The nearest airport is Minangkabau International (PDG) in Padang, about 90 kilometres south on the coast. Padang has domestic flights to Jakarta, Medan, and Batam, and a few international routes to Malaysia and Singapore. From the airport, share taxis or the Damri bus run direct to Bukittinggi in two to three hours via the spectacular Anai Valley road, which climbs through a waterfall-laced rainforest gorge.
Buses also connect Bukittinggi to Medan (a punishing 15–20 hours), Pekanbaru, and Jambi. The local minibus terminal at Aur Kuning, a short angkot ride from the centre, handles all the highland destinations — Maninjau, Padang Panjang, Batusangkar.