it. It was then decided that a new subway line was going to be built, but the tram network would be kept as well. To reduce costs and to show off Nuremberg's still existing industrial capabilities, it was decided to run automated trains on the new line which was to share part of its tracks with the existing U2. However, by the time this decision was put into practice, the political winds had turned again and Ulrich Maly retook the mayorality for the SPD once more after a single 6 year term by Ludwig Scholz of the CSU. The new U3 was initially planned to open in time for the 2006 FIFA World Cup which had games played in Nuremberg. However, technological issues with the new system and the desire to work out all kinks delayed opening to 2008. Operations on U2 were never shut down and for almost two years driver operated trains ran in mixed operations with fully automated trains on the sections of U2 shared with U3. By late 2009 confidence in the new system was large enough that full automatization of U2 was decided upon and since 2 January 2010 (the day after New Year's Day) all trains in revenue service on U2 have been fully automated. This represents the first existing rapid transit line in the world to be converted from fully manual operation to fully automated operation. However, the system has not attracted as many customers outside Nuremberg as had been hoped for when the decision to automate the line was taken. Operations During the rush hour peak trains leave every 3 1/3 minutes (200 seconds) overlapping with U3 to a 100 second headway between Rothenburger Straße and Rathenauplatz. As the section of track between Airport and Ziegelstein is single track, only one train every ten minutes serves the airport with most other trains terminating early at Ziegelstein. Planned extensions Southern end As early as the first U-Bahn plans which formed the basis for the decision to build an U-Bahn, an extension towards Stein was proposed. However, the problem with such an extension is the municipal border involved and local politicians in Stein have been reluctant to assume the financial burden of construction and especially the long term burden of maintenance and operation. Another problem is the :de:Gemeindeverkehrsfinanzierungsgesetz (municipal traffic financing law or GVFG) which regulates which construction projects get federal and state funding