The never-ending saga of Stuttgart 21 continues to unfold, with costs escalating and deadlines being pushed back further and further. This controversial railway project, which began construction in 2010, has become a financial burden for Deutsche Bahn, especially.
As of now, the costs for Stuttgart 21 are projected to reach approximately 11.5 billion euros, a whopping 1.8 billion euros more than the initial estimate from 2010. To cushion against potential additional expenses, a buffer of 500 million euros is planned.
The spiraling costs can be attributed to a general increase in construction expenses over the past two years, with an estimated rise of around 30%. The ambitious 2025 completion date is still holding strong, though many internal stakeholders consider it highly ambitious.
The Stuttgart 21 project involves shifting the city's terminal station underground and connecting it to high-speed rail lines via tunnels. Stuttgart Airport will also be integrated into this scheme, with the existing station's land in the Stuttgart basin being used for residential and other purposes.
The project was highly controversial even during its planning stages due to the perceived disproportionate costs to the benefits. Protests, which often resulted in violent clashes between demonstrators and police, were a common occurrence. A referendum was held in 2011 throughout Baden-Württemberg, during which around 60% voted in favor of continuing construction. However, the project has faced continuous criticism from watchdogs like the Federal Audit Office, which criticized the cost estimates and project control.
Initially, the project's costs were set to be shared among Deutsche Bahn, the federal government, the state of Baden-Württemberg, and Stuttgart Airport. However, as costs escalated, Deutsche Bahn's partners hesitated to contribute to the additional expenses. Consequently, the heavily indebted state-owned company must raise the additional funds on its own.
