The town is small and most temples and ghats are walkable from the main bazaar area. Auto-rickshaws are the main way to get around for longer distances within the island and charge fixed rates to the main sites.
To reach Dhanushkodi (18 km), jeeps are available for hire from near the bus stand. The track is unpaved and ordinary cars won't make it — the jeep arrangement is standard and costs around 800-1000 rupees for a return trip.
The Pamban Bridge connecting Rameshwaram to the mainland is itself a sight. The train crossing is dramatic: the line runs low over the sea and the bridge swings open to allow ships through. Madurai (173 km) is the nearest city with a mainline rail junction and the nearest airport, with connections to major Indian cities.