This article presents an approach to path following control design based on transverse feedback linearization. A "transversal" controller is designed to drive the output of the plant to the path. A "tangential" controller meets the application-specific requirements on the path, such as speed regulation and internal stability. This methodology is applied to a Five-degree-of-freedom (5-DOF) magnetically levitated positioning system. Experimental results are provided that demonstrate the effectiveness of our control design. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.