Barking is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines of the London Underground, about 25 minutes from Liverpool Street and 35–40 minutes from central London (Westminster, King's Cross). It is also a major National Rail interchange — c2c services from London Fenchurch Street reach Barking in 12 minutes, and Overground trains run north to Gospel Oak.
For arrivals from outside the UK, London City Airport is the closest at about 5 km, reached by DLR via Beckton Park. Stansted is 90 minutes by rail (change at Liverpool Street), Heathrow about an hour via the Elizabeth Line.