Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- The Stuttgart Echterdingen Airport (tel. 0711/9480) is 14km (9 miles) south of the city near Echterdingen. The airport has connections with most major German and European cities. Trip time from Frankfurt is 50 minutes; from Hamburg or Berlin, 1 1/4 hours. The commuter train to Stuttgart leaves from below the arrivals level of Terminal 1. Trains depart every 20 minutes, taking 27 minutes. A one-way fare is 3.10€ ($5). A taxi to the city center costs from 30€ ($48).

By Train -- Stuttgart has rail links to all major German cities, with frequent connections. The train station is directly north of the historic area. Twenty-seven daily trains run from Munich (trip time: 2-3 hr.), and 19 trains run from Frankfurt (trip time: 1 1/2-2 hr.). For information, call tel. 01805/996633.

By Bus -- Long-distance bus service into Stuttgart from cities outside Germany, including London, Paris, Vienna, and Amsterdam, is maintained by Deutsche Touring GmbH (tel. 0711/2730962; www.touring.de). Passengers coming into Stuttgart from other cities within Germany almost always opt to take the train.

By Car -- Access by car is via the A8 Autobahn east and west, or the A81 north and south.

Visitor Information

Information about transportation, sightseeing, and hotels is available at the Touristik-Zentrum, Königstrasse 1A (tel. 0711/22280; www.stuttgart-tourist.de), which is open year-round Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm; it also has Sunday hours November to April from 1 to 6pm, and May to October from 11am to 6pm.

Getting Around

A single ride between points that fall within Stuttgart's historic core on the city's bus or subway system costs 1.90€ ($3.10). Rides to the outer suburbs, depending on where you travel, range from 2.35€ to 6.30€ ($3.80-$10). Often, the most economical way of handling multiple rides on the system involves buying a Tageskarte (day ticket), which costs 5.60€ ($9); it's valid for a day of unlimited transport within the city core and also within zones 1 and 2. A 1-day pass that's valid for transport within the entire network (in other words, the city center and zones 1-5) sells for 12€ ($18). An exceptional bargain is its 3-day equivalent, available only to temporary residents of a local hotel or guesthouse, selling for 9.90€ ($16) within the city center and zones 1 (central Stuttgart) and 2 (immediate suburbs), and for 13€ ($21) for rides anywhere within the network. For more information about the city's transport system, its routes, and its prices, call tel. 0711/19449.