Palolem is about 70 kilometres south of Goa's Dabolim Airport (GOI), a 90-minute taxi ride. From Margao town, taxis are about 1,000 rupees and the trip takes an hour; auto-rickshaws are cheaper if you can flag one south of the bus stand. The state bus from Margao to Karwar passes through Chaudi, the inland town next to Palolem, every 30 minutes or so.
The Konkan Railway is the alternative: trains stop at Canacona, just south of Palolem, on the main coastal line between Mumbai and Mangalore. Most overnight trains from Mumbai arrive in the early morning, which is a pleasant time to land at the beach.