Mt. Wutai is in the northern reach of Shanxi province, about a five-hour bus ride west of Beijing and a four-hour ride north of the provincial capital Taiyuan. There is no airport at the mountain itself; the practical access points are Wutai station on the Beijing–Yuanping railway (an hour's bus ride from Taihuai) and Wutaishan station on the dedicated high-speed line (closer but with fewer services). The Beijing–Wutaishan tourist coaches run daily in season from the Liuliqiao long-distance bus station in southwest Beijing.
Once you have arrived at the gateway town of Wutaixian, the final climb to the central monastic village of Taihuai is about an hour by local bus or shared taxi. The mountain is fenced and gated as a scenic area: a single combined ticket covers entrance to most of the major temples and to the cable cars and minivans within the area. Buy it once at the gate, hold on to it, and avoid the small additional charges some side temples ask for separately.