The internal audit commissioned by Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla has revealed significant project shortcomings in its report on Stuttgart 21. The report highlights serious shortcomings in planning, project management, and risk management. The process management in place to date has not been sufficient to reliably manage a large-scale project of this complexity. DB is taking decisive action in response—in terms of organizational structure, personnel, and future project management. At the same time, it has revised the commissioning schedule: The project will be launched in phases between 2027 and 2033.

Group Internal Audit identified significant deficiencies and areas for improvement. According to the findings in the audit report, the commissioning date of late 2026 was, from today’s perspective and based on the underlying assumptions and identified risks, not realistically achievable. In particular, the report highlights organizational shortcomings in processes and controls, inadequate coordination at key interfaces, and opportunities for improvement in forward-looking management.

DB CEO Evelyn Palla: „To put it bluntly: I am shocked by the findings of the internal audit. These findings have shocked not only me, but also the public—especially the people of Stuttgart and all railway employees who do their very best for our customers every day.“

Based on the findings of the audit report and an in-depth review of the project planning, the new management team at DB Projekt Stuttgart-Ulm GmbH (PSU) has developed an updated phased plan over the past few months, covering stages from December 2027 through 2033. Starting as early as next year, there will be significant improvements for travelers in Stuttgart. Beginning in late 2027, tens of thousands of people each day will benefit from shorter routes through the Bonatzbau and across the roof of the through station.

The new project plan also takes into account the complex interrelationships between Stuttgart 21 and the associated projects: the Stuttgart Digital Hub, the Gäubahn expansion, and the renovation of the Bonatz Building. PSU will act as the commissioning organization, enabling it to reliably manage these complex processes.

Railway CEO Evelyn Palla said that the decision regarding the new commissioning schedule had been „extremely difficult“ for DB. She noted that the company is aware of the hopes many people have placed in the project. „We did not meet expectations regarding earlier deadlines, and I deeply regret that,“ said Palla. „The new management team at S21 has now developed a plan that moves away from unrealistic assumptions. Risks have been thoroughly analyzed and reassessed. Honesty and realism have taken hold in the project. This is the only way we can regain the trust that has been lost.“

At the heart of the new concept is a phased rollout in five major steps:

December 2027: Travelers will benefit from significantly shorter travel distances thanks to a direct connection between downtown and the old terminus station via the Bonatzbau and across the roof of the future central station. The shops and service facilities in the Bonatzbau will open in 2028, and the area surrounding the station will gradually become more attractive.

December 2030: The long-distance train station at the airport will begin operations. Initially, regional trains are expected to run to and from Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Ulm. The connection to and from the main station will be established in 2031 upon its opening.

December 2031: Opening of the new main station in Stuttgart. Long-distance trains and a large portion of regional trains will stop at the through station. Only trains to and from Bad Cannstatt will be able to enter the through station starting in 2032. For these trains, the old terminal station will remain in operation until mid-2032. After that, the terminal station will no longer be needed. As early as spring 2032, the Gäubahn will terminate in Stuttgart-Vaihingen so that the new section of the S-Bahn main line can be connected to the existing tracks.

July 2032: The digitized and extended S-Bahn main line and the Mittnachtstraße/Rosenstein S-Bahn station are set to begin operations. This will make the S-Bahn significantly more reliable.

December 2033: Opening of the Pfaffensteig Tunnel. The tunnel connects the Gäubahn line, via the airport, to the Stuttgart 21 infrastructure. The Pfaffensteig Tunnel significantly contributes to a travel time that is about 15 minutes shorter between Stuttgart and Zurich.

Impact on Project Costs

The delays are also affecting the budget. For the Stuttgart 21 project, DB expects additional costs of around 3 billion euros; the total cost estimate now stands at 14.5 billion euros. The majority of the additional costs stem from the work still needed to bring the project online.

The main reasons for the new phased commissioning plan are:

• The digitization of the rail hub has proven to be significantly more challenging than was foreseeable a few years ago.
• The planning processes had not reached the required level of maturity.
• The maintenance building, which was built in 2013, no longer meets today's needs.
• A delayed response to a change in electrical power supply standards, which requires a complete redesign.

Project Organization Restructured

As a result of the findings from the audit, DB is restructuring the project organization in terms of both structure and personnel. Going forward, the PSU will serve as the commissioning organization, consolidating responsibility and oversight. Risk management is being restructured—with clear escalation paths and close monitoring. Critical resources will be managed on a group-wide basis to identify delays early on and take corrective action. Coordination with InfraGO and the project partners will be further strengthened.

Stuttgart Digital Hub in all three phases of development

Deutsche Bahn will continue to implement the "Digital Hub Stuttgart" pilot project across all three phases.

To keep the unfortunately unavoidable track closures to a minimum, DB will consolidate the construction work. An optimized rail replacement service is also intended to reduce the inconvenience to passengers.

To this end, DB is investing—in close coordination with the Stuttgart Region Association (VRS) and the state—in:

• high-quality buses
• Stable and reliable real-time information
• trial runs without passengers prior to the start of service (to help drivers become more familiar with the area)
• Standby buses to mitigate disruptions
• Bus coordinators at the bus stops
• an increase in the use of itinerant drivers
• Well-equipped temporary bus stops and clear signage

Railway CEO Evelyn Palla said she had clearly communicated her personal expectations to all DB subsidiaries involved: „The coming years, leading up to the commissioning of the key components of S21, will not feel the same to the people of Stuttgart as the past few years have. There must be relief. We will make sure of that.“

The goal remains the same 

Despite the severe cutbacks and yet another delay, the goal remains unchanged: Stuttgart 21 will make the Stuttgart rail hub more efficient, offer travelers better connections, and strengthen rail service in Baden-Württemberg. With the revised commissioning schedule and the measures resulting from the audit report, DB is committed to learning from past mistakes and reliably meeting the agreed-upon deadlines in the future.

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