Mangalore International Airport (IXE) is 15 km north of the city and has direct flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and several Gulf cities — the large Mangalorean diaspora in the UAE and Oman means the Gulf routes are well served. Taxis to town from the airport take about 30 minutes and cost around ₹400–500 by prepaid taxi.
Mangalore Central is the main railway station, with good connections to Goa, Mumbai (the Konkan Railway runs along the coast), Bangalore, and Mysore. The Konkan Railway itself is one of the most scenic rail routes in India — the journey north through coastal Karnataka and Goa is worth doing in daylight. Long-distance buses serve Bangalore (about 7 hours), Mysore, and Goa, departing from the KSRTC bus stand near the city centre.