A modern station and shorter distances
The Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Project is one of the biggest and most spectacular infrastructure schemes in Europe and involves far more than just a new station. It will bring many advantages for the Stuttgart Region's urban development, ecology and economy. The InfoTurmStuttgart (ITS) provides a wealth of background information, and some surprising insights.
Stuttgart 21 and the new Wendlingen-Ulm railway line – these comprise the Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Project. Under Stuttgart 21, the Stuttgart railway junction is being completely remodelled: Instead of the former terminus station, there will be an efficient through station with four new stations and more than 50 kilometres of new tracks. The commissioning of Stuttgart 21 is planned for December 2026. In addition, the removal of the old track system opens up new possibilities for future urban development. The Palace Gardens will be extended and new green areas will appear. The Rosenstein Quarter, the modern district which is to be built behind the main railway station, will be sustainable and climate-friendly. The innovative station concept was devised by ingenhoven architects from Düsseldorf. Its architectural highlight is the 28 chalice supports, which set new standards in combining statics and design. In addition to their function of supporting the station roof, the chalice supports also reflect incident daylight directly into the platform hall.
The new Wendlingen-Ulm railway line is around 60 km long – more than half, which can be used by travellers since December 2022, running through tunnels – and enables faster and more convenient travel across the Swabian Alb. Stuttgart Airport can be reached in only 6 minutes (instead of 27 minutes), and the journey from Ulm to Stuttgart, for example, will take only 27 minutes (instead of the present 56 minutes). The new line will develop its full potential when Stuttgart 21 goes into operation. A major milestone was reached in September 2023: all of the tunnels in the project have been successfully driven. In total, the tunnel route covers around 56 kilometres. In addition, the roof of the new platform hall at Stuttgart Central Station was concreted and closed. The shell of the platform hall was thus completed at the end of November 2023. The first light eye was completed at the beginning of July 2024 – a total of 27 of them will provide daylight in the new platform hall.
The exhibition in the ITS provides detailed information on four levels about the rail project and its related future issues. Various digital media serve to illustrate developments. "The Cave", a projection filling a whole room, makes it possible to explore today the station of tomorrow. And the model of the station with the Rosenstein Quarter also comes alive, thanks to augmented reality (AR). The best view of the construction site is from the roof terrace, where visitors can literally watch the station evolving in real time. What's more, the ITS also offers a unique conference room almost 30 metres over the construction pit.
The ITS offers not only guided tours of the exhibition, but also various tours of the construction site for those interested in learning more about the building project.
Additional information under: www.its-projekt.de/en
