Deutsche Bahn (DB) has confirmed that Stuttgart’s new underground through-station, part of the long-running Stuttgart 21 project, will begin operations in December 2026. The modernised hub will initially serve all long-distance trains except those on the Gäubahn route, alongside around half of regional services.
Also opening at the same time are the new long-distance station at Stuttgart Airport and the train storage facility in Untertürkheim. These upgrades form part of a wider restructuring of the Stuttgart rail junction, intended to streamline connections across Baden-Württemberg and beyond.
“Stuttgart 21 is from the outset a gain for many passengers in the region, in Baden-Württemberg, and far beyond,” said Berthold Huber, DB’s infrastructure director. “Stuttgart 21 stands for the mobility transition in the southwest.”
Under the new commissioning concept, DB will extend the use of the city’s existing terminus station until mid-2027, ensuring a smoother transition. The Gäubahn route will continue to use the Panoramabahn until March 2027. Final works, including connecting regional tracks from the new Neckar Bridge to Bad Cannstatt, are expected to conclude in November 2027. At that point, Stuttgart 21 will be largely complete, barring the planned future Gäubahn link via the airport.
DB and its project partners revised the original phased rollout plan to reduce passenger disruption. The new timeline was agreed in response to concerns that overlapping track closures in 2026 would cause widespread inconvenience.
From December 2026, journey times on key intercity routes will be significantly reduced. For instance, travel between Stuttgart and Ulm by ICE will take just 28 minutes, down from 43. Regional passengers will also benefit, with a new six-minute connection from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof to the airport — currently a 27-minute trip.
In 2027, the old terminus station will close as the extended S-Bahn tunnel via Mittnachtstraße comes online. Several additional infrastructure upgrades are planned, including digital signalling rollouts and phased platform closures in Bad Cannstatt to integrate the regional and suburban services into the new system.
To manage service disruptions, DB will operate replacement transport, supported by Stuttgart’s public transport company SSB, while a joint taskforce develops traffic and schedule plans for the transitional period. Initial studies from the Verkehrswissenschaftliches Institut Stuttgart (VWI) have confirmed the feasibility of the temporary arrangements.
Despite the ongoing construction, Huber emphasised that the project partners have worked to minimise disruption and thanked both stakeholders and passengers for their patience.
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