Galesburg is most easily reached by Amtrak, which is fitting for a city proud of its railroad heritage. The California Zephyr (Chicago–San Francisco) and the Southwest Chief (Chicago–Los Angeles) both stop here, with several departures each week in each direction. From Chicago, the train takes about three hours.
By car, Galesburg is on I-74 in west-central Illinois, about 50 miles west of Peoria and 60 miles east of the Quad Cities (Davenport/Bettendorf on the Iowa side, Rock Island/Moline on the Illinois side). Peoria Regional Airport is the nearest commercial airport, about 45 miles east.
There is no regular intercity bus service to Galesburg.