Advantages for us: as passengers
The new Stuttgart rail node and the new-build line to Ulm will make journeys right across Europe faster and more comfortable. The trains no longer have to slow down at Geislinger Steige ascent, the largest bottleneck in the European rail network. A train journey from Stuttgart to Munich will only take a good hour and a half.
Baden-Württemberg is where the east-west rail corridor from Paris to Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest crosses the north-south corridor from Amsterdam to Sicily. This Federal Land will consequently become the central hub of the European high-speed network, moving it into the focus of European rail transport.
The new railway ring in Stuttgart will allow faster and better coordination of long-distance and regional traffic, with benefits for all passengers – such as shorter journey times, and a convenient link to the airport and trade fair centre. Trains will no longer end at Stuttgart Main Station, enabling more direct connections so that in future, passengers will have to change trains on only a few lines.
The idea of building a through station is more than a hundred years old. However, at that time, it was not technically feasible. The new Stuttgart rail node will now finally put this idea into practice, which means that in future far more trains will be able to enter and leave the station on just half the number of tracks as they no longer obstruct each other.
Stuttgart will have three new barrier-free stations: Flughafen (airport), Stuttgart Main Station and Mittnachtstrasse S-Bahn station, making access to rail services simpler and more comfortable for all customers. The through station will also improve regional traffic, with faster and direct connections. Air passengers can reach the airport station from Stuttgart Main Station in just eight minutes.
The new Bahnhof Flughafen/Messe station will greatly improve connections between the city centre, the airport and the trade fair centre. At the same time, a range of networked services will be offered for road, rail and air traffic . The new station will be the central point for the entire Filder region, which has a population of around 150,000 and 100,000 jobs.
The new Mittnachtstrasse S-Bahn station will link the future Rosenstein district to the rapid transit network in the Stuttgart region. All the lines will stop at this station, making transfers between Feuerbach and Bad Cannstatt faster and more convenient. This will also take the pressure off Stuttgart Main Station.
The Stuttgart–Ulm rail project will also substantially reduce journey times in both long-distance and regional services. Here are some examples that speak for themselves:
Advantages for us: as environmentalists
The refurbishment of Stuttgart rail node will bring more traffic into the city and surrounding region by rail and consequently reduce road traffic. The better links will also benefit the environment: experts have calculated that some 18 million car trips, amounting to 350 million kilometres per annum, will shift from road to rail, saving the environment around 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
The new high-speed line means that most of the long-distance trains no longer run through the Neckar valley. In future, the new route will run from Stuttgart Main Station through the Filder Tunnel and into the Filder region. In the new ring system, the trains will cross the city underground, so although there will be more rail traffic, there will be less noise because more than 30 kilometres of the new line are tunnelled.
The sites which are now required for the railway tracks will be put to optimum use as building land to satisfy the demand for housing, minimising the use of greenfield sites for that purpose. The new development land on the old track areas in Stuttgart means that sixty hectares of new building land could be deleted from the land-use plan.
As far as development of the Rosenstein district is concerned, the city of Stuttgart has set the tone: it bought up sites at an early stage of the proceedings and will ensure that the new buildings use environment friendly energy sources. The target is to create a CO2-neutral city district.
Advantages for us: as inhabitants
On completion of Stuttgart 21, 100 hectares of site where trains currently run will become available for new developments in the city centre. The track areas in the city will disappear so that the districts in the north and south of Stuttgart can link up once again.
With the new station designed by architect Christoph Ingenhoven, Deutsche Bahn will erect a striking landmark in the capital city of Baden-Württemberg. The unusual shape of the underground station with its light and airy platform hall is unique in the history of architecture. The Bonatz building, which can be seen from far and wide, will remain part of the new station.
The new Europa district is situated right next to Schlossgarten park. The new Rosenstein district will be surrounded on all sides by Rosenstein Park – central, with excellent connections to rail and road transport, and yet set amidst green surroundings. Stuttgart city council plans to create a new residential district in a top location, with jobs and housing for more than 35,000 people.
The Schlossgarten and Rosenstein parks are important recreational areas for the people of Stuttgart. Stuttgart 21 will create park areas which are equivalent to around 30 football pitches, improving air quality in the city. Some 4200 new trees will be planted, binding carbon dioxide and fine particulates in the air.
Advantages for us: as employees
The Stuttgart – Ulm rail project makes the city itself, the Greater Stuttgart Region and the Federal Land of Baden-Württemberg part of the central economic development axis in the heart of Europe. This central location raises the value of the Greater Stuttgart Area as a business location, whilst the better transport connections inside Europe will lead to economic growth.
Over the next 15 years, EUR 3 billion will be invested in Stuttgart alone in the refurbishment of the rail node and a further EUR 45 billion in urban development. This will kick-start the building industry and create around 4000 new jobs. The Europa district has excellent traffic connections, which will attract service sector enterprises with thousands of new jobs.
Advantages for us: as taxpayers
Deutsche Bahn, the Federal government, the Federal Land of Baden-Württemberg, its capital city of Stuttgart and the Greater Stuttgart Region are strong partners which back a soundly planned and funded rail project. This is the first time that the cost risks of a project of this scale were thoroughly analysed and the funding ensured before the start of the project.
The investments, new inhabitants and new jobs will substantially raise tax revenues – from value added tax, income tax, local trade tax, land tax and land transfer tax – for the Federal Land and the city. This means that over the long term, the city of Stuttgart will actually receive more income from taxes than its share of financing the rail project will cost. The improved business location will lead to further jobs and therefore to higher tax income.
Advantages for us: the new heart of Europe
The European high-speed line places us firmly in the centre of Europe so we can become the new heart of Europe. The Stuttgart – Ulm rail project is consequently a unique opportunity which makes us the envy of many cities. It is time to set a new course for the future. The invested funds will bear high interest over the long term: for the future of the city of Stuttgart, the Greater Stuttgart Region and the Land of Baden-Württemberg, for us, our children and future generations.
The two project segments Stuttgart 21 and Wendlingen-Ulm new-build line.
Key information at a glance.
Who is involved in Stuttgart-Ulm rail project?