Portland is about 360km southwest of Melbourne, making it a practical destination by car along the Princess Highway (A1) or the more scenic Great Ocean Road route via Warrnambool. The drive from Melbourne takes around four hours. Hamilton, 70km to the north, is the main regional hub.
V/Line runs coach services from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station to Portland, with connections at Geelong. The journey takes around four to five hours depending on connections. There are also coaches to and from Warrnambool and Hamilton.
Portland does not have a commercial airport. The nearest airports with regular services are Hamilton Regional Airport (limited flights) and Portland Airport itself, which handles only charter traffic. Most visitors arrive by road.