The Stuttgart 21 rail project was to be a silver bullet for a de-industrializing region, promising jobs, urban renewal, green spaces, residential development, faster trains, shorter commutes and connection to the Paris-Bratislava superroute. But that was three decades and a 360% cost overrun ago. In the meantime, Stuttgart has attained an impressive #4 in our Biking subcategory and #12 for Walkability.
Still, Stuttgart 21 is advancing: the new underground Hauptbahnhof and a linked long‑distance station at the airport/Messe could launch by 2026. Real estate is freed up when tracks go underground: The Rosenstein redevelopment is queued up, with plans for up to 5,700 homes, new parks and maker‑space blocks. At Messe, rooftop photovoltaics generate several gigawatt‑hours annually as the conference venue aims to generate most of its power in-house: watch the #42 Convention Center ranking climb. Hotels are also opening, with Scandic unveiling a 174‑room hotel refit downtown later this year, adding Nordic sensibility to design‑forward towers and reliable mid‑market inventory. Tourism momentum is real after a record 2024, and the city’s fun side is ready. Wine is grown in 16 of the 23 city districts, and the annual Wine Village attracts a million visitors.