S-Bahn] which was the metropolitan railway, so it covers a fair stretch.
What’s the design of the stations like? Any particular highlights?
They’ve got illuminated coloured lines that guide you to the relevant platform for that line – they were pretty cool. Lots of Dieter Rams-esque industrial touches as well – grilles, aluminium and, of course, Swiss typography.
“Lots of Dieter Rams-esque industrial touches as well – grilles, aluminium and, of course, Swiss typography”
Was it easy to get on, ticket-wise?
Pretty standard (trusting!) European tackle. A lot of self service machines and validators when you head down onto the platforms.
The system was built in the 1970s. Is it in need of an upgrade?
Parts of it actually date back to the 1890s, and they still feel pretty grand – akin to some of the Moscow stations, especially the Otto Wagner-designed ones.
Finally, how did it feel to travel on it?
Compared to the London Underground, it felt like travelling first class!