Riobamba sits on the Pan-American Highway and is well connected by bus. Buses from Quito take around 3.5 hours and leave from the terminal at Quitumbe; several companies run this route throughout the day. From Guayaquil it's a similar 3.5–4 hours, climbing dramatically through the Andes as the road gains over 2,000 metres of altitude. From Cuenca, count on around 4–5 hours.
The city's main bus terminal (Terminal Terrestre) is south of the centre on Avenida de la Prensa. Taxis from the terminal to the city centre are cheap and take under ten minutes. The train station, used for excursions rather than intercity travel, is a short walk from the historic centre near Parque Maldonado.