Angoulême is on the main Paris-Bordeaux TGV line, with frequent services throughout the day. The journey from Paris Montparnasse takes about two hours; from Bordeaux about 40 minutes. The station is in the lower town, about 15 minutes' walk (or a short taxi ride) from the old town plateau.
By road, Angoulême is 115 kilometres north of Bordeaux and 60 kilometres east of Saintes on the N10. The old town is on a plateau and the lower town can be congested; parking is easier on the upper town where several car parks serve the historic centre.