Ružomberok is on the main railway line connecting Bratislava with Košice via Žilina — one of Slovakia's busiest rail routes. Journey times: Bratislava about 3 hours, Žilina about 1 hour, Košice about 3 hours. Trains run frequently throughout the day. The station is a short walk from the centre.
By car the town sits on the D1 motorway, making it easily reachable from Bratislava (220 km, about 2.5 hours) and Žilina (80 km, about 1 hour). The route from Banská Bystrica over the mountains to the south (about 75 km via the Donovaly pass) is slower but scenic.