The town centre is compact and easily walkable — most of the main attractions are within fifteen minutes on foot of each other. The seafront, the castle ruins, the Old College, and the pier are all on or just off the promenade. The National Library sits on a hill above the town and is a ten-minute walk uphill from the centre, or a short taxi ride.
The Electric Cliff Railway provides the most entertaining way to reach Constitution Hill, running from the northern end of the promenade. For the Vale of Rheidol Railway, the station is centrally located near the main Aberystwyth railway station.
A car becomes useful for exploring beyond the town — the Ceredigion coast, the Rheidol Valley, and the uplands of the Cambrian Mountains are all accessible within half an hour's drive. Bus services connect the town to the surrounding villages and coast but run infrequently, especially on Sundays.