Dartmouth has no railway station and sits on a peninsula with only one road approach. The nearest railway stations are at Totnes (about 12 miles) and Paignton (13 miles), from both of which buses run to Dartmouth. Alternatively, the Dartmouth Steam Railway runs from Paignton to Kingswear on the opposite bank of the Dart, with a ferry crossing to Dartmouth — a more scenic if slightly slower approach.
By car, Dartmouth is about two hours from Bristol and around three from London. Parking is limited in the town centre; there are larger car parks on the outskirts with a connecting ferry to the town quay. Coming from Exeter, the A38 and A384 are the main routes; the A3122 approach from the east involves some spectacular but narrow Devon lanes.