Geographically, the area lies in the southwest of Germany along the Neckar River, spanning the Stuttgart metropolitan core in the Neckar valley and extending toward the Swabian Jura to the east. It includes Stuttgart as a major urban center, the university town of Tübingen to the south, and a ring of smaller towns and rural communities connected by rail and road.
History and development of the term reflect growing collaboration in regional planning, transport integration, and research partnerships. As knowledge-based industries expanded, planners and economists began to frame Stuttgart and Tübingen as a connected economic and innovation corridor rather than isolated cities.
Economy and research, the core of the concept, highlights the Stuttgart area as a global center for automotive engineering, manufacturing, and software, with a dense network of suppliers and engineering firms. Tübingen contributes a strong university research ecosystem, life sciences, and biotechnology clusters. Together, StuttgartTübingen promotes joint research programs, innovation clusters, and cross-city business development.
Education and institutions are a central feature, with the University of Stuttgart and the University of Tübingen forming the academic backbone, complemented by technical colleges and research institutes. The regional education landscape supports a broad range of engineering, sciences, and humanities programs.
Transportation and connectivity are key drivers, with direct regional and high-speed rail links between Stuttgart and Tübingen and access to the broader German rail network. The area benefits from Stuttgart Airport and major highways, enhancing interregional mobility.
Governance remains decentralized, relying on existing municipal structures and regional planning bodies, supplemented by inter-municipal cooperation agreements. Cultural offerings, historic centers, and university-town character define the distinctive identity of the StuttgartTübingen region, a planning and economic framework rather than an official jurisdiction.