The nearest major hub is İzmir (Adnan Menderes Airport), about 150 km south. From İzmir, buses run regularly to Ayvalık via the coastal road; the journey takes around two and a half hours. Buses from İstanbul's main intercity terminal (Esenler Otogar) reach Ayvalık in about six to seven hours; services are frequent and overnight options exist.
From Çanakkale in the north, the route south takes about two and a half to three hours by bus, passing Assos and Behramkale along the way. This northern approach suits travellers coming from the Gallipoli peninsula or the Dardanelles crossing.
In season (roughly April to October), there is a passenger and car ferry service between Ayvalık and Mytilini on the Greek island of Lesbos. Crossings take about ninety minutes; schedules and operators vary by year, so check current timetables before planning around this route. It makes Ayvalık a logical overland-to-island transition point between Turkey and Greece.
Ayvalık has no railway station. The nearest rail access is at Bandırma (on the İzmir–İstanbul high-speed route via ferry to Istanbul), though buses are generally faster and more direct for most origins.