The most practical way to reach the Simmental is by train. The BLS line from Thun runs through the full length of the valley, stopping at Oberwil im Simmental, Weissenburg, Erlenbach, and Zweisimmen. The ride from Bern to Zweisimmen takes around 90 minutes; from Thun it's about an hour. Services run frequently throughout the day and the trains are comfortable.
From Zweisimmen, the Montreux–Oberland–Bernois (MOB) narrow-gauge railway continues south to Saanen and Gstaad, and north to Spiez on the line to Interlaken. This makes the valley very well connected for a relatively rural area.
By car, the valley road (Simmentalstrasse) follows the Simme river from Spiez southwest to Zweisimmen. It is a straightforward drive but single-lane in sections through villages. The Jaun Pass road connects the valley to the Gruyère region of Fribourg canton, though it closes in winter.
The nearest international airport is Bern-Belp, which has limited connections. Most visitors arrive via Zurich or Geneva airports and then take a train; both are about two hours away by rail from the valley.