Overview

• Baden-Württemberg transport minister Winfried Hermann announced the move, and Deutsche Bahn later confirmed it, saying contract awards are targeted to begin early next year following a tender at the start of this year.
• Under the Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart plan, long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services will operate with ETCS only, with no traditional light signals in the underground station.
• The digitalisation aims to increase capacity at the tunnel station and, in a subsequent step, improve S-Bahn punctuality and reliability in the Stuttgart area.
• The third expansion stage entails digitising rail lines across the entire Stuttgart region, covering about 500 route-kilometres, according to Deutsche Bahn.
• Deutsche Bahn’s board had imposed the financing reservation at the end of 2023 due to funding uncertainties, a move repeatedly opposed by the state government.