Orta sits roughly 90 minutes by car west of Milan Malpensa airport, and the drive — north on the A8 motorway then west on the A26 — is straightforward. From the centre of Milan it is about two hours.
By train, the nearest station is Orta-Miasino on the Novara-Domodossola line, about a kilometre uphill from the town centre. Service is sparse (a handful of trains a day), and changes are usually required at Novara coming from Milan. Most foreign visitors find it easier to rent a car or arrange a transfer. From Stresa on Lago Maggiore, Orta is about 40 minutes by car — many people combine the two lakes on the same trip.
Driving in Orta itself is restricted: the historic centre is a pedestrian zone, with a paying car park at the top of the slope and a short walk down to Piazza Motta.