Railway's Principal Route Shut Down - Passengers Notified - Service interruption: Shutdown of the primary line.
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The Stuttgart S-Bahn Main Line will be closed from July 26 to September 6, 2025, due to modernization works on the inner-city tunnel section between Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (deep level) and Stuttgart-Vaihingen. This closure significantly impacts approximately 350,000 daily passengers, including students and workers.
The closure is part of the digitalization of the Stuttgart rail junction, which includes the installation of a new signaling and safety technology on the tunnel line. German Railways (DB) is responsible for this work, and it will also connect the new Stuttgart-21 tracks to existing tracks.
During this period, the S-Bahn trains will not stop at several key inner-city stations, including Hauptbahnhof (deep), Stadtmitte, Feuersee, Schwabstraße, Universität, and Österfeld. However, the S-Bahn will continue operating on a 30-minute frequency on other parts of the line, with trains on lines S1, S2, and S4-S6 departing from different platforms at Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof.
Alternative transportation options available during this period include frequent replacement buses that will run to cover the closed tunnel section and connect affected stations. Passengers are also advised to use the U-Bahn (light rail) system in Stuttgart as a supplementary option for getting through or around the disrupted S-Bahn corridor. Travelers are encouraged to use electronic journey planners such as the DB Navigator app or the bahn.de website for up-to-date schedules and optimized routing.
Some long-distance trains will not stop in Stuttgart but will stop in Esslingen am Neckar instead. In regional traffic, trains on line MEX 18 (Tübingen-Osterburken) will run directly from Esslingen am Neckar to Ludwigsburg, bypassing Stuttgart. Lines MEX 19 (Stuttgart-Gaildorf) and MEX 90 (Stuttgart-Schwäbisch Hall) will start and end mostly in Winnenden and Backnang.
A special city train line will be set up to bring visitors from the city to the Iron Maiden concert on the Cannstatter Wasen. Replacement buses will run at least every ten minutes and every five minutes during peak hours between Hauptbahnhof and Vaihingen. Passengers will need to plan for longer walks to buses and the U-Bahn at Hauptbahnhof.
This is the fifth consecutive weekly closure of the line for construction work, and the closure of the S-Bahn will likely be put to the test right from the first weekend due to events in the city, such as the Christopher Street Day and an Iron Maiden concert. Commuters face longer journeys and more transfers, but extensive replacement buses and alternative rail services aim to maintain connectivity within Stuttgart's metropolitan transit network.
- In an effort to maintain connectivity within Stuttgart's community during the S-Bahn closure, vocational training centers may consider adjusting their schedules to accommodate students who may face longer journeys and more transfers.
- With the impact on the finance sector due to delays in commuter travel during the S-Bahn closure, industry leaders are urging German Railways to ensure the smooth implementation of the new transportation technology, as inconsistent service could lead to financial losses.
