Lochgilphead is about 145 km north-west of Glasgow by road, following the A82 up Loch Lomondside to Tarbet, then the A83 over the Rest and Be Thankful pass and down through Inveraray. The drive takes around two and a half hours in good conditions; the Rest and Be Thankful is scenic but can be affected by landslides in wet weather.
Scottish Citylink runs a coach service from Glasgow Buchanan Street to Lochgilphead, with several departures daily; the journey takes about two hours forty-five minutes. There is no railway — the nearest station is in Inveraray, not on a main line. For drivers, Lochgilphead is a convenient base for exploring the Kintyre peninsula, Kilmartin Glen, and the Crinan Canal.