Mbeya, the main hub of the Southern Highlands, is connected to Dar es Salaam by the TAZARA railway — a 900 km line built with Chinese assistance in the 1970s that remains one of the great long-distance train journeys in Africa. The express train takes around 18–20 hours (when running on time, which it often doesn't). Several bus companies run daily services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya on the TANZAM highway, taking 12–14 hours.
Mbeya has a small airport with connecting flights to Dar es Salaam. From Mbeya, local buses and shared taxis (daladala) reach most highland towns, though the last stretch to remote places like Matema Beach involves rough tracks best negotiated by 4WD.