By train: Northern Rail services connect Pontefract to Leeds (around 25 minutes) and Wakefield (around 10 minutes). Pontefract has two stations — Tanshelf and Monkhill — and both are within walking distance of the castle and town centre.
By car: Pontefract sits just off the M62 between Leeds and Hull; junctions 31 and 32 are the most convenient. Journey times from Leeds city centre are around 20–25 minutes outside rush hour.
From further afield: Leeds Bradford Airport is roughly 20km to the northwest. Train connections via Leeds are straightforward.