Baden-Württemberg · Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart sits in a valley surrounded by vineyards and is the home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Its Hauptbahnhof is being rebuilt as part of the Stuttgart 21 project and remains a key ICE hub for the southwest.
Highlights
Mercedes-Benz Museum
A landmark museum tracing the history of the automobile.
Porsche Museum
A striking museum devoted to the sports car maker's history.
Schlossplatz
The city's central square, framed by the New Palace.
Wilhelma
A combined zoo and botanical garden.
Stuttgart's vineyards
Vine-covered hillsides within the city limits, unusual for a major German city.
Getting there by train
Main station: Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof
| From | Journey time | Typical trains |
|---|---|---|
| Munich | about 2.25 h | ICE |
| Frankfurt | about 1.25 h | ICE |
| Freiburg | about 1.5 h | IC |
| Nuremberg | about 2 h | ICE |
Source: DB timetable data (typical journey times). Checked on 1 June 2024.
Local transport
The VVS network of S-Bahn, U-Bahn (Stadtbahn), trams and buses covers Stuttgart and its region. The Deutschlandticket covers local buses, trams, U-Bahn and S-Bahn in and around the city, though not long-distance ICE/IC trains.
Day trips
- Tübingen (about 1 h) — A picturesque university town on the Neckar.
- Ludwigsburg (about 20 min) — Home to a large baroque palace, just north of the city.
Neighbourhoods
Stadtmitte
The centre around Schlossplatz and the Königstrasse shopping street.
Bad Cannstatt
Mineral baths and the festival grounds across the Neckar.
Zuffenhausen & Untertürkheim
Home to the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums, both on the S-Bahn.
Food and drink
Swabian cooking is the draw: Maultaschen dumplings, Spätzle with lentils, and Trollinger red wine from vineyards inside the city limits.
Practical notes
- Stuttgart 21 construction is turning the terminus into a through station, so layouts and walking routes change often.
- Both car museums are reachable on the Deutschlandticket via S-Bahn.
- The city sits in a basin ringed by vineyards — the Stäffele stairways are the quickest way up.
Stuttgart bookshelf
German-language editions worth reading before or during a stop in Stuttgart, grouped by shelf. Each link searches Amazon for that edition so you land on the copy currently in print — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure.
Geschichte
- Find on Amazon →Stuttgart: Geschichte der StadtGerhard Raff
Residence city, industry and post-war rebuilding.
Kultur & Musik
- Find on Amazon →Mercedes-Benz: Die Geschichte einer MarkeHarry Niemann
Background for the Untertürkheim museum visit.
- Find on Amazon →Porsche 911: Die ChronikRandy Leffingwell
Company and model history, matched to the Zuffenhausen museum.
Reiseführer
- Find on Amazon →DuMont Reise-Taschenbuch StuttgartDuMont
German guide to the city and the surrounding vineyards.