Swakopmund is 360 km west of Windhoek along the B2, a good tar road through the Namib that takes about four hours by car. This is the standard approach for travellers with a vehicle, and the drive through the desert is itself worthwhile — particularly the descent through the Bosua Pass into the Namib plain.
The nearest airport is Walvis Bay Airport, 30 km south. Charter flights connect it to Windhoek's Eros Airport (about 50 minutes). Scheduled services exist but are infrequent; most international travellers arrive through Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek and drive or take a shuttle.
Several shuttle services run daily between Windhoek and Swakopmund. Town Hoppers and Welwitschia Shuttle Services are reliable options; the journey takes around four hours with a rest stop at Usakos. The Intercape bus also covers this route, though not daily. Fares are modest — from around US$18 one way.
Shared taxis operate informally from the taxi ranks near Windhoek's Wernhil Park shopping centre; they fill and leave when full, cost around 140 Namibian dollars, and are the cheapest option if you are travelling light and flexible.