Melk is about 80 kilometres west of Vienna by road and is well-served by train. The ÖBB Westbahn main line stops at Melk station; trains from Vienna Westbahnhof take around 70–80 minutes and run at least hourly. The station is a short walk from the town center and abbey entrance. By car, take the A1 Westautobahn and exit at Melk.
Many visitors arrive by boat from Vienna or Krems. DDSG Blue Danube operates passenger boats along the Danube through the Wachau in summer; arriving by river gives you the classic approach from below the abbey cliff. The boat takes longer than the train but is worth considering as part of a one-way journey through the Wachau.