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Deutsche Bahn CEO Orders Full Stuttgart 21 Probe, Withholds New Opening Date

The move launches a weeks‑long review centered on management failures plus supplier issues after the end‑2026 goal fell apart.

Overview

  • Evelyn Palla announced an internal investigation to establish the reasons for the latest delay and said no revised commissioning date will be set until the findings are in.
  • The review will scrutinize Deutsche Bahn's project management practices and assess the performance of external partners, with Hitachi's role in critical technology under particular examination.
  • Supervisory board members are slated to discuss Stuttgart 21 on December 10, following signals in November that a December 2026 partial opening was no longer viable.
  • Technical risks tied to the Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart and approvals for Hitachi’s signalling and control systems have been cited as central schedule blockers.
  • Alongside the probe, Palla is rolling out immediate customer measures focused on cleaner trains, higher toilet and bistro availability, and four‑person security patrols at 18 major stations.