Elbasan is on the main SH3 highway linking Tirana to Korçë, about 54 km southeast of the capital — roughly an hour by road. Buses and furgons (shared minibuses) run throughout the day from Tirana's southern bus station. The journey is straightforward and the road is in decent condition.
From Pogradec to the southeast, it is another hour or so. Elbasan sits naturally as a midpoint stop if you are travelling between Tirana and either Korçë or Lake Ohrid.
There is no train service. The nearest airport is Tirana International (TIA).