Ballymena is about 45 kilometres north of Belfast, well connected by both rail and road.
By train, Translink runs regular services from Belfast Great Victoria Street and Belfast Lanyon Place (Central) to Ballymena, with the journey taking around 40 to 45 minutes. Trains run roughly hourly throughout the day. The station is a short walk from the town centre. This is the most straightforward option if you're coming from Belfast without a car.
By car, the M2 motorway runs north from Belfast and becomes the A26, which passes through Ballymena. The drive from Belfast city centre takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, and considerably less from the northern suburbs. From Dublin, the A1/M1 to Belfast and then the M2 north is the standard route, with the total journey around two and a half to three hours.
The nearest major airport is Belfast International (Aldergrove), around 20 kilometres south of Ballymena — about a 20-minute drive. George Best Belfast City Airport is further away by road (about an hour), but offers more routes. There is no direct bus service connecting the airports to Ballymena; a hire car or taxi is the most practical option from the airports.