Columbus to Cincinnati sans Car Rental?

April 5, 2011 6:44 AM

Is there any other way to get from Columbus to Cincinnati without renting a car? One-way car rentals are astounding.

I am going to be heading from Columbus to Cincinnati in a week and a half. This trip will be one way, as I will be flying out of the Cincinnati airport. A one way car rental is fairly high for the 3 hours I will be needing it (my searches indicate between $150 and $250).

I am very flexible on what time to leave on Friday.

posted by gagoumot to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

Best answer: If you're willing to leave in plenty of time, Greyhound has a number of itineraries which only take 2-3 hours with no transfers. Looks like there are about half a dozen potential arrival times. A one-way fair is about $20. The buses don't run like clockwork, hence the "plenty of time" caveat, and you'll have to take a taxi from the bus station to the airport, so be prepared to throw another $20 or so at that.

Given that the shuttle from Columbus to CVG could cost as much as $300, that's probably your best bet.
posted by valkyryn at 6:52 AM on April 5, 2011

On preview, yes, Greyhound is much cheaper. $20-40 from what I've seen.
posted by halseyaa at 6:54 AM on April 5, 2011

A greyhound.com search indicates that there are six buses next friday going from Columbus OH to Cincinnati OH. They run between $20 and $40 each. The trip takes 2 hrs. It's not luxury travel, but it's cheap compared to airfare.

Google directions indicates you can get from the bus station in Cincinnati (1005 GILBERT AVE
Cincinnati, OH 45202) to the International Airport in 40 minutes by public transport.

Disclaimer: I have never been to Cincinnati.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 6:54 AM on April 5, 2011

Best answer: MegaBus includes both Cincinnati and Columbus on its routes - if you book early, you can get $1 tickets - even booking today will get you a relatively cheap fare. I did a search from their website and found a one-way Cbus-Cincy trip would only cost $15. Good luck!
posted by genekelly'srollerskates at 6:58 AM on April 5, 2011

Seconding Megabus. Never used it myself, but many friends have. The fares really are that cheap.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 6:59 AM on April 5, 2011

Response by poster: Boom done. Greyhound is the way to go. While five dollars more expensive, I don't have to kill quite as much time in downtown Cincinnati.

Thanks everyone!
posted by gagoumot at 7:25 AM on April 5, 2011

You might already know this, but CVG is about a 25 minute drive from downtown Cincinnati, in Northern Kentucky. I'm sure you could take a cab from the Greyhound station, but just FYI so you build in enough time to get from there to the airport.
posted by stellaluna at 10:20 AM on April 5, 2011

And yeah, I wouldn't bank on public transportation to get to the airport. I lived in Cincinnati for many years and it's pretty dismal from what I recall.
posted by stellaluna at 10:21 AM on April 5, 2011

While it isn't a great system I have taken the bus from CVG into downtown Cincinnati. It was a single bus with no transfers so while it was slow it was simple. Since the airport is in Kentucky, you'll need to take TANK bus (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky). I am not sure the nearest TANK stop to the Greyhound terminal but it is at most a 5 or 6 block walk.
posted by mmascolino at 10:54 AM on April 5, 2011