Aley sits about 17 kilometres south-east of Beirut on the Beirut–Damascus road, which climbs the western flank of Mount Lebanon in tight switchbacks past Baabda and Hazmieh. By car or taxi from Beirut centre the drive is 30 to 45 minutes off-peak, longer on Friday and Sunday evenings when half the city is going up or down the mountain.
Service taxis and minibuses run from Cola Roundabout in Beirut throughout the day for a few thousand Lebanese lira (in practice the foreign-traveller rate is a few dollars). A private taxi will cost considerably more but is faster and easier with luggage. The road continues east from Aley to Bhamdoun and Sofar, and ultimately to the Syrian border at Masnaa.
There is no direct public transport from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport to Aley; arrange a taxi or have a hotel send a car.