Choosing a parking service at Stuttgart Airport: what really matters

Around Stuttgart Airport, various companies offer valet and shuttle parking. The differences lie not only in price but in opening hours, location, security of the parking area, contactability and how delays are handled. If you only look at the lowest daily price, you may be in for a surprise on the day of travel. This guide gives you a clear order of criteria, questions for your call with the provider and a list of warning signs.

First: opening hours

The most important criterion comes first: does the provider work at your times? Many holiday flights depart from Stuttgart very early, and delayed return flights sometimes land late in the evening. Check from what time the handover or the first shuttle is possible and until what time cars are returned. Clarify what applies outside these hours and whether there is a surcharge. All other criteria are secondary if the times don't fit.

Second: location in relation to your journey

The providers' parking areas are located in various municipalities around the airport. Proximity to the terminal is only one aspect. Equally important is how easy the car park is to reach from where you live. If you come via the B27 from Tübingen, a site along this route is often a better fit than one at the other end of the Filder plateau. The same applies if you come via the A8 from Ulm. Look at the address on the map and plan the route from home via the car park to the terminal.

Third: parking site and security

A reputable provider describes where the cars are parked: outdoors or in a hall, fenced, lit, under video surveillance, permanently staffed. This information helps you assess the offer. If it is missing, ask. Especially for high-value vehicles or leased cars, this is an important criterion.

Fourth: procedure and services

How does the handover work? Where exactly is the meeting point or pick-up point? How often does the shuttle run, and how many people fit in? What does an additional person cost, and bulky luggage? Are there additional services such as charging or washing? The more specific the description, the better you can judge whether the offer suits you. Phrases such as "fast transfer" without a time are not very meaningful.

Fifth: final price and terms

Compare final prices for your exact period, including any surcharges. Read the cancellation terms: until when can you cancel free of charge? What happens if you extend? Help with comparing prices is provided in the guide Parking costs at Stuttgart Airport.

Sixth: contactability

Is the phone number staffed at weekends, early in the morning and in the evening too? Does the provider reply to emails within a reasonable time? If you have good experiences with communication before the trip, you can assume it will go the same way on the day of travel. Tips if a provider cannot be reached: frequently asked questions about an unreachable provider.

Handling delays

Flight delays are part of travelling. Ask before booking how the provider handles them: do they track the flight number themselves, or do you have to call? What happens if the landing is after their opening hours? Clear answers are a good sign; evasive ones are a reason to keep looking.

Reading reviews correctly

Reviews give indications but are no substitute for checking yourself. Look for recurring themes – punctuality of the shuttle, friendliness, condition of the cars on return – rather than individual outliers. Recent reviews say more about the current situation than old ones. A review about an early flight is particularly meaningful for you if you fly early yourself.

Questions for the call

• From what time do you take cars, and until what time do you return them?
• Where exactly is the meeting point or pick-up point at the terminal?
• How is the site secured?
• How do you handle flight delays?
• What does an additional person or bulky luggage cost?
• How do you operate on major trade fair days?

Warning signs

• no address, only a mobile number
• vague information about the parking site
• prices only quoted as "from", without a final price
• cash payment in advance without a receipt
• no cancellation terms

Special features for Stuttgart

At Stuttgart Airport, two points are added. First, the trade fair: a provider that works reliably even on major trade fair days is all the more a good choice on normal days. Second, the holiday rhythm with Whitsun holidays and late summer holidays: a provider with good procedures at these peaks handles everyday operations with ease. More on this: Parking at Stuttgart Airport during trade fairs.

Decide on valet or shuttle first

Before you compare individual providers, answer the basic question: valet or shuttle? That halves the number of offers. Help: Valet or shuttle at Stuttgart Airport.

An example of the selection

Take a married couple from Nürtingen flying to Lisbon: departure at 06:30, landing ten days later at 22:00. In the first round, all offers whose drivers don't already work at half past four or whose site closes at half past eleven at night are ruled out. In the second round, what counts is which of the remaining sites are on the B27, which the couple drives anyway. In the third, the final price and cancellation rules are compared. Two candidates remain; the deciding factor is the more precise description of the hall where the cars are parked. With this order, the choice is made during a coffee break.

If something goes wrong

Mishaps happen: the bus gets stuck behind a trade fair coach, the driver is held up at the junction. A good service provider then shows itself by answering the phone, saying honestly how long it will take and, if necessary, organising an alternative. Note the times and what was said. If you booked via Friend-Park, also send us a short message – such feedback feeds into how we support our partners.

After the first trip

If the trip went smoothly, the provider goes on your list of favourites. If there were snags, write them down – such as "bus only left at 05:10" or "hall hard to find". On your next Whitsun holiday, you will then know straight away whom to book again and whom not.

Personal recommendations

In the Greater Stuttgart area, almost everyone flies regularly, and you can learn a lot in the canteen or over the garden fence. Who was satisfied with their parking service, who waited a long time for the bus? Such tips are valuable if the starting situation was similar: a report about a Tuesday midday in November is of little help if you want to set off at six on the Saturday before Whitsun.

In brief

First the opening hours, then location, parking site, services, final price and contactability – in this order you will quickly find a suitable parking service on the Filder plateau.

Small providers, large providers

Around the airport, family businesses work alongside larger companies. Both can be very good. Small providers often score with personal contact, large ones with more capacity and longer opening hours. What matters are the criteria above, not the size. A small provider with clear information and good contactability is preferable to a large one with vague descriptions.

Additional services in moderation

Some providers tempt you with extras: interior cleaning, exterior wash, refuelling service, charging, tyre check. This can be practical if you really need it. But check whether the basic service is right before you let yourself be persuaded by extras. A reliable transfer and a secure parking site are more important than a wash. And additional services have their price, which should appear in the final price.

That way, choosing a parking service becomes a conscious, quick decision.

Friend-Park as a comparison portal

Friend-Park is a comparison and booking portal; the parking service is provided by the respective provider. We show final prices including the service fee and the providers' details on the meeting point, times and services. Whether providers for Stuttgart have already joined is shown on the page Parking at Stuttgart Airport. Do you run a parking service in the region yourself? Then you will find everything else under Become a partner.