Stuttgart 21 is getting more and more expensive
Stuttgart 21 has been in the construction phase since 2010. The controversial station project is not only regularly delayed further, it is also becoming more expensive. It is becoming a financial burden for Deutsche Bahn in particular.
The costs for the controversial Stuttgart 21 railroad station project continue to rise rapidly. According to statements from Deutsche Bahn circles, the project is becoming more expensive by a further 1.8 billion euros to around eleven billion euros. In addition, a buffer of a further 500 million euros is planned, bringing the financing framework to just under 11.5 billion euros, people familiar with the figures told the Reuters news agency. This is the result of a new cost estimate. This means that the price for the mammoth project has more than doubled compared to the estimate at the start of construction in 2010.
At the beginning of 2022, Deutsche Bahn last increased its estimate to just under 9.2 billion euros. A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson declined to comment on the figures. However, he emphasized that the start date for the station remains the end of 2025. According to an insider, the management cites the general increase in construction costs in the past two years as the main reason for the additional costs. An increase of around 30 percent has been recorded here. The 2025 start date is also considered extremely ambitious internally, but it is hoped that at least core elements of the project will be ready for operation in two years.
Critics: costs are disproportionate to the benefits
Stuttgart 21 essentially involves moving Stuttgart's terminus station underground and connecting it to high-speed rail lines via tunnels. Stuttgart Airport will also be connected in this way. At the site of the existing station, the land in the Stuttgart basin is to be used for housing, among other things.
The project was already highly controversial during the planning phase. Critics argued that the costs were disproportionate to the benefits for traffic. After construction began, demonstrators and police repeatedly clashed and many people were injured. The protests, some of which involved well over 50,000 people, ultimately led to a referendum in 2011 throughout Baden-Württemberg. At the time, around 60 percent were in favor of further construction. The Federal Audit Office repeatedly criticized the cost estimates and control of the project. The Ministry of Transport was too lax in its controls and the financial risks were underestimated. In case of doubt, the federal government should be liable.
Originally, Deutsche Bahn, the federal government, the state of Baden-Württemberg and Stuttgart Airport wanted to share the costs - based on an agreement and calculations prior to the start of construction. Deutsche Bahn's partners refused to contribute to the additional costs, which were constantly increasing. As a result, the state-owned company, which is now more than 30 billion euros in debt, must initially raise the additional billions itself. The opening date has also been postponed further and further. Shortly after construction began, there was talk of 2019. In 2018, the starting point was then set for December 2025.
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The construction of Stuttgart 21, a project in the German railroad sector, has been a financial burden for Deutsche Bahn, particularly due to its escalating costs. As reported by Reuters, the project's estimated cost has increased from 1.8 billion euros to over 11.5 billion euros, with critics arguing that the benefits do not justify such expenses.
Despite the controversy and escalating costs, Deutsche Bahn plans to commence operations of the Stuttgart 21 station by the end of 2025, although insiders consider this timeline ambitious. The delays and additional expenses have significantly contributed to Deutsche Bahn's growing debt, which now exceeds 30 billion euros.
Source: www.ntv.de
