The historic centre is small and walkable — the cathedral, the Citadelle, the Quai de Londres and the Porte Chaussée are all within ten minutes of each other.
For the battlefields, a car is essentially required. The main sites — Mémorial, Fort de Douaumont, Ossuary, Fleury, Fort de Vaux — form a loop of about 25 km in the hills north and northeast of the city. There is no public transport that links them.
Several local operators run guided minibus tours of the battlefield from the centre, half-day or full-day; the tourist office on the Quai de Londres has the up-to-date list. For independent visitors, the official Champ de Bataille map (free at the Mémorial) is essential.