New setback for DB — Stuttgart 21 delayed once again
Deutsche Bahn has dropped the 2026 opening target for Stuttgart 21 without naming a new date. The update comes early in Palla’s time as DB’s new chief executive.
The City of Stuttgart says it was informed by Deutsche Bahn on Thursday that the project can no longer meet the December 2026 commissioning date. Local leaders have called for an immediate steering committee meeting, while DB has yet to present a revised plan for completing the underground station and the related network works.
Stuttgart 21 replaces the city’s above-ground terminus with an underground through-station linked to new tunnels and upgraded approach tracks. The project is intended to increase capacity for long-distance and regional traffic and to form a key node in the future Deutschlandtakt.
Years of delays and rising costs
Stuttgart 21 is one of Germany’s most complex infrastructure projects. Originally scheduled to open in 2019, the scheme has seen successive delays alongside steadily rising costs. Budget estimates have grown from around EUR 4.5bn to more than EUR 10bn as engineering challenges and ground conditions became clearer.
The latest change intensifies scrutiny of DB’s ability to deliver major works at a time when the operator faces pressure to stabilise performance across the wider network. Palla now needs to work with partners in Baden-Württemberg to set a realistic schedule and explain the implications for Germany’s future rail planning.
Why it matters: Another delay puts new pressure on DB to show it can deliver the projects underpinning Germany’s long-term rail schedule.