Ambato has no commercial airport. The nearest airports are at Quito (about 130 km to the north) and at Guayaquil (about 250 km to the southwest).
By bus, Ambato is around two and a half hours from Quito on the Pan-American Highway, and connections run frequently from Quito's Quitumbe terminal throughout the day. From Riobamba to the south it is about an hour, and from Baños around 45 minutes. The main bus terminal (Terminal Terrestre) is on the north side of the city.
The Pan-American Highway runs directly through Ambato, making it a natural stop on overland journeys between Quito and the southern highlands.