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Public Transportation
The main provider of public transportation is Wiener Linien owned by the state authorities. It runs the Viennese Metro system as well as the tram-lines, the local railways and most bus lines. Thus Vienna can offer an extensive transportation network.
 The tram network is the third largest in the world. In densly populated areas of Vienna public transport runs so frequently (even during off-peak hours) that any familiarity with departure timetables is virtually unnecessary. The convenience and flexibility of the public transport is in turn reflected by its popularity; 53% of Viennese workers travel to their workplace by public transport.[9] During night hours public transport is continued by the Nightline buses operating on all the main routes, generally every half hour.
Fare prices within the city are in no relation to the length of the journey and covers all modes of public transport. Tickets are also available for various time periods, such as 24 hour, monthly or yearly tickets.
The Viennese public transport services are incorporated into a larger concentric system of transport zones, the VOR (Verkehrsverbund Ostregion = eastern region transport association). VOR includes railway and bus lines operating 50 kilometers into the surrounding areas, and ticket prices are calculated according to the number of zones crossed, Vienna being a single zone. Tickets must be purchased (and usually punched ) prior to boarding or entering a station. Tickets are not routinely checked when entering a station or boarding, but there are random inspections on all routes.
Railways
Vienna has several train stations (Bahnhof) that form the beginning of several train lines:
· Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, the starting point of the Franz Josef Railway
· Wien Westbahnhof, the starting point of the Western Railway
· Wien Südbahnhof, for the Southern Railway and the Eastern Railway
In order to deal with the increasing amount of traffic and transit the construction of a new central station in going to commence in 2009, the estimated time of completion is 2015.
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