Nagqu sits on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which makes it the most accessible of the northern Tibetan towns. Trains from Lhasa take around four hours; trains from Golmud in Qinghai take around eight. The railway station (Nagqu Railway Station) is about 7 kilometres south of the town centre, with minibuses and taxis connecting the two.
The G109 highway runs through town, connecting south to Lhasa (around 5 hours by bus) and north to Golmud. Like all destinations in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a Tibet Travel Permit is required. For areas beyond Nagqu town into the Chang Tang, additional Aliens' Travel Permits are needed, which must be arranged before departure.