Passports and Visas

Stuttgart, GE — Wednesday, February 1, 2012

                           

Entry/Exit Requirements for U.S. Citizens

Germany is a party to the Schengen Agreement. As a U.S. citizen, you may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your entry into Germany begins the 90-day limit for the entire Schengen area. You may also contact the German Embassy in Washington, for the location of German consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, or San Francisco to obtain the most current visa information.

Visa Requirements for Non-US Citizens

Germany Tourist Visa

Valid passport (an additional copy) with at least 6 months validity remaining

Fully completed application form

2 passport type photographs (no older than 6 months)

Valid US alien registration card or valid US resident Visa and one copy

Current bank statement and one copy

Proof of health insurance coverage for trips outside the US and one copy

Proof of group travel/hotel reservation/airline reservation and one copy

Please check with your local authorities to ensure that you have completed the requirements to obtain a visa to enter Germany. These are typical guidelines published on line. Your particular requirements based on origin and citizenship may vary.

There is a reference document available from the Federal Foreign Office of the German Government that you may reference here for additional information. This document provides the detailed information that Non-EU Nationals will need to know in order to successfully apply for a visa.

HLRS, as the hosting institution, will provide visa invitation letters upon request. Please contact for a visa invitation letter.

Currency Exchange

Stuttgart, GE — Wednesday, February 1, 2012

   

 

There are ATM machines in the Stuttgart Airport that are convenient points for currency exchange. Baden-Württembergische AG (BW|Bank) and Deutschebank AG are on several US electronic fund transfer networks including Cirrus (Mastercard) and Plus (Visa). The ATM machines are available 24x7. There is also a full-service ReiseBank. Locations are available on the second level of STR, after exiting baggage claim.

Please note- while the US could be termed a cashless (plastic) economy, Germany is definitely a cash economy. Credit cards are not popular in Germany at all. You should not have any difficulty paying for items like hotels, car rental, and travel services. However, you will discover that Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are not commonly accepted in many places where they would be in the US. Your daily expenses will require cash or an EC card (a type of German/European debit card).

Many local restaurants, bars, cafes, and kiosks don't accept card payments. The neighborhood grocer and even larger supermarkets generally say "nein" to credit cards. While department stores, larger stores, and shopping malls usually accept plastic payment, many will only take an EC/Maestro card. German bookstores are notorious for not accepting credit cards, but most allow EC card payment.

The easy remedy is to identify the specific network that your existing credit or debit card is on, and find a bank branch that provides you with no-fee cash withdrawals. Bank branches with ATM machines are widely available. Please make sure that you carry enough cash for miscellaneous transactions, and when in doubt, ask local service providers before you order to prevent any surprises.

Arriving by Air

Stuttgart, GE — Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Stuttgart Airport (STR) currently handles some ten million air passengers a year, which ranks it number seven among German airports. At the moment, there are regular flight connections from Stuttgart to around 100 destinations in 30 different countries. The airport is used as a base by 60 airlines for regular scheduled services and charter flights. The annual number of flights in and out of Stuttgart is more than 160,000, which is an average of 450 take-offs and landings a day.

 

Direct Flights in to Stuttgart, Germany (STR) are available from Delta, Continental, Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, Finnair, British Airways, Air France, Austrian, and Swiss Air. Origins include

Atlanta, GA (9h 15m) Delta

New York, NY (8h 20m) Continental

Berlin, Germany (1h 11m) Lufthansa, airberlin, Germanwings

Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1h 15m) KLM

Berlin, Germany (1h 11m) Lufthansa

Brussels, Belgium (1h 0m) Lufthansa

Copenhagen, Denmark (1h 35m) SAS

Frankfurt, Germany (0h 45m) Lufthansa

Helsinki, Finland (2h 40m) Finnair

London, UK (1h 32m) Lufthansa, British Airways

Munich, Germany (0h 45m) Lufthansa

Paris, France (1h 15m) Air France

Rome, Italy (1h 35m) Germanwings

Vienna, Austria (1h 15m) Austrian

Zurich, Switzerland (0h 45m) Swiss>

Transportation to/from the Airport

Stuttgart, GE — Wednesday, February 1, 2012

There is a convenient (and free) iPhone app, in English, for helping you get around Stuttgart. Grab the Stuttgart Trip Planner from the Apple Store.

 

S-BAHN

The S2 and S3 will take you directly between the Stuttgart Hbf and the STR airport. Departures begin about 5:00am, and end at 12:25am. Length of time: 27 minutes.

Public Transportation

There are several direct bus links between STR and the Stuttgart Hbf, which depart from outside STR Terminal 1 Arrival.

Car

The airport can be reached from the A8 or the B27. Rental cars are available at STR.

Taxi

Taxis can be found in front of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. From these terminals, you can easily find the taxi check-in counters. Driving time to Stuttgart: approx. 30 minutes. Price: about 30 Euro. Please be advised that many taxis do not accept credit cards.

Arriving by Train

Stuttgart, GE — Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Stuttgart Hbf serves most large German cities. It also operates services to international destinations such as Strasbourg, Vienna, Zurich and Paris. Beneath the station is the main hub for the S-Bahn suburban rail network and the Stadtbahn tram system.

Stuttgart Hbf is located in downtown Stuttgart, in close proximity of the Königstraße (Stuttgart's shopping district) and the Schlossgarten, which is also known as the "Green U" of Stuttgart.

The Maritim is located 0.77 miles from the Stuttgart Hbf. To continue on public transportation from the Stuttgart Hbf, you may take either the Bus 43 towards Killesberg or the tram towards Freiberg. Leave at the station Berliner Platz. This is the nearest station to the Maritim Hotel.