Bellinzona is on the main Gotthard railway between Zurich and Milan. Direct trains from Zurich take about 2 hours, passing through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which opened in 2016 and cut the journey time significantly. From Lugano, the journey is 30 minutes; from Locarno, 30 minutes with a change at Giubiasco. Milan is about 1.5 hours by train.
By car, Bellinzona sits on the A2 motorway. The journey from Zurich is under 2 hours on the motorway; from Milan, around 80 km. The old town is pedestrianised; parking is available on the outskirts.