Stuttgart 21: Commissioning of the underground station apparently delayed until end of 2031

The newspaper writes that the through-station must be postponed once again. SWR cites insiders who confirm this assessment. The report states verbatim: „Der neue Stuttgarter Tiefbahnhof wird wohl erst in fünf Jahren vollständig in Betrieb gehen." According to this, Deutsche Bahn is planning a phased commissioning in order to ramp up operations gradually.

As the reason for the renewed postponement, the FAZ cites drastic shortcomings at the responsible project company, particularly in the area of digitalization. The delay is the result of a comprehensive review ordered by the new chair, Palla. Deutsche Bahn itself has not yet publicly commented on the report.

According to Deutsche Bahn, the phased commissioning is nonetheless to bring initial relief to passengers: partial operations are to begin as early as the end of 2027. The new underground station would thus be significantly delayed, but at least become usable in stages. Travelers in the already heavily burdened Stuttgart rail hub could then benefit from individual improvements in local and long-distance services.

Reasons for the delay

The news was broadcast on June 8, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. Both the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and SWR cite insider circles. The Federal Ministry of Transport has so far issued no official statement on the new schedule. The reports also did not mention any specific figure regarding possible additional costs for the project, which has already become more expensive than planned on several occasions.

The Stuttgart 21 project is considered one of Germany's most controversial infrastructure undertakings. It encompasses the conversion of Stuttgart's main station from a terminus into an underground through-station, as well as the connection to a new high-speed line to Ulm. In recent years, cost increases, planning changes, and legal disputes have repeatedly brought the project into the headlines.

Reactions and next steps

With the renewed postponement, pressure on those responsible is mounting. Observers expect the project company to take a position on the new schedule in the coming weeks. It is also still unclear what impact the delay will have on the connection to the new Wendlingen–Ulm line and on the future Deutschlandtakt timetable.

SWR summarizes the insider account with the words: „Das bestätigten Insider nun dem SWR." There are now two independent media reports, both of which assume a postponement of full commissioning to the year 2031. In recent months, Deutsche Bahn has repeatedly announced that it would review the schedule and communicate more transparently.

Rail passengers in the Stuttgart region must therefore prepare for several more years of provisional arrangements at the main station. The existing terminus station is expected to remain in operation at least until the end of 2031. According to the reports, the phased commissioning from the end of 2027 could include individual platforms and lines, without the entire underground station yet being completed.

It remains to be seen how the delay will affect the costs of the multi-billion-euro project. Most recently, a total budget in the double-digit billion range was mentioned. Deutsche Bahn and the Stuttgart–Ulm project company have announced that they will complete the ongoing review promptly and communicate a binding new opening date.