For the construction of the second trunk line in Munich, Deutsche Bahn calculates costs of around seven billion euros and a construction period up to 2035. This was announced by Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz on Thursday in Munich.
The total already includes a risk buffer of 1.5 billion euros for further price increases.
Despite the massive increase in costs, the Bavarian state government is sticking to the construction of the second main line in Munich.
"We stand by the second regular route," said Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU).
The Free Voters are also behind the “Project of the Century”.
Although there is still a fundamental review, there will be no delays on the part of the state government.
The trend is clear.
Lutz: railway line is a "project of the century"
Bahn boss Lutz named the drastically increased construction and material costs, project expansions and a significantly increased risk buffer as reasons for the increase in costs and the longer construction period.
However, there are still further uncertainties due to the pending approval process, said Lutz.
He emphasized that the most modern public transport hub in Europe is currently being built in Munich with the new main station and the second trunk route.
It is a "project of the century".
With its calculation, the railway is slightly below the cost estimates of the Bavarian Ministry of Construction and Transport.
This announced in June that the mammoth project could cost up to 7.2 billion euros and that completion could be delayed until 2037.
Originally, costs of 3.85 billion were promised for the construction of the second central S-Bahn line through downtown Munich.
The state capital is now eagerly awaiting the second main route as the core of an overall concept for rail transport in the region, because the previous network is overloaded and often unreliable.
"We see light in the tunnel on the 2nd trunk line," emphasized Söder.
The numbers are finally on the table.
The second trunk route is of central importance for the future of Bavaria.
It is not only important for the greater Munich area, the rail network also extends to Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria and the Allgäu.
"The Free State of Bavaria will become a much stricter partner," said Söder.
There is stricter controlling and more transparency is needed.
An accompanying committee in the state parliament is also a good idea.
With a view to the cost sharing between the federal and state governments, Söder said it was now clear that the federal government would continue to bear 60 percent of the costs, "including the additional costs".
Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter put the cost share for Bavaria "as of now" at 3.7 billion euros.