Stuttgart Airport Map (Most Up-To-Date)
Stuttgart Airport runs as one long, indoor west–east corridor “under one roof,” with Terminal 1 as the main density anchor on the west end, Terminal 3 on the east end, and Terminal 2 as the compressed connector in between. Most time loss comes from vertical moves (S-Bahn Level 1 up to Departures Level 3) and security bottlenecks concentrated near Terminal 1. Within Stuttgart’s primary air gateway, the fastest decisions happen at the Terminal 1/Terminal 2 security split and the post-security left/right gate fork.
Map Table
| Terminal | Key Airlines | Primary Function | Transfer Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | mixed carriers | main check-in hall, primary security, Gates 100–173 | S-Bahn → Level 3, landside corridor, airside walk |
| Terminal 2 | mixed carriers | connector zone, “Smart Lane” security, retail node | landside corridor, quickest pivot security option |
| Terminal 3 | mixed carriers | check-in hub, east anchor | landside backtrack to Terminal 1/Terminal 2 for security |
| Terminal 4 | charter-heavy | 400+ gates, charter annex, bus terminal access | long landside walk, airside long walk to 400+ |
Stuttgart Airport Map Strategy
- Treat security as a choice, not a destination: if the Terminal 1 queue stretches east into the connector toward Terminal 3, pivot immediately to Terminal 2 security (“Smart Lane” area) before committing to the back of the line.
- Anchor your timing to the vertical climb: S-Bahn platform to the Level 3 departures/security approach runs about 6–7 minutes clear-flow (plan 8–10 in peaks), and there is no security entry from the Level 2 arrivals hall.
- Prevent “wrong-direction” gate walks at the duty-free decision node: 1xx gates = left (west), 3xx/4xx = right (east), and 2xx often means central bus gates via a down-level access point near the monitors.
- Lock in the one-way arrivals path: non-Schengen passport control is the boundary before baggage reclaim, with a short, forced walk directly into the carousel hall and no easy backtracking after the e-gates/booths.
2026 Stuttgart Airport Map + Printable PDF
Terminal 3 security remains the key operational disruption for 2026, with passenger volumes pushed toward Terminal 1 and overflow queues sometimes stretching into the Terminal 1–Terminal 3 corridor. A printable 2026 map is most useful when it highlights the two-floor S-Bahn climb (Level 1 → Level 3), the Terminal 2 “Smart Lane” checkpoint as the pressure-release option, and the long airside walks to the 160–173 and 400+ gate zones.
2026 Stuttgart Airport Map Guide
What is the exact walking time (in minutes) from the S-Bahn station platform to the closest security checkpoint entrance for Terminal 1 departures?
Walking takes 6–7 minutes from the S-Bahn platform to the Terminal 1 security queue entry when flows are normal, using the west-end escalators and the Level 3 departures gallery.
Use the western end of the island platform (the end closer to the front of trains arriving from Stuttgart Hbf) and follow signs for Terminal 1, not Messe or Terminal 3. Go up to Level 2 first, then immediately take the next escalator/elevator bank to Level 3; security is not accessible from the arrivals level. From the top of the Level 3 ascent, the Terminal 1 security entrance sits about 50–100 meters along the departures gallery. In peak surges, plan 8–10 minutes door-to-queue because escalators bottleneck.
Where is the fastest alternate security checkpoint located when the Terminal 1 queue backs up toward Terminal 3?
Terminal 2 security is the fastest alternate checkpoint, positioned in the Terminal 2 departures connector between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, clustered in the retail zone.
When the Terminal 1 line spills east into the corridor toward Terminal 3, don’t follow it—walk a short distance into Terminal 2 on the Level 3 departures gallery and use the Terminal 2 checkpoint (the “Smart Lane” area sits here as well). This works because crowds visually gravitate to the large Terminal 1 hall, leaving Terminal 2 underused even when it is only meters away. Terminal 3 security is closed for the 2025/2026 disruption window, so any attempt to “wait it out” at Terminal 3 ends in a dead redirect back to Terminal 1/Terminal 2.
What is the shortest on-foot route from the main entrance to the correct gate corridor when gate numbering feels non-linear (to avoid walking the wrong direction)?
Turning the correct direction immediately after duty free prevents the long “wrong-way” walk, because the post-security retail zone is the main decision node for all gate corridors.
After clearing security in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, continue into the central airside duty-free/retail area and use your gate number as the corridor selector: 1xx gates require a left turn (west) into the Terminal 1 corridors, while 3xx and 4xx gates require a right turn (east) toward Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 zones. Gate 2xx assignments often route via the central monitors and a down-level access point for bus gates near the Terminal 2 core. If you hesitate, anchor yourself at the monitor cluster directly beyond duty free and confirm the corridor before committing to a long west/east walk.
