Samarinda is served by Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Pranoto Airport (AAP), east of the city centre, with domestic flights to Jakarta, Surabaya, Balikpapan, and other Indonesian cities. Garuda, Batik Air, and Lion Air all operate routes here. Balikpapan's Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport, about two hours south by road, has more international and domestic connections and is often cheaper to fly into.
Overland, Samarinda is connected to Balikpapan by a toll road that has dramatically cut journey times to around 1.5–2 hours. Long-distance buses also run to other Kalimantan cities, though road quality deteriorates sharply once you leave the main Trans-Kalimantan Highway.
From Samarinda itself, the Mahakam River is the main artery into the interior. Riverboats depart from Sungai Kunjang port, with regular services to Melak, Tering, Long Iram, and points beyond. The journey upriver is slow and can take several days to reach the far reaches of the Mahakam; this is part of the experience.