A car is almost essential for getting the most out of Ballymena and its surroundings. The town centre is compact and walkable, but virtually all of the most worthwhile destinations — Slemish Mountain, the Glens of Antrim, the Causeway Coast, Gracehill — require a vehicle to reach conveniently. Hire cars are available from Belfast International Airport.
Within the town, the centre is small enough to cover on foot. Parking is available in several surface car parks near the main shopping streets, and is generally easy to find outside peak shopping hours.
Translink buses connect Ballymena to surrounding towns and villages, including Ballymoney, Larne, and Antrim, but services are infrequent and not well suited to tourist exploration of the countryside. The Ulsterbus network covers the Causeway Coast route in summer with more regular services, but for flexibility a car is considerably more practical.
Taxis are available in the town centre and can be hailed or booked by phone. For shorter local trips — to Galgorm, for instance — they are a reasonable option.