Kinsale is 25 kilometres south of Cork city. By car, the drive takes about 35 minutes on the N71 and R600 — straightforward and scenic in the final stretch through the Bandon valley. Bus Éireann runs services from Cork Bus Station (Parnell Place) roughly every two hours; the journey takes about an hour. Cork Airport is 18 kilometres from Kinsale, making it a viable arrival point for a direct transfer. There is no train service to Kinsale — the branch line closed in 1931.
Driving is the most flexible option: Kinsale itself is easily walkable once you arrive, but the surrounding coastal area (Charles Fort, the Old Head of Kinsale) is easier with a car.