There are two practical access points. The most common is Amicalola Falls State Park, reached via SR 52 from Dahlonega (30 minutes east) or Ellijay (30 minutes west), with Atlanta about 90 minutes south. The park is well-marked and has a large paid lot; from the visitor centre you can walk the Approach Trail to the summit (8.8 miles) or drive higher up Forest Service roads to a closer trailhead.
The shorter option is the Three Forks trailhead on Forest Service Road 58. The drive in from SR 60 north of Suches is about an hour from Dahlonega, on a gravel road that is bumpy but passable in any car in dry weather. From Three Forks the AT walk to the summit is about a mile.
There is no public transport. A rental car or shuttle service is the only realistic way to reach the mountain.