Business trip from Stuttgart: how to park efficiently at the airport

The Stuttgart region is a centre of the automotive and supplier industry, mechanical engineering and software development. Accordingly, many business travellers depart from the airport on the Filder plateau – to clients in northern Germany, to plants in Eastern Europe, to trade fairs all over Europe. For them, different things count than for holidaymakers: reliability, short distances, a proper invoice and flexibility if an appointment is postponed. This guide shows how business travellers from Böblingen, Esslingen, Ludwigsburg and the rest of the Greater Stuttgart area can organise parking at Stuttgart Airport efficiently.

Day trips: every minute counts

On a day trip, the schedule is tight: early departure, meetings, return flight in the evening. A valet service that awaits you at the meeting point near the terminal saves time in both directions, because there is no shuttle transfer. The multi-storey car park at the terminal is also convenient; for a single day, the two are often not far apart in price. Shuttle parking is less often worthwhile for day trips. Choose a generous return time in case a meeting runs over or the return flight is delayed, and enter your flight numbers.

The industrial region in morning traffic

Every morning, hundreds of thousands of people commute to work around Stuttgart. The A81 near Sindelfingen, the Leonberg interchange, the B27 and the B10 in the Neckar valley are then very busy. If you fly at 08:00 and have to be at the airport at 06:30, you are usually still lucky. If you fly at 10:00, you get caught in the middle of rush-hour traffic. Allow reserve accordingly. An overview of the routes is provided in the guide Driving to Stuttgart Airport.

The Stuttgart trade fair: destination and obstacle

For Stuttgart companies, the trade fair centre right next to the airport is often the destination itself – clients fly in, employees staff stands. If, on the other hand, you depart on a trade fair day, you experience the fair as an obstacle: busy access roads, full car parks, heavy traffic at the Flughafen/Messe junction. Check the trade fair calendar before your trip and plan generously on such days. More: Parking at Stuttgart Airport during trade fairs.

Invoices and expense claims

For your travel expense claim you need a proper invoice. Check before booking whether the provider issues invoices and whether your company address can appear on them. Many send the invoice by email once the service has been completed. Keep it together with your flight tickets and hotel receipts. Questions about tax treatment are answered by your company's accounts department.

Company cars and pool cars

If you are driving a company or pool car, clarify your employer's rules on handing it over to third parties in advance. In many companies this is unproblematic; some have rules. Document the condition particularly carefully: photos with date and time at handover and return, mileage and fuel or charge level. In the event of damage, you must be able to prove to fleet management when it occurred. More: Vehicle handover at Stuttgart Airport.

Electric company cars

Many companies in the region are switching their fleets to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Business travellers then face the question of whether the car can be charged during the trip. Some providers offer this as an additional service; this is stated in the description. Photograph the battery level at handover. Without a charging service, you should arrive with enough range for the drive home in the evening.

Staying flexible when appointments change

Business appointments are often postponed at short notice. Pay attention to the cancellation terms when booking: with Friend-Park you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the service begins. If a trip is extended by a day, inform the provider and support so that your car is not ready at the original time. More: Cancelling or rebooking a car park at Stuttgart Airport.

Hand luggage and digital boarding pass

If you travel with hand luggage only, you save time at check-in and after landing. A laptop trolley and a garment bag are enough for many business trips. With online check-in and a digital boarding pass, you go straight to security. Combined with a fast valet service, you get from your car to the gate in a few minutes.

Return flight in the evening

Return flights from business trips often land in the evening. Check until what time your provider returns cars – including in the event of a delay. Stuttgart has night flight restrictions that limit late landings; delayed flights sometimes arrive shortly before the night-time curfew. More: Late arrival at Stuttgart Airport.

Working on the move

The time at the gate or on the shuttle can be used for emails and preparing for appointments. A charged laptop, a power bank and headphones belong in your hand luggage. There are sockets and Wi-Fi in the terminal. If you use the drive to the airport as a calm transition – for example with a call via the hands-free system – you will arrive at the client focused.

A routine for frequent flyers

If you fly several times a month, you benefit from fixed routines: a provider whose meeting point and procedure you know, saved contact details, a proven departure time for each day of the week. Note how long the journey took at which time of day. After a few trips, you will plan in a few minutes.

Picking up guests from the airport

When clients or colleagues come from abroad, many companies pick them up in person. The multi-storey car parks at the terminal are suitable for this. Track the flight online and allow time for baggage and passport control. A sign with the company name helps if you don't know each other personally yet.

Between the plant and the gate

Many business travellers don't drive from home but directly from the office or plant to the airport – from Sindelfingen, Zuffenhausen, Gerlingen or Neckarsulm. Then the departure time often depends on the last meeting. Plan a fixed time by which you leave at the latest, and block it in your calendar. A parking service with a meeting point at the terminal is more forgiving of a late departure than a shuttle with a fixed timetable.

Business trips over several days

On trips of three, four or five days, the calculation changes. The price difference between valet and shuttle adds up, and the transfer time matters less. Check what your employer specifies in the travel policy – some companies stipulate which parking option is reimbursed. If you have the choice, decide based on your schedule and luggage.

If the return flight is cancelled

If the return flight is cancelled and you stay overnight at your destination, your car stays a day longer. Inform the provider as soon as the new arrival time is known. Keep the airline's confirmation of the cancellation; it helps with the reimbursement of additional costs via your employer or under air passenger rights. More: frequently asked questions about cancelled flights.

Together with colleagues

If several colleagues are travelling to the same appointment, car sharing can make sense. One car instead of three saves parking costs and is better for the environment. Agree beforehand who drives, who books and in whose name the invoice is issued. Shuttle providers may have rules on the number of passengers.

Client visits with luggage and samples

If you take product samples, trade fair material or tools to a client, you travel with more luggage than usual. Then valet is particularly practical, because the luggage stays in the car right up to the terminal. Register bulky baggage with the airline in good time and allow time for check-in. For delicate samples, a sturdy transport case is worthwhile.

A typical day

A sales manager from Leonberg flies to Hamburg at 07:10. She sets off at 05:40, is at the valet meeting point at 06:05 and at security at 06:10 – with hand luggage and a digital boarding pass. In the evening she lands at 19:30, sends a message right after disembarking and is in the car at 19:45. The figures are an example; they show how much time a well-organised procedure saves on a long working day.

In brief

For business trips from Stuttgart, reliability, short distances, a proper invoice and flexible terms count. A provider with suitable hours and good contactability makes the difference. Whether offers can be booked via Friend-Park is shown on the page Parking at Stuttgart Airport.