Udayagiri is about 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar and 65 km from Cuttack. The nearest town is Chandikhol, from where the site is roughly 15 km by a road that passes through flat paddy fields and mango groves. There is no direct bus service to the site; the standard approach is to hire a car or taxi from Bhubaneswar or Cuttack for a day trip covering the three Buddhist sites (Udayagiri, Ratnagiri, and Lalitgiri). Budget around 1,200–1,500 rupees for a full-day hire depending on your starting point.
The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) operates occasional day tours from Bhubaneswar that include all three sites. Check with the OTDC office in Bhubaneswar for current schedules, as these tours run seasonally and can sell out.