Knysna is on the N2 Garden Route between George (60 kilometres west) and Plettenberg Bay (30 kilometres east). George Airport is the nearest airport with regular service from Johannesburg and Cape Town; car hire at the airport is straightforward and the drive to Knysna takes about 50 minutes.
There is no train to Knysna from the main South African rail network. The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train that formerly ran between George and Knysna no longer operates the full route, though a section from George toward Wilderness sometimes runs as a tourist service — check current status locally.
Intercape and other long-distance bus companies serve Knysna on the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth route, with stops in George, Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay. The journey from Cape Town takes about six to seven hours.