According to DB, the total costs for the Stuttgart 21 project have now escalated to approximately 11 billion EUR, well above the original estimate of 4.
The railway company argues that joint responsibility for these additional expenditures is implied within the original financial agreement. This appeal follows multiple legal setbacks, with previous lawsuits unsuccessfully seeking to enforce financial participation from the project partners.
The ruling is not yet legally binding, allowing DB an opportunity to appeal. DB maintains that the history of the project, financial negotiations, and the contractual provisions collectively signal a need for shared financial responsibility between all partners.
The projected costs have increased due to various factors, including construction complexities and delays.
While DB, as the project developer, remains financially responsible for these costs under the current ruling, it is now pursuing a judicial review to enforce cost sharing with its partners. The complete overhaul of the Riedbahn, the 70km stretch between Mannheim and Frankfurt, sees milestones after days.
