Smolensk is on the main railway line between Moscow and Minsk/Warsaw (the Moscow–Brest line), and has excellent train connections to Moscow. The journey by fast train (Sapsan or Lastochka) takes about 3 hours 30 minutes; slower trains are cheaper but take longer. The railway station is in the northern part of the city, about two kilometres from the kremlin wall.
By car, Smolensk is about 360 kilometres from Moscow on the M1 federal highway. The drive takes 4-5 hours depending on traffic on the Moscow approach. There is no significant domestic air service to Smolensk; the airport at Smolensk South was largely used for military and charter purposes. International travellers typically arrive via Moscow.