Ferry from Travemunde to Klaipeda

Travemunde Guide

The German town of Travemunde is located in Lubeck and lies at the mouth of the River Trave in Lubeck Bay. Founded in the 12th century by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, when he built a fortress to guard the mouth of the River Trave, the town was later improved by the Danes and became a town in 1317. The town is now the largest ferry port in Germany on the Baltic Sea and since the early 19th century it has been a popular tourist resort. Popular attractions in the town include its lighthouse which dates back to 1539 and is the oldest along the German Baltic Sea coast. Another is the museum ship, the Flying P-Liner Passat, which is anchored in the mouth of the River Trave. Motorised vehicles are prohibited from using the town's main street, Vorderreihe, and the coastal promenade. There are buses that run to the town and the connection point is the train station. Riding a bike or walking is usually preferable as most of the streets are narrow and often get congested with cars driven by inexperienced drivers.

Ferry services from the port depart to Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia and Estonia.

Klaipeda Guide

The city and port of Klaipeda is Lithuania's only ort and therefore its history and prosperity is inextricably linked to the sea. Popular attractions in the city include the summer Sea Festival and the biennial Tall Ships regattas and the sea museum. The city also has a sea faculty at the local university and is also home to major stevedoring companies. Ever since its establishment by the Teutonic Knights (as Memelburg) in 1252 the city was distinct from the rest of Lithuania. It was ruled by Germans together with the rest of Lithuania Minor. Even its Lithuanian name “Klaipeda”, first mentioned in the 16th century, is believed to mean “Bread eater”.

Visitors to the city should note that it is quite a windy city that experiences many storms during the year which are characterised by sea breezes from April to September and gales in the autumn and winter. It is also not uncommon for snow to fall during the autumn and winter months and can, on occasions, paralyze the city but fortunately the port remains mainly frost free.

Klaipeda's ferry port is located in the south-west part of the city and offers passengers services to Kiel and Karlshamn.