Harbours in Travemünde: Passathafen, marinas, travel and Trave rules

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Travemünde does not have one harbour for leisure craft but several: the harbours in Travemünde line both banks of the Trave, from Passathafen on the Priwall to the marinas and boatyards on the Travemünde side. Here you will learn which harbours there are, how you berth, where you shop, how you get there and what applies on entering and leaving the Trave, where large ferries and commercial vessels are under way (status: October 2026).

What harbours are there in Travemünde?

Six harbours are important for sailors in Travemünde: two on Priwall, four on the town side along Auf dem Baggersand and Travemünder Landstraße. There is also the harbour of the Lübecker Yacht-Club on Trelleborgallee.

Harbour	Bank	Type	Berths	Contact
Passathafen	Priwall	municipal marina of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck	490 from April to October, most on fixed rental; visitor berths subject to availability	0451 12287600
Rosenhof Yachthafen	Priwall, Mecklenburger Landstraße	Yachthafen	on request	travemuende-yachthafen.de
Marina Sonnenbrücke	town side, between Priwall ferry and fishing harbour	marina for seasonal and short-term berths	63, boats up to 15 m	0451 2037310
Fischereihafen	town side, Auf dem Baggersand	public harbour, yachts alongside fishing boats and traditional vessels	on request	Yachtclub Fischereihafen, 04502 2125
Yachthafen der Böbs-Werft	town side, Travemünder Landstraße	shipyard harbour	on request	04502 5051
Marina Baltica	town side, Travemünder Landstraße	marina with shipyard, restaurant and accommodation	on request	04502 86010
Lübecker Yacht-Club	Travemünde, Trelleborgallee	Club harbour	180 for visiting and permanent berths	04502 75554

From Marina Baltica to Passathafen is only around one and a half kilometres as the crow flies. For the route itself, the choice of harbour makes little difference, but for arrival with luggage it certainly does.

Which harbour in Travemünde is on which bank?

The harbours are spread across the town side and the Priwall opposite. The quickest way to work them out is by address: "Priwall", "Am Priwallhafen", "Priwallpromenade" or "Mecklenburger Landstraße" mean the Priwall side. "Auf dem Baggersand" fits Marina Sonnenbrücke and the fishing harbour, "Travemünder Landstraße" fits Böbs-Werft and Marina Baltica, "Trelleborgallee" fits the harbour of Lübecker Yacht-Club. Anyone arriving on the wrong bank has to cross on the Priwall ferry.

What do the individual harbours offer?

Passathafen, with 490 berths, is the largest municipal marina. At the other harbours, visiting yachts should check berth availability and facilities by telephone in advance.

Passathafen on the Priwall

Passathafen is the largest municipal sports boat harbour on the Priwall and belongs to the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. Visiting berths have sanitary facilities with PIN access, which are free in summer, plus washing machine and dryer, a disposal station, a slipway, a derrick crane and a wash-down area. In winter there is storage space ashore. Berths are allocated from April to October; during the season the harbour office is staffed daily from 7 to 12 and from 13 to 17. The municipal tariff also includes berths on the Nordermole on the Travemünde side. The harbour is named after the four-masted barque Passat, which has been moored at the mouth of the Trave since the late 1950s. It may be away temporarily for yard overhauls.

Marina Sonnenbrücke

Marina Sonnenbrücke is in the middle of town between the Priwall ferry landing and the fishing harbour. It has 63 berths for boats up to 15 metres, with electricity and water at the pontoons and sanitary facilities with secure access. Restaurants, cafés and shops on the promenade are within walking distance.

Fischereihafen

The fishing harbour is a public waterway. Here yachts lie alongside fishing boats, traditional sailing vessels and the occasional working ship. The contact for sports boats is the harbour master of Yachtclub Fischereihafen. He is available during the main season from mid-May to mid-September on weekday mornings and early evenings; in the shoulder seasons, hours are shorter.

Böbs-Werft and Marina Baltica

Further up the Trave on Travemünder Landstraße are two harbours with boatyard operations. Böbs-Werft has cranes, a dock and sheds for grit-blasting and painting work, and looks after motor and sailing yachts as well as commercial vessels. Marina Baltica describes itself as a full-service marina with boatyard, restaurant and accommodation. If something on the boat needs repair, both are an obvious choice.

What applies to entry and departure on the Trave?

The Trave is a maritime shipping waterway as far as Lübeck. The Seeschifffahrtsstraßen-Ordnung (Maritime Shipping Routes Ordinance) applies, together with the special rules published by the waterway and shipping administration for the Trave.

Large ferries to Sweden, Finland and the Baltic states, as well as cargo ships bound for Lübeck ports, use the Trave. The narrowest point is the Travemünder Enge at the estuary. For you as a leisure craft user, this means:

• Anyone following the fairway has priority over vessels entering the fairway, crossing it or leaving their berth. When leaving one of the harbours, you therefore wait until the Trave is clear.
• In the fairway, keep to the right. Large ferries usually travel in the middle and can barely manoeuvre.
• You should avoid tacking in the Trave fairway. The water police recommend motoring, as quick manoeuvres are easier that way.
• The Priwall ferries have no priority over through traffic. In season, consideration is still required at the ferry crossing.
• In the estuary area, boats with less than 3 metres draught must not exceed 12 km/h (6.5 knots); from the level of the southern tip of the Priwall, 15 km/h (8.1 knots); further towards Lübeck, 12 km/h again. In the Pötenitzer Wiek it is 8 km/h, and from 15 February to 15 June you may not navigate there outside the fairway, except on Sundays and public holidays (from midday the day before).

The Trave Traffic vessel traffic service operates on VHF channel 13 and also provides information there about oncoming vessels. If you have a VHF radio on board, you must monitor this channel. The complete rules are in the Seeschifffahrtsstraßen-Ordnung and in the notices issued by the Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt (Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration). Binding information on site is available from the Wasserschutzpolizeirevier Lübeck-Travemünde at Leuchtenfeld.

How do you moor in the harbours of Travemünde?

As a visitor you report to the harbour master of the respective harbour in Travemünde immediately after mooring. The harbours do not publish a VHF channel for registration; channel 13 belongs to the traffic control centre.

In the Passathafen red-green signs show which berth is free: when it's green you may moor. Afterwards you go immediately to the harbour office, which confirms the berth or assigns you a different one. Take proof of your third-party liability insurance with you, the harbour regulations require it. For stays of less than two hours there is no electricity or water from the pontoon.

At the other harbours you should ask by telephone for a visitor berth before entering; the numbers are given in the table above. How the berths are constructed in each case is best confirmed when you call. So prepare warps and fenders for both sides and only decide whether to berth bow or stern to once you are at the berth.

Where do you shop in Travemünde, and what do you need on the first day?

The nearest large supermarket is a REWE-Markt on Gneversdorfer Weg. It is located on the edge of Travemünde's town centre, where Gneversdorfer Weg, Torstraße and Travemünder Landstraße meet, right next to the level crossing.

From Marina Sonnenbrücke you walk there via Torstraße, from the harbours further up the Trave via Travemünder Landstraße. The supermarket has a bakery and a drinks market and is open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays in season from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (as of October 2026). Those moored on the Priwall cross on the Priwall ferry. On Vorderreihe, the shopping street on the Trave, there is a chemist's and small shops.

Where do you park in Travemünde?

At Passathafen you may only park in the designated areas; on the promenade stopping is only permitted for loading and unloading. On arrival day you unload there and then move the car to a parking area. Where to park at the harbours on the shore side, especially if the car is to be left for a whole week's trip, should be checked with the harbour in advance.

Where are there chemists, doctors and A&E?

You will find pharmacies on Vorderreihe and on Dreilingsberg, where the Sana Kliniken Lübeck outpatient clinic Travemünde with surgical and internal medicine practice is also located.

This is not a round-the-clock A&E department. For serious complaints you go to Lübeck, for instance to the Krankenhaus Süd of the Sana Kliniken on Kronsforder Allee, about 16 kilometres as the crow flies from the harbours. Outside surgery hours you can reach the on-call medical service on 116 117, the emergency pharmacy service on 0800 0022833.

Which emergency numbers apply in Travemünde?

Ashore in Germany you dial 112 for ambulance service, emergency doctor and fire brigade. On the water you reach the sea rescue coordination centre of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) in Bremen on VHF channel 16 or by DSC on channel 70, call sign "Bremen Rescue". By telephone it can be reached round the clock on 0421 53687-0.

How do you get to Travemünde?

The easiest way is by train: regional trains run directly from Lübeck Hauptbahnhof to Travemünde, and from Hamburg Airport you can get there by S-Bahn and regional train via Hamburg Hauptbahnhof and Lübeck.

By train and plane

The route from Lübeck to Travemünde has three stops in the town: Lübeck-Travemünde Skandinavienkai, Lübeck-Travemünde Hafen and the terminus Lübeck-Travemünde Strand. Which is most convenient depends on the harbour.

From Hamburg Airport, the S1 S-Bahn line runs every ten minutes to Hauptbahnhof, taking about 25 minutes. From there, trains to Lübeck take around 40 minutes and run half-hourly during the day. From the small Lübeck Airport you can reach Lübeck Hauptbahnhof by bus or train. Timetables change, so check the connection shortly before your journey using Deutsche Bahn's journey planner.

To the Priwall

To get to Passathafen and Rosenhof Yachthafen from the town side, take the Priwall ferry. The Stadtwerke Lübeck car ferry operates round the clock all year, supplemented by a passenger ferry at set times.

What is the sailing area like in Lübeck Bay?

Off Travemünde, Lübeck Bay opens up – a sailing area with no significant tides and short distances between harbours. To the north it's towards Fehmarn, to the east along the Mecklenburg coast.

On the west side of the bay lie several seaside resorts with harbours, such as Niendorf, Neustadt in Holstein and Grömitz.

Every year in July, Travemünde gets busy: Travemünder Woche is a major regatta week with a public festival. During this time it's worth enquiring about a berth early.

Which marine weather forecast applies to the Lübeck Bight?

For trips from Travemünde the marine weather forecast of the German Weather Service (DWD) for the North Sea and Baltic Sea applies, along with the DWD coastal warnings for the German Baltic coast.

The marine weather forecast describes wind, weather, visibility and sea state for fixed sea areas; in the Baltic these are the Belts and Sound, Western, Southern and Southeastern Baltic. The coastal warnings apply to three sections of the German Baltic coast: Flensburg to Fehmarn, east of Fehmarn to Rügen, and east of Rügen. A wind warning is issued from 6 Beaufort mean wind, a gale warning from 8 Beaufort.

You can read the current report on the DWD sea weather page or in the WarnWetter app. Underway you receive it via VHF coastal radio, via NAVTEX and on the radio. It's best to read it every morning before you leave the Trave.

Where can you go from Travemünde?

The first destinations lie only a few nautical miles away; for longer passages Fehmarn, the Mecklenburg coast and Denmark are good options. The distances are rounded nautical distances over water from the mouth of the Trave, on the usual course.

• Niendorf: around 3 nm
• Neustadt in Holstein: around 9 nm
• Grömitz: about 11 nm, Boltenhagen: about 12 nm
• Wismar: about 28 nm, through the Wismar Bight
• Heiligenhafen: about 35 nm, through the Fehmarn Sound
• Burgstaaken on Fehmarn: about 30 nm
• Kühlungsborn: about 34 nm
• Gedser in Denmark: around 52 nm

For a week's sailing trip, a circuit via Fehmarn and the Danish South Sea Islands is just as possible as a route along the Mecklenburg coast towards Rügen. What it looks like up there in the north is shown in the portrait of the Breege harbour on Rügen. At the other end of the German Baltic coast we present the Marina Flensburg in Flensburg .

What is there to see ashore in Travemünde?

Travemünde is a seaside resort with beach and promenades on both banks of the Trave; the old town of Lübeck is quickly reached by train. The distances below are as the crow flies; the walking distance is slightly longer.

Travemünde town centre and seaside museum

The seaside museum in the Gesellschaftshaus on Torstraße is about 150 metres from Marina Sonnenbrücke and shows how the fishing village became a Baltic resort. In the town centre there are also St Lorenz Church and half-timbered houses on the Alten Markt.

Trave Promenade and Old Lighthouse

The Trave Promenade runs from Vorderreihe along the River Trave to Nordermole. On it stands the Old Lighthouse, about one kilometre from Marina Sonnenbrücke, a fifteen-minute walk. The brick tower from 1539 was in operation until 1972. Today it is a maritime museum with a viewing gallery over Lübeck Bay.

Priwall Promenade with Passat and Ostseestation

On the other side of the Trave, along the Priwall Promenade, lie the four-masted barque Passat and the Ostseestation, a small environmental centre with aquaria showing Baltic Sea wildlife. From Passathafen it is just over 100 metres; coming from the town side you can take the Priwall ferry across. In season you can visit the Passat on a guided tour, provided she is not away for a shipyard overhaul.

Brodten Cliffs

North of Travemünde begins the Brodten Cliffs, a roughly four-kilometre stretch of steep coast from which the Baltic Sea erodes up to one metre each year. The footpath from Travemünde is about 3 kilometres long.

Lübeck Old Town

Lübeck's Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It lies about 15 kilometres away as the crow flies; the regional train runs directly to Lübeck Hauptbahnhof.

Trips from Travemünde on Törnfinder

On Törnfinder you'll find numerous trips starting in Travemünde, from short hops in Lübeck Bay to week-long trips to Fehmarn and Denmark. All current offers are listed in the trip overview. An overview of the whole sailing area is on the Sailing in the Baltic Seapage; trips along the entire German coast can be found under Sailing in Germany.

Frequently asked questions

Which harbours in Travemünde are on the Priwall?

On the Priwall are Passathafen and Rosenhof Yachthafen. Marina Sonnenbrücke, Fischereihafen, Böbs-Werft and Marina Baltica are on the town side.

How do I get a visitor berth in Passathafen?

Passathafen has 490 berths from April to October, most of them permanently rented. You can recognise available visitor berths by the green sign. After mooring, report immediately to the harbour office, telephone 0451 12287600.

Do I have to motor on the Trave?

There is no general requirement to use an engine. However, the water police recommend not tacking in the Trave fairway and proceeding under power, as large ferries have little room to manoeuvre.

On which VHF channel can Trave Traffic be reached?

On channel 13. Anyone with a marine VHF radio on board must monitor that channel.

Where is the nearest supermarket to the harbours in Travemünde?

A REWE supermarket is located on Gneversdorfer Weg at the edge of the town centre, accessible from Marina Sonnenbrücke via Torstraße.