Thanjavur is well connected by rail and road. The town has its own railway station — Thanjavur Junction — with direct trains from Chennai (around 6–7 hours), Trichy (about 1 hour), and Kumbakonam (30 minutes). Trains from Chennai on the Rockfort Express and the Cauvery Express are among the most useful.
By bus, services run from Trichy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, and Chennai. The main bus stand is central and busy. Trichy is the nearest airport with domestic connections; it is 55 km away and taxis take around 90 minutes in normal traffic.