If you have little space or if the normal stairs are too boring, you can build an elevator. (Any distance up and down)

An elevator with which one comes with few signs blocks, and water upward.
You can also build the 1×1 water hole in the middle in 1×2 and 2×2 versions, which of course requires more building materials. But the principle is the same.

Since the Minecraft man floats upwards in the water when you press the space bar, you can easily get to the top. In this elevator there are enough places to get air and no downward currents. So you can get to the top more safely and faster than if you just swim up a waterfall.

The water elevator is only a little faster than a normal ladder when you want to go up, despite the higher construction effort. Down, the water elevator takes longer.

Instructions:

The elevator consists of more or less of the same parts depending on the height.
You only have to take care that there is enough space left at the place where you want to enter the elevator to be able to enter the elevator at all (see picture).
Here are the instructions for one of these parts.

1: Place 4 blocks in such a way that they enclose a water block (which you also place). The 4 blocks must form a cross and the water block is the center of the cross.
2: On top of one of the solid blocks another block is built, on which a shield is made, which has to be in the field above the water block.

You can repeat these two steps as often as you like.