Nonstop flight route between Stuttgart, Germany and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (ZWS), Stuttgart, Germany and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,073 miles (or 8,163 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (ZWS):

• Under the station forecourt, the seven lines of the Stadtbahn traverse the 2nd underground floor.
• In addition to its great architectural quality, the new building was well incorporated into the other structures in the city center.
• The closest airport to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (ZWS) is Stuttgart Airport (STR), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) SSE of ZWS.
• The furthest airport from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (ZWS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (meaning Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,001 miles (19,313 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Plans for the controversial Stuttgart 21 project to convert the main line terminus station into an underground through station include the demolition of the side wings of the building, together with the elimination of the platforms, tracks, and apron of the terminus station.
• As part of the Stuttgart 21 project, the two wings were demolished.
• Because of Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The construction has some highly regarded features.
• The station building was constructed using reinforced concrete, which was then covered with roughly hewn shell limestone ashlar, sourced from the area around Crailsheim.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March 2013.
• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• This project is expected to stimulate the development and infrastructure in the area, raising living standards of the people not only in Hambantota, but in nearby Matara, Moneragala and other close districts.