The town centre is compact and entirely walkable. The Markt, the main churches, and the museums are within ten minutes of each other on foot, and most visitors cover the centre in a single morning.
For the surrounding Flemish Ardennes, a bicycle is the obvious choice. Bike rental is available at the train station and at several shops near the Markt. The region is covered by an extensive network of numbered node routes (knooppunten), so you can plan a route of any length by connecting numbered junctions. Most tourist offices stock printed maps. Key climbs like the Koppenberg, Kwaremont, and Paterberg are all within a 15-kilometre loop from the town centre — a well-managed half-day on a road bike covers all three.
There is no meaningful local bus network for the surrounding countryside. If you want to explore the Ename Abbey site or the further villages by something other than bike, you will need a car.