In Germany, a new mega-station is about to be built at a cost of 10 billion pounds, which is intended to boost rail connections between major cities.
The Stuttgart 21 project is a major railway project in which the existing train station in the city of one million inhabitants is to be converted into an underground through station.
The modernizations will not only increase capacity and shorten travel times, but also improve connections between Stuttgart and other major cities in Germany.
However, the project has faced considerable opposition and protests from local residents and environmental groups who fear the demolition of historic buildings, displacement of residents and possible environmental damage.
Protesters drew attention to the potential impact on the groundwater level in the Stuttgart Valley, which led to the installation of a new groundwater management system beneath the expanded station.
The first phase of the new underground station and tunnel is to be completed first. Later phases will focus on the development of new residential and commercial areas around the station. Deutsche Bahn – Germany’s national railway company – has now announced that the new main station will not open until December 2026.
The plan states: “From the end of 2025, all systems will gradually go into test operation.
“The future main station will open in December 2026.
“As things stand, all essential elements of the project should then be in place – with the exception of the Gäubahn connection via the airport.”
Berthold Huber, member of Deutsche Bahn’s Board of Management for Infrastructure, said: “Stuttgart 21 is the most complex commissioning of a new railway junction in Europe in recent decades.”
The concept is not new, as the idea was first presented and accepted in 1995. Construction began 15 years later, in 2010.
The cost of the project has risen rapidly over the years and the total bill is now estimated at at least €11.45 billion (£10 billion).
The project delay is a reminder of the problems and concerns surrounding HS2.
German rail transport is facing increasing criticism due to long waiting times for trains and delays on almost half of all journeys.
The country’s major railway stations ranked poorly in the annual European Station Index, highlighting widespread passenger dissatisfaction and concerns about reliability at the end of last year.
Bremen Central Station, one of the busiest railway stations in Europe, achieved the lowest customer-friendliness rating in the index with only 39 points.
The average waiting time at the station of 11 minutes and a remarkable 43 percent of trains being delayed contribute to making the travel experience for commuters anything but ideal.
