Eckernförde has a train station on the line between Kiel and Flensburg; direct trains from Kiel take about 30 minutes and run roughly hourly. From Hamburg, the journey involves a change in Kiel and takes a little over two hours. There is no direct intercity service — Eckernförde is a regional destination and the connection through Kiel is the standard approach.
By car, the town is on the B76 about 25km northwest of Kiel. Parking in the town center can be tight on summer weekends; there is a larger car park at the edge of the old town near the market square. Cycling from Kiel along the Ostseeküstenradweg (Baltic coast cycle route) is a pleasant option in summer, with the route running close to the shore for much of the way.