What is the exact walking time from security exit to the furthest common departure gates used by Schengen flights in the same terminal section?
Walking takes 8–10 minutes from the main security exit zone to Gate 173 in the Terminal 1-West extension, with the longest stretch hidden beyond the “end of terminal” sightline.
From the security exit into the central airside retail zone, turn left (west) for the 1xx/160+ corridor and walk past the main Terminal 1 gate run (around Gates 108–140). The common mistake happens at the apparent “end” of the main Terminal 1 hall—keep going into the continuing westbound connector corridor that feeds the Terminal 1-West spur. That final spur is what turns a normal 3–5 minute walk into a sustained 8–10 minutes (and up to 10–15 minutes in loaded/peak flow), so don’t time it like a nearby 1xx gate.
Where does passport control occur for non-Schengen arrivals, relative to the path to baggage reclaim (i.e., the start point of the one-way walk)?
Passport control occurs immediately before the descent into the baggage reclaim hall, acting as the one-way boundary between the airside arrivals corridor and the landside reclaim area.
Non-Schengen arrivals are routed from the gate (Terminal 1 or Terminal 3, sometimes via bus) into a centralized passport control node on an upper sterile level before baggage. After the booth or e-gate, you pass through no-return doors or take an escalator/stair down directly into the baggage reclaim hall on the arrivals level. The architecture forces you forward: once you clear passport control, the first carousel area is essentially straight ahead with minimal decision-making. Use restrooms on the airside side of passport control, because the transition after the booths is designed for continuous flow, not backtracking.
What is the exact walking time from passport control exit to the first baggage-claim carousel area?
Walking takes under 2 minutes from the passport control exit to the first baggage-claim carousel area, because the exit feeds directly into the baggage reclaim hall.
After the booth or e-gate, follow the one-way flow through the no-return doors and continue straight into the reclaim space; the first carousel zone is typically only about 20–50 meters from the passport exit point. If there is a level change, it is a short escalator/stair drop that deposits you at the edge of the carousel hall rather than into a separate corridor. The only meaningful delay here is crowd compression at the passport booths—not wayfinding—since the post-control layout is designed to funnel passengers into the carousel area with almost no choices.
Where is the bus terminal relative to the terminal entrances, and what is the shortest walking route from the S-Bahn arrival level to the bus bays?
The bus terminal sits east of the main terminal line under the P14 parking garage, reached most directly via the Terminal 4 side of the campus.
From the S-Bahn island platform, use the eastern end exit signed toward Terminal 3/Terminal 4, then go up to the arrivals/terminal level and walk east along the landside corridor past Terminal 3 toward Terminal 4 entrances. Continue to the Terminal 4 landside exit and follow the exterior connector along Flughafenstraße toward the large P14 structure; the bus bays are underneath it, sheltered by the garage roof. As an anchor, if you can see or reach the Terminal 4 entrance doors, you are in the final approach zone—the bus terminal is just beyond, under P14.
What is the exact walking time from Terminal 4-side entrances to Terminal 1 check-in/security approach, using the most direct indoor route?
Walking takes 5–6 minutes from Terminal 4 landside entrances to the Terminal 1 check-in/security approach using the direct indoor corridor on the departures level.
Use the Level 3 departures gallery for the cleanest path: enter at Terminal 4, go inside to the main landside spine, and keep walking west with Terminal 3 on your left-side progression and Terminal 2 as the connector zone you pass through. The best anchor is the Terminal 2 retail band (“Smart Lane” area nearby): once you reach that compressed central section, Terminal 1 check-in and the main security approach are only a short continuation west. With a rolling bag or peak cross-traffic, plan 8–10 minutes even though the route stays indoors and mostly flat.
Where is the baggage reclaim exit to landside located relative to the shortest route to the S-Bahn station?
The shortest route to the S-Bahn starts from the arrivals hall outside customs, where the central escalator/elevator bank down to the station sits roughly between the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 arrivals exits.
After baggage reclaim, exit through customs into the public arrivals level; you may emerge on the Terminal 1 side (west) or the Terminal 3 side (east), but both feed the same main hall spine. Walk forward into the open arrivals hall about 50 meters and look specifically for the green “S” S-Bahn symbol and “S-Bahn” signage pointing down. The down escalators/elevators to the station are centrally placed in this hall rather than tucked at an end, so don’t keep hugging the Terminal 1 or Terminal 3 edge corridors—cut toward the middle as soon as you clear customs.
Archive Stuttgart Airport Map
Below are all historical map versions for Stuttgart Airport. Each year includes the official map available for that period, presented as both WebP and PDF.
2025-2026 Stuttgart Airport Map (Official 2025 Edition)
2017 Stuttgart Airport Map (Official 2017 Edition)
