The Altstadt is small and walkable end to end in twenty minutes. Cars are restricted in most of the historic core and parking is awkward — leave the car at one of the underground garages near the Holstentor or on the western edge of the island.
City buses run by Stadtverkehr Lübeck cover everywhere else. A single ticket is good for an hour and includes transfers. The S-Bahn connects the Hauptbahnhof to Travemünde and the airport.
The Trave and Wakenitz rivers around the Altstadt are toured by small boats from the Untertrave landing stage between April and October. The hour-long circuit is the easiest way to see the city's old defensive lines.