Columbus Monthly / June 2011 / Getting Around

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Getting Around

 

Visitors should have no trouble finding their way to, from and around Central Ohio. Columbus is easy to navigate by car: The city is located at the junction of two major highways (I-71 north/south and I-70 east/west) and has an innerbelt (I-670) around the downtown area and an outerbelt (I-270) that encircles the city and provides easy access to the suburbs. Port Columbus International Airport is only 10 minutes from downtown on I-670. The center of the city is downtown at the intersection of Broad Street, which runs east/west, and High Street, running north/south. Here’s a quick guide to finding your way around.

 

Port Columbus International Airport

flycolumbus.com

Located on the city’s east side, Port Columbus is among the country’s most accessible airports. It’s a hassle-free 10 minutes from downtown on I-670. From Franklin County suburbs, the airport is usually within 30 minutes via I-270, I-70 or I-71. Nearly 160 flights leave Port Columbus each day, and the airport offers more than 30 nonstop destinations. Southwest, Delta and US Airways provide the most flights, with collective market share of about 50 percent. More than 6.2 million passengers use the airport each year.

Port Columbus includes a 730,000-square-foot main terminal and 35 gates with terminal-wide free Wi-Fi. Renovated food and retail operations have greatly expanded the options for travelers looking to pass the time. Dining options include a food court and locally owned eateries such as Max & Erma’s and Columbus Brewing Company. A six-level parking garage offers 2,800 public spaces. Rental car agencies have desks right in the parking garage, so travelers can make arrangements easily. Remote lots also are a reasonable parking option, since shuttles bring travelers directly to the terminal.

Five hotels on airport land—one equipped with an athletic club—and several restaurants are located near the airport. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department offers a public golf course just east of Hamilton Road, adjacent to the main runways.

 

Airlines serving Port Columbus

Air Canada Jazz...(888) 247-2262

AirTran Airways...(800) 247-8726

American/American Eagle...(800) 433-7300

Continental/Continental Express...(800) 525-0280

Delta/Delta Connection...(800) 221-1212

Frontier...(800) 432-1359

Southwest...(800) 435-9792

United/United Express...(800) 241-6522

US Airways...(800) 428-4322

 

Airport rental agencies

(located on the ground floor of the parking garage)

Alamo...(800) 462-5266

Avis...(800) 331-1212

Budget...(800) 527-0700

Dollar...(800) 800-4000

Enterprise...(800) 325-8007

Hertz...(800) 654-3131

National...(800) 227-7368

Thrifty...(800) 367-2277

 

Central Ohio Transit Authority

228-1776 (information line)

www.cota.com

Columbus’s bus system, COTA, is an inexpensive way to get around the city, though it offers mostly major arterial routes and is short on crosstown and suburban services. Regular one-way fares are $1.75 on most of COTA’s 69 routes; children over 48 inches tall and up to 12 years of age pay 85 cents. Children 48 inches tall and under are free (limit three with an adult). Day passes offer unlimited access to COTA’s system and can be purchased for $4 on all COTA buses. Transfers are free.

COTA also operates 27 Park & Ride locations throughout the city, allowing visitors to leave their cars where parking is plentiful and ride the bus where parking may be scarce. Bike ’n Bus allows passengers to load their bicycles onto the bike racks found on every bus, free of charge. COTA also offers bus lines to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. On major local routes, span of service runs from 4:40 am to 1:51 am Monday through Thursday, till 2:59 am Fridays, 5:12 am to 2:59 am on Saturdays, and 7:05 am to 1:51 am on Sundays. The #21 Night Owl, which operates on North High Street between Clintonville and the Arena District, runs from 8 pm to 2:59 am on Fridays and Saturdays. A special service, Linden Link, is available for only 75 cents in the Linden area during peak travel times on weekdays. All COTA buses are wheelchair and three-wheel scooter accessible. COTA expands its services three times a year.

 

Taxis

Columbus regulates taxi service. Maximum legal charges are $2.75 to enter the cab, 45 cents every 2/9 of a mile, 45 cents for every one minute of waiting time and a surcharge of $3 for every trip begun at the airport. Not all taxicabs charge the maximum. The average tab for a ride from the airport to downtown Columbus is around $26. Larger cab companies include:

Acme Taxi...777-7777

Blue Cab...236-4444

Shamrock Taxi...784-8888

Singh Taxi...734-1500

Yellow Cab...444-4444

 

Limos

Columbus limousine services include:

Aladdin Limousines...891-3440

American Limousine Service...228-5466

Arch Express...252-2277

Cardinal Transportation...274-2500

My Chauffeur...231-2555

National Allstate Limousine Company...338-1330

Prestige Corporate Car...564-1700

A Supreme Limousine Service...880-9600

Urban Express Transportation...253-7000

Xtreme Limo...483-3300

 

Shuttles

Shuttle services to Port Columbus International Airport include:

Arch Transportation...252-2277

Super Shuttle...252-5555

Urban Express...253-7000

 

Parking

Almost all suburban hotels and some downtown hotels offer free or subsidized parking for overnight guests. Compared to many other cities, downtown commercial parking lots are surprisingly reasonable, