Sepinggan airport is 8km east of the city (15min by taxi; Rp9000); unless you look like an oil worker, touts here expect you to be heading to Samarinda (2hr; Rp35,000). Buses from Banjarmasin (Rp13,500-23,500) use the terminal on the west side of Balikpapan Bay, connected by ferry to the Kampung Baru dock on Jalan Mong Insidi (Rp2000). Buses from Banjarmasin continuing to Samarinda, however, cross the bay to the dock at the top of Jalan Somber, then drop off passengers at their offices on Jalan Negara, about 5km north of the centre. Samarinda buses (Rp3500) use Terminal Antar Kota , 6km out of town on Jalan Negara, linked to the centre by bemo #3.

Boats from Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi berth at the Pelni docks , 2.5km west of the centre on Jalan Sudirman. Pelni's Kambuna stops twice a month on a Java-Sulawesi circuit, with the Kerinci and Tidar also calling at Tarakan and Nunukan, and the Umsini running right through to Ternate in Maluku . Tickets are available from the Pelni office at the harbour on Jalan Minyak or from tour agents.

City bemos charge a flat fee of Rp350. #3 runs south from Terminal Antar Kota down Jalan Negara and Jalan Yani, before turning west along Jalan Sudirman to the Pelni docks; #6 starts at the Kampung Baru ferry dock, runs south along Jalan Suprato and Jalan Minyak past the Pelni docks, and east along Jalan Sudirman towards the airport. Both #3 and #6 then reverse their routes.