Stuttgart's main station: Location map
Stuttgart has one main central station, Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof. Hauptbahnhof means main station, usually abbreviated to Hbf.
Overview - it's a building site!
Stuttgart Hbf is a dead-end terminus with 16 platforms. For over a century, every train on the Cologne-Munich axis has had to enter Stuttgart Hbf, change direction and come out again, a process that takes 10-15 minutes. Stuttgart 21 is a major project to build a high-speed line under the city with through platforms underground avoiding the need for trains to change direction. The new underground platforms are being built where the platforms and buffer stops used to be, between the historic station building and where the current temporary buffer stops and platforms are.
There's more about the station's history at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart_Hauptbahnhof. More about Stuttgart 21 at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart_21.
For a plan of the station & more about facilities, accessibility & opening hours see www.bahnhof.de/en/stuttgart-hbf.
Station building
Built between 1914 & 1928, the station building is currently off-limits as part of the Stuttgart 21 building site. I passed through shortly before the work started, it's vast main hall was impressive and one could climb the station tower to stand beneath the famous Mercedes star on top.
Current layout
In this plan you can see the station building, the gap where the underground platforms are being built, then the current temporary platforms. In the plan, platforms are numbered 1 to 16 from right to left. The green lines indicate (1) a long covered walkway from platform 1 end around the left side of the building to the street and (2) another walking route around the right-hand end of the station building to the street.
Which platform for your train?
Platforms 1-16 are all terminus platforms, numbered from 1 to 16 from left to right as you look towards them. There's a (rather cramped) circulating area behind the buffer stops, with several food outlets sandwiched between the platforms.
Platforms 101 & 102 are underground through platforms used by S-Bahn (suburban) trains. The entrance to these platforms is in the facade of the old station building, so walk around the building site to the street and look for it in front of the old station.
You can check which platform your train is due to use by finding your train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Once at the station, the station departure screens will confirm which platform your train will use.
For live departure/arrivals see www.bahnhof.de/en/stuttgart-hbf and click Live departure/arrival.
It's quick & easy to change trains: There is free, open & level access between all platforms, the circulating area and street outside, with no ticket barriers, steps or gates to negotiate. Wheeled luggage or a wheelchair no problem. If you are changing trains, you can walk between any two of these platforms in just 2 or 3 minutes, that's all it takes to physically change trains.
Above, I'm looking west along the circulating area behind the platforms, from platform 12 towards platform 1. There are no ticket gates or barriers, you can walk freely off the concourse onto the platforms. The building site (and beyond that, the station building) is behind the hoarding on the left.
An ICE3 arrived on platform 10.
Tickets & information
For general help & enquiries, there's a DB Information office on platform 1.
For tickets & reservations, go to the ticket office (Reisezentrum). Walk past platform 1 out of the station side exit into what appears to be an office block courtyard. The entrance is on the far side of the courtyard, marked DB Reisezentrum - DB Lounge, see the photo below. It's marked Reisen on the station plan.
DB first class lounge
In the unlikely event that you have an expensive 1st class Flexpreis ticket for an IC, ICE, EC or railjet train, you can use the DB first class lounge with free WiFi, tea, coffee, beer, wine and snacks. You can't use the lounge with advance-purchase Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis tickets even if 1st class, or with an Interrail or Eurail pass, or with tickets for Nightjet sleeper trains or regional trains.
The lounge is in the same building as the ticket office (Reisezentrum), walk past platform 1 out of the station side exit into what appears to be an office block courtyard. The entrance is on the far side of the courtyard marked DB Reisezentrum - DB Lounge. It's marked Reisen on the station plan.
Left luggage, toilets, WiFi
There are coin-operated left luggage lockers at the entrance to the covered walkway near platform 16. Many lockers were marked as out of order but some were in service and available when I last visited, see the luggage lockers page for prices. There are more lockers on platform 3/4, down the stairs to the parking garage.
The toilets are on platform 2. The station has WiFi, select WIFI@DB.
Luggage lockers near platform 16, just inside the long covered passageway around the building site to the street.
Food & drink
There are various food outlets around the station, sandwiched between platforms and on platform 1/2.
Biergarten im Schloßgarten: In summer, walk 3 minutes to the Biergarten im Schloßgarten (www.biergarten-schlossgarten.de) for food and a beer or two, see walking map.
Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel bar: For somewhere to wait for your train away from the noise and bustle of the station, try the lounge/bar on the ground floor of the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel just across the road from the station, see walking map. It won't be the cheapest beer in Stuttgart, but it buys you a quiet VIP waiting lounge with toilets downstairs (ask reception for a card key).
Stuttgart 21 exhibition & observation tower
There is an exhibition about the Stuttgart 21 project, the entrance is near platform 16 and marked by the white arrow in the photo below. Entrance is free, and you can take a lift up an observation tower to survey the works. More about Stuttgart 21 at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart_21.
Entrance to the Stuttgart 21 exhibition. The entrance to the covered walkway around the works to the street is under the yellow sign.
View from the observation tower, looking over the building site where the platforms & buffer stops used to be, towards the station building.
Local transport: Walking, taxis, U-bahn, S-bahn
Walking: You can easily walk from the station to anywhere in Stuttgart city centre. Stuttgart's Schlossplatz is just a 9 minute walk from the station.
Taxis: For a taxi fare calculator see www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Stuttgart-Germany&lang=en. Taxis are plentiful outside the station, walk off the train, turn left and walk out of the main exit onto Arnulfstrasse.
U-Bahn & S-Bahn: Stuttgart Hbf is served by a U-Bahn (underground metro) & S-Bahn (suburban train) network, see www.vvs.de for network maps and journey planner.
Mercedes & Porsche museums
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is 4.8 km from Stuttgart Hbf, take a frequent S-Bahn train to Neckarpark (line S1, every 15 minutes, 2 stops, journey 7 minutes) and walk 13 minutes.
The Porsche Museum is 7 km from Stuttgart Hbf, take a frequent S-Bahn train to Neuwirtshaus (Porscheplatz) (line S6 or S60, every 15 minutes, 4 stops, journey 10 minutes) and walk 2 minutes.
The S-Bahn trains use underground platforms 101 & 102, you'll find the entrance to these platforms in the facade of the old station building, so walk around the building site to the street and look for signs to the S-Bahn.
Hotels near Stuttgart Hbf
The Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel is directly across the road from the station and gets good reviews, see walking map. Also consider the nearby Motel One Stuttgart Hbf or Motel One Stuttgart Mitte.