Punkaharju is on the main road and rail line between Savonlinna (35 km north) and Parikkala (around 25 km south). The local train stops at Punkaharju station, which is close to the ridge itself — one of the most scenic short rail journeys in Finland is the leg between Savonlinna and Parikkala.
By car the drive from Savonlinna is half an hour on Highway 14. From Helsinki it is around four hours; from Lappeenranta about two hours. There is no commercial airport at Punkaharju; the nearest is Savonlinna's small Finavia airport with seasonal connections.