"Stuttgart 21" always causes discussions. Now there is trouble about the Gäubahn. The financing of a tunnel at the airport for the route has not yet been clarified.
Stuttgart (dpa/lsw) - The financing of the Pfaffensteig tunnel for the Gäubahn is the focus of an unscheduled meeting of the steering committee of the partners of "Stuttgart 21" in Stuttgart today. The eleven-kilometre-long tube, which will cost around one billion euros, is to lead the route underground under the Filder Mountains and end at the airport in the planned long-distance train station. From there, travelers should one day continue to the new Stuttgart underground station "Stuttgart 21".
Previously, trains from Horb were supposed to go to the airport via the S-Bahn tracks. The Gäubahn is the train connection between Stuttgart and Zurich. It is disputed how the Gäubahn will be managed during the construction of the new planned tunnel. According to Bahn, a continuous connection to the state capital will no longer be possible for several years from 2025. Instead, travelers in the Stuttgart district of Vaihingen should change to the S-Bahn towards the main station - which means significantly longer travel times.
Project partners in "Stuttgart 21" are Deutsche Bahn, the city of Stuttgart, the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Stuttgart region and the airport. Only recently did the renewed sharp increase in costs for the major construction project make the headlines. According to current assumptions, the investments for the construction of the Stuttgart underground station and other projects on several routes add up to a total of around 9.15 billion euros, plus a precautionary buffer. In view of the exploding costs in construction and stagnant supply chains, critics expect further cost increases.
