High-speed rail is the standard approach. Rizhao station is on the Qingdao–Lianyungang line, with direct services to Qingdao (under an hour), Jinan (about two and a half hours), and connections to Beijing and Shanghai via Jinan. The station is in the western part of the city, well connected to the beach zones by urban bus and taxi.
By road, Rizhao is about 100 kilometers south of Qingdao on the coastal expressway. Buses run regularly between the two cities. Rizhao's airport (Rizhao Shanzihe Airport) serves domestic routes to Beijing, Shanghai, and a handful of other cities; it is a secondary option to rail for most destinations.