The town centre, seafront and the promenade towards Rhos-on-Sea are all walkable, and the North Wales Coast cycle route runs flat and traffic-free along the seafront all the way to Llandudno and Conwy. Bike hire is available in summer from kiosks near the pier and from Llandudno.
Local buses run frequently between Colwyn Bay, Old Colwyn, Rhos-on-Sea and the larger neighbouring towns. Routes 12 and 13 cover the bay area; route 14 runs to the Welsh Mountain Zoo from the railway station (free in summer).
For day trips along the coast, the train is fastest: Llandudno is 10 minutes, Conwy 12 minutes, Bangor 30 minutes.