Zhangjiakou is three hours from Beijing by high-speed train — one of the fastest and most convenient connections of any city this size in northern China. The Beijing–Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, built specifically for the 2022 Winter Olympics, links Beijing North station with Zhangjiakou station and Zhangjiakou South station, with fares around 100–200 yuan depending on class. Trains run frequently through the day.
By road, the journey from Beijing takes around two and a half hours via the G6 expressway. Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport, a dual military and civilian facility southeast of the city, handles flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and a handful of other destinations, but the train is almost always faster and simpler for the Beijing connection.