Joplin sits at the junction of Interstate 44 and US-71 in the far southwest corner of Missouri, making it easy to reach by car from any direction. Kansas City is about two and a half hours northeast on I-44; Tulsa, Oklahoma, is roughly ninety minutes south on US-69. Springfield, Missouri, is just under an hour east on I-44.
The nearest commercial airport is Joplin Regional Airport (JLN), a small facility with connections through Chicago (United), Dallas (American), and Denver (United). Passengers needing more options typically fly into Tulsa International, which has significantly more routes, or Kansas City International for longer hauls.
Greyhound serves Joplin on its routes between Kansas City and Tulsa. The bus stop is downtown, close to the main commercial strip. There is no passenger rail service to Joplin.