Blarney is 8 km northwest of Cork city. Bus Éireann runs regular services from Cork Bus Station (Parnell Place) to Blarney village — the journey takes about 30 minutes and buses run roughly every hour. The 215 route is the main service.
By car, Blarney is a quick drive on the N20 from Cork city. Parking is available at the castle entrance.
Blarney is most commonly visited as a half-day trip from Cork. There's no train station in the village.