{"id":1663396,"date":"2026-10-28T11:34:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/?p=1663396"},"modified":"2026-10-28T11:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:34:36","slug":"harbours-luebeck-untertrave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/segelmagazin\/haefen-luebeck-segler\/","title":{"rendered":"Harbours in L\u00fcbeck on the Untertrave: arrival, harbour information and sailing destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>L\u00fcbeck lies on the River Trave, a stretch upstream from Travem\u00fcnde and L\u00fcbeck Bay. Yachts and traditional sailing vessels moor in the heart of the city on the Untertrave, overlooking the old town. Here you'll find how to reach the harbours in L\u00fcbeck for the start of your trip, where the berths are, where to shop, what sailing weather to expect, which sailing destinations lie off the Trave estuary and what skippers need to bear in mind on the way up the Trave.<\/p>\n<h2>The essentials at a glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>From L\u00fcbeck Hauptbahnhof it's about a kilometre as the crow flies to the Untertrave. Regional trains from Hamburg take around 40 minutes and run every half-hour during the day.<\/li>\n<li>The Newport marina lies on the N\u00f6rdliche Wallhalbinsel, with the Museumshafen barely 300 metres further south opposite on the old town bank of the Untertrave.<\/li>\n<li>You'll find supermarkets in the old town, for example on Breite Stra\u00dfe and Sandstra\u00dfe.<\/li>\n<li>Every trip begins with around 11 nautical miles on the Trave to Travem\u00fcnde, past harbour installations and the Skandinavienkai in Travem\u00fcnde.<\/li>\n<li>Right at the start you pass the Eric Warburg Bridge, a bascule bridge. From April to October it opens for leisure craft four times a day at fixed times; in winter only twice and by prior arrangement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Which harbours are there in L\u00fcbeck?<\/h2>\n<p>In L\u00fcbeck city centre, yachts berth at two places on the Untertrave: at The Newport marina on the Behnkai on the N\u00f6rdliche Wallhalbinsel, and barely 300 metres further south at the Museumshafen, the berth for traditional sailing vessels. The Museumshafen lies on the other side of the river on the old town bank at the street An der Untertrave, opposite the Wallhalbinsel and upstream of the swing bridge. The Newport lies north of the swing bridge, with a view across to the old town.<\/p>\n<p>The Newport is a marina for permanent and visiting berths. It has 75 berths for boats up to 30 metres in length, around 30 of them for visitors, and has been in operation since the 2017 season. Right next door stand the historic Media Docks with a waterside restaurant.<\/p>\n<p>In the Museumshafen on the street An der Untertrave lie more than 20 seaworthy traditional sailing vessels that members of an association have bought and restored. When busy, the vessels also lie two abreast there. In addition there are other municipal harbours in the city centre, such as the Hansahafen and the Wallhafen. Travem\u00fcnde with its harbours at the Trave estuary does belong to L\u00fcbeck, but is a separate town and has its <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/travemuende-harbours\/\">own profile<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Getting to L\u00fcbeck for the start of your trip<\/h2>\n<p>The easiest way to reach L\u00fcbeck is by rail. From the Hauptbahnhof it's only a few minutes to the water: The Newport lies on the Wallhalbinsel, the Museumshafen opposite on the old town bank.<\/p>\n<h3>From the airport to L\u00fcbeck<\/h3>\n<p>The nearest major airport is Hamburg, around 53 kilometres as the crow flies southwest of L\u00fcbeck. From there the S-Bahn line S1 runs every ten minutes, taking about 25 minutes to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. Regional trains to L\u00fcbeck then take around 40 minutes; during the day they run every half-hour.<\/p>\n<h3>By car, train, bus or ferry<\/h3>\n<p>By car you reach L\u00fcbeck from Hamburg via the A1, from Rostock and Berlin via the A20. By rail you travel to L\u00fcbeck Hauptbahnhof. It lies west of the old town, around a kilometre as the crow flies from the Museumshafen and a good 1.2 kilometres from The Newport. To reach the Museumshafen on foot, walk past the Holsten Gate over the Trave into the old town, then along the street An der Untertrave heading north; to The Newport from the Holsten Gate, walk along Willy-Brandt-Allee heading north. With a lot of luggage a taxi is more comfortable.<\/p>\n<p>If you arrive by ferry from Scandinavia or the Baltic states at the Skandinavienkai in Travem\u00fcnde, you can travel by regional train directly from L\u00fcbeck-Travem\u00fcnde Skandinavienkai station to L\u00fcbeck Hauptbahnhof.<\/p>\n<h3>Which harbour is mine?<\/h3>\n<p>The two berths lie on different sides of the Untertrave. The Newport is on the Willy-Brandt-Allee at the northern end of the Wallhalbinsel near the Media Docks, the Museumshafen on the old town side on the street An der Untertrave, upriver from the swing bridge. Tell the taxi driver \"The Newport, Media Docks, Willy-Brandt-Allee\" or \"Museumshafen, An der Untertrave\". You can walk between the two over the swing bridge.<\/p>\n<h3>Shopping for the trip<\/h3>\n<p>Several supermarkets are in the old town, on the Museumshafen side and opposite The Newport, for example at Breiten Stra\u00dfe 36\u201342 and in Sandstra\u00dfe. Another is on Schwartauer Allee in the St. Lorenz Nord district.<\/p>\n<p>You'll find restaurants, caf\u00e9s and shops in the old town, and a restaurant right on the water in the Media Docks next to The Newport.<\/p>\n<h3>Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>112: Ambulance service, emergency doctor and fire brigade<\/li>\n<li>110: Police<\/li>\n<li>116 117: out-of-hours medical service<\/li>\n<li>0800 0022833: emergency pharmacy service<\/li>\n<li>On the water: VHF channel 16 or DSC on channel 70, call sign \"Bremen Rescue Radio\", the sea rescue coordination centre of the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbr\u00fcchiger (DGzRS) in Bremen; by telephone around the clock on +49 421 53687-0.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Harbours in L\u00fcbeck at a glance<\/h2>\n<p>The two berths on the Untertrave differ mainly in who lies there: yachts at The Newport, traditional vessels at the Museumshafen. The key details at a glance:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Feature<\/th>\n<th>The Newport<\/th>\n<th>Museum Harbour<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Location<\/td>\n<td>Behnkai, northern end of the Wallhalbinsel near the Media Docks, north of the swing bridge<\/td>\n<td>Old town side of the Untertrave, opposite the Wallhalbinsel, upriver from the swing bridge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Address<\/td>\n<td>Willy-Brandt-Allee 31a (Media Docks)<\/td>\n<td>Quay on the street An der Untertrave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Position (approximate)<\/td>\n<td>53\u00b0 52,4&#8242; N, 010\u00b0 41,1&#8242; E<\/td>\n<td>53\u00b0 52,3&#8242; N, 010\u00b0 40,9&#8242; E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Berths<\/td>\n<td>75 for boats up to 30 m, of which around 30 for visitors<\/td>\n<td>Berth for more than 20 traditional vessels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Book visitor berth<\/td>\n<td>online only<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Who lies there<\/td>\n<td>Permanent and visiting berth holders<\/td>\n<td>Traditional vessels of the Museumshafen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>In operation since<\/td>\n<td>2017 season<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>What's the sailing weather like in L\u00fcbeck?<\/h2>\n<p>In the L\u00fcbecker Bucht the wind usually comes from the west and south-west. In summer it blows lighter on average and more often from the north-west, in autumn and winter it freshens more frequently. For the coast the Deutscher Wetterdienst issues a wind warning from 6 Beaufort, a gale warning from 8 Beaufort.<\/p>\n<p>Tides play hardly any role; typical water level changes are 10 to 30 centimetres. Wind has more effect: persistent north-easterly or easterly wind backs up the water in the L\u00fcbecker Bucht and in the Trave, strong south-westerly wind causes it to fall.<\/p>\n<p>In late spring, when warm air passes over the still-cold water, sea fog forms. Visibility can then suddenly drop sharply, even on the Trave with its shipping traffic.<\/p>\n<h2>Which destinations lie near L\u00fcbeck?<\/h2>\n<p>Every trip from L\u00fcbeck begins with the passage down the Trave to Travem\u00fcnde. There the L\u00fcbecker Bucht lies before you: northwards the Baltic resorts as far as Neustadt in Holstein and on to Fehmarn, eastwards the Mecklenburg coast as far as the Wismarbucht.<\/p>\n<p>The distances are rounded over-water distances on the usual course from the Untertrave; for exact planning the sea chart applies.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Travem\u00fcnde at the mouth of the Trave: around 11 nm<\/li>\n<li>Niendorf: around 14 nm<\/li>\n<li>Neustadt in Holstein: around 20 nm<\/li>\n<li>Boltenhagen: around 23 nm<\/li>\n<li>Wismar: about 39 nm, through the Bay of Wismar<\/li>\n<li>Burgstaaken on Fehmarn: about 41 nm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At 5 knots you'll be on the Trave for a good two hours before the Baltic begins. If the first day is short, the passage to Travem\u00fcnde makes a good first leg. For a week-long trip, a circuit via Fehmarn is ideal, or a route eastwards along the Mecklenburg coast. What awaits you further north is described in the portrait of <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/heiligenhafen-marina\/\">Marina Heiligenhafen<\/a> opposite Fehmarn.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do on a harbour day in L\u00fcbeck?<\/h2>\n<p>The old town begins directly at the Museumshafen, with The Newport opposite. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. You can reach most destinations on foot.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1663169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"L\u00fcbeck&#039;s old town with churches from the water\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-lue2-8Xuy8MtgY08.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Holstentor: L\u00fcbeck's most famous city gate was built between 1464 and 1478. Inside, a museum displays ship models, armour, documents and trade goods from the Hanseatic era. It stands between the railway station and the old town.<\/li>\n<li>Europ\u00e4isches Hansemuseum: The museum on the Untertrave at the northern end of the old town tells the story of the Hanseatic League across four levels. Your entrance ticket also includes admission to the Burgkloster.<\/li>\n<li>Marienkirche: The brick church on Marienkirchhof was rebuilt as a Gothic cathedral from the early 13th century onwards. Highlights include the Dance of Death windows, the astronomical clock and the largest carillon in the north.<\/li>\n<li>Museumshafen: Even if you're not berthed there, a walk along the Untertrave to the traditional sailing vessels is worthwhile. You get a fine view of the ships from Drehbr\u00fcckenplatz.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>For skippers: berthing, the Trave and sea weather in L\u00fcbeck<\/h2>\n<p>On the passage from Travem\u00fcnde to L\u00fcbeck you share the Trave with commercial shipping. Shortly before the old town you pass a bascule bridge.<\/p>\n<h3>Registration and Berthing<\/h3>\n<p>You can only book a berth at The Newport online; telephone booking is not available. You'll receive bridge instructions with your booking confirmation. For berths in the Museumshafen, the harbour master team of the Museumshafen association is responsible.<\/p>\n<p>The other municipal harbours in the city centre, such as Hansahafen and Wallhafen, are managed by the L\u00fcbeck Port Authority of the Hansestadt. According to their tariff and terms of use, you must register any use of a berth in advance, via the authority number 0451 115 or by email to luebeck-port-authority@luebeck.de.<\/p>\n<p>Channel 13 is the channel for Trave Traffic control centre, not the harbours. Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel.<\/p>\n<h3>Harbour regulations: speed limits on the Trave and in the harbours<\/h3>\n<p>Fixed speed limits apply on the Trave and in L\u00fcbeck's harbours (as at October 2026):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trave from light beacon 20 to the L\u00fcbeck harbour limit: 12 km\/h (6.5 knots)<\/li>\n<li>Public harbour area of the Hansestadt L\u00fcbeck: 10 km\/h (5.4 knots)<\/li>\n<li>Hansahafen, Wallhafen, Holstenhafen, Stadtgraben and Obertrave: 6 km\/h (3.2 knots)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Approach via the Trave<\/h3>\n<p>From seaward you enter the Trave at Travem\u00fcnde and follow it upstream into the city. The Trave is a maritime navigation route as far as L\u00fcbeck, so the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gesetze-im-internet.de\/seeschstro_1971\/BJNR006410971.html\">Seeschifffahrtsstra\u00dfen-Ordnung<\/a>applies. Large ferries to Scandinavia and the Baltic States use the estuary area, with cargo ships heading further upstream to L\u00fcbeck's harbours. For you as a pleasure craft operator this means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You keep to the right in the fairway. Large vessels can barely manoeuvre in the narrow river.<\/li>\n<li>You should avoid tacking on the Trave. The water police recommend proceeding under engine, as quick manoeuvres are easier.<\/li>\n<li>Traffic is monitored by Trave Traffic control centre on VHF channel 13. If you have a marine VHF radio on board, you must maintain a listening watch there.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Eric-Warburg-Br\u00fccke<\/h3>\n<p>Shortly before the old town, the Eric-Warburg-Br\u00fccke spans the Trave. It's a bascule bridge; with mast raised you can only reach the Untertrave when the bridge is open. As things stand (October 2026), it opens for pleasure craft and traditional vessels from April to October daily at 09.30, 12.30, 17.00 and 19.30; be at the guide works about ten minutes beforehand. From November to March it opens at 09.30 and 15.00, but only if you register the opening two hours in advance with the bridge control station (telephone 0451 122-6788).<\/p>\n<p>After the Eric-Warburg-Br\u00fccke you reach The Newport first. The Museumshafen lies further upstream beyond the swing bridge.<\/p>\n<h3>Which sea weather forecast applies to L\u00fcbeck?<\/h3>\n<p>The sea weather forecast of the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) for the North Sea and Baltic Sea applies. In addition there are the DWD's coastal warnings with wind and gale warnings for the Baltic coast.<\/p>\n<p>You can read the current report on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wettergefahren.de\/wetter\/seewetter\/bericht_nord_ostsee.html\">DWD sea weather page<\/a> or in the WarnWetter app. Whilst underway you receive it via VHF coast radio, NAVTEX and on the radio. Because the voyage down the Trave comes before reaching the Baltic, it's best to read it before casting off in L\u00fcbeck.<\/p>\n<h2>Trips departing from L\u00fcbeck on T\u00f6rnfinder<\/h2>\n<p>In October 2026 there are 11 trip dates on T\u00f6rnfinder in the next twelve months with departure or destination on the Lower Trave in L\u00fcbeck. Most depart in July, June and May; typically 8 days.<\/p>\n<p>All current offers are in the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-trips\/\">trip overview<\/a>. An overview of the whole sailing area is on the <a href=\"\/en\/cabin-charter-baltic-sea\/\">Sailing in the Baltic Sea<\/a>page; trips along the entire German coast can be found under <a href=\"\/en\/cabin-charter-germany\/\">Sailing in Germany<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>How do I get from L\u00fcbeck Hauptbahnhof to the harbours on the Lower Trave?<\/h3>\n<p>On foot past the Holsten Gate and along the Lower Trave, or by taxi. It's about one kilometre as the crow flies to the Museumshafen, and a good 1.2 kilometres to The Newport.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I get from Hamburg Airport to L\u00fcbeck?<\/h3>\n<p>By train: the S1 S-Bahn takes you to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes; from there the regional train runs to L\u00fcbeck in around 40 minutes. Trains run every half-hour during the day.<\/p>\n<h3>Where do I provision in L\u00fcbeck for the trip?<\/h3>\n<p>In the old town opposite the berths, for example in the supermarkets on Breite Stra\u00dfe and Sandstra\u00dfe.<\/p>\n<h3>Are The Newport and the Museumshafen the same harbour?<\/h3>\n<p>No. The Newport is on the Wallhalbinsel; the Museumshafen is just under 300 metres further south on the opposite old-town bank of the Lower Trave. Yachts berth at The Newport; traditional sailing vessels at the Museumshafen.<\/p>\n<h3>How far is it from L\u00fcbeck to the Baltic?<\/h3>\n<p>About 11 nautical miles down the Trave to Travem\u00fcnde. At 5 knots you need a good two hours.<\/p>\n<h3>When does the Eric-Warburg-Br\u00fccke open for pleasure craft?<\/h3>\n<p>From April to October daily at 09.30, 12.30, 17.00 and 19.30. From November to March it opens at 09.30 and 15.00 if you register the opening two hours beforehand with the bridge control (telephone 0451 122-6788).<\/p>\n<h3>On which VHF channel do I reach the traffic centre on the Trave?<\/h3>\n<p>Channel 13, call sign \"Trave Traffic\". Anyone with a VHF marine radio on board must monitor this channel.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>H\u00e4fen in L\u00fcbeck an der Untertrave: Anreise mit Bahn und Flugzeug, Einkauf, Segelwetter und T\u00f6rnziele vor der Trave-M\u00fcndung.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":1663167,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[536],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1663396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviere-haefen","category-536","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1663396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1663396"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1663396\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663413,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1663396\/revisions\/1663413"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1663167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1663396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1663396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1663396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}