Stuttgart’s Gäubahn Dispute: Environmentalists Challenge Temporary Termination
The Stuttgart Administrative Court is currently deliberating a legal challenge brought by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) and the State Nature Conservation Association (LNV) against Deutsche Bahn’s plan to terminate the Gäubahn railway line at the outskirts of Stuttgart starting in 2026.
Background: Gäubahn Termination and Stuttgart 21 Project
The Gäubahn line connects Stuttgart to Zürich, passing through towns such as Böblingen, Horb, and Singen. As part of the massive Stuttgart 21 infrastructure project, which is constructing a new underground central station, Deutsche Bahn intends to temporarily end Gäubahn service at the Vaihingen district from spring 2026 onwards. Passengers bound for downtown Stuttgart would then need to transfer to regional trains or S-Bahn services.
Originally, this termination was planned for approximately six months, but the duration has been significantly extended. The reason for this is the construction of the Pfaffensteigtunnel, which will connect Böblingen via the airport directly to the new approach line for Stuttgart’s underground station. This tunnel is still in the planning phase and is currently scheduled to open at the end of 2032.
Legal Challenge by LNV and DUH
The LNV sought a court order mandating a shutdown procedure for the Gäubahn line, hoping to prevent its termination. However, the court dismissed the LNV’s lawsuit on the first day of proceedings, ruling that the association lacked the necessary legal standing to file a complaint because the shutdown procedure lacked sufficient relevance to environmental protection.
The court has yet to rule on the admissibility of the DUH’s complaint, which will be discussed further on Thursday. According to the DUH, the planned termination of the Gäubahn violates the planning approval decision for Stuttgart 21.
Alternative Gäubahn Routing
During the first day of the hearing, Deutsche Bahn presented an alternative routing option for the Gäubahn during the termination period. Trains could be diverted via the Rankbachbahn line, which runs from Böblingen through Sindelfingen to Renningen, where they could then join the S-Bahn tracks to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. At that point, a new switch would need to be constructed to guide the Gäubahn onto the tracks leading to Stuttgart’s new underground station.
According to Deutsche Bahn, this alternative route would add approximately 15 minutes to the travel time. However, the DUH’s federal managing director, Jürgen Resch, criticized the proposal as unrealistic, claiming that the Rankbachbahn line is not equipped to handle the Gäubahn’s traffic volume.
Deutsche Bahn’s Justification
Deutsche Bahn has justified the Gäubahn termination with construction work for Stuttgart 21. A new line for the S-Bahn service in northern Stuttgart requires modifications to an embankment along the Gäubahn tracks. "The removal of the Gäubahn tracks and the work on the embankment have been approved by the planning authorities," a railway spokesperson stated.
Impact on Stuttgart City Planning
The Stuttgart city administration maintains that continued use of the Gäubahn tracks would significantly impact its development plans. After the completion of Stuttgart 21, the city intends to transform the current railway area into a new urban district called Rosenstein. "If the Gäubahn tracks remain above ground, it would mean that all surface track infrastructure could only be dismantled with a delay of approximately six years," said a city spokesperson. From the city’s perspective, this would result in substantial setbacks in the construction of the new district.
