Overview
- CEO Evelyn Palla informed the supervisory board and project partners that the December 2026 partial launch will not go ahead, according to multiple reports.
- Technical hurdles at the Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart, including approval and release issues for Hitachi-supplied systems, are cited as the immediate cause.
- Deutsche Bahn says previously flagged timing risks have hardened and it will not name a new binding in-service date before a firmer outlook is available by mid 2026.
- Operationally, reports indicate all services will continue using the above-ground Hauptbahnhof through 2027, while project partners demand a special steering committee meeting.
- Costs have risen to roughly €11.3–€11.8 billion, and a court has ruled that Deutsche Bahn must shoulder the multi-billion-euro overruns alone.