Baden-Württemberg and the German federal government are funding €95m of the €122m cost via the municipal Transport Financing Act (GVFG). Work is set to commence in 2021 with completion scheduled for December 2022.

The electrification projects are the first step towards building a new tram-train system centred on Tübingen and the Regionalstadtbahn Neckar-Alb (RSB) network, based on the ‘Karlsruhe model.’ Dual voltage LRVs will operate on both mainline railways and new on-street light rail lines planned in Tübingen and Reutlingen.

A new public transport authority Zweckverband Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb representing the local authorities in the region was founded in early 2019 to implement the new regional S-Bahn network.

The Ammer Valley Railway was closed in sections from 1966 and sold in 1996 to new public transport authority Zweckverband ÖPNV im Ammertal, which is owned 80:20 by local governments in Tübingen and Böblingen. Passenger services restarted in 1999.

The Erms Valley Railway has been owned by the independent Erms-Neckar-Rail (ENAG) since 1994. German Rail (DB) closed the line to passengers in 1976 but services also restarted in 1999 after ENAG repaired the infrastructure.

Four new stations will be built between Metzingen and Tübingen on the existing DB Networks-owned electrified line from Tübingen to Plochingen, which will be used by the new electric Tübingen - Bad Urach services.