Stuttgart will move the main train station underground

Berlin - The German city of Stuttgart will relocate its main train station underground. One of the largest transportation projects in the country is expected to cost nearly five billion euros (141.3 billion CZK). This was agreed upon today by the federal government in Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, the city of Stuttgart, and the German railway operator Deutsche Bahn. Stuttgart is the capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.
    Construction is set to begin in 2010. The first trains could depart from the new station, named Stuttgart 21, in 2020. Discussions about the project have been ongoing for nearly 13 years.
    Alongside the new station, Stuttgart will also gain a high-speed rail connection to the city of Ulm. However, Baden-Württemberg had to agree to finance nearly half of the costs for the connection to the high-speed railway, valued at two billion euros. Baden-Württemberg will also bear most of the risks associated with any potential cost overruns.
    The new station will also connect to the exhibition grounds and the airport. The Green Party is, however, criticizing the fact that the state plans to finance part of the plan by reducing investments in local transportation, reported the DPA and Reuters agencies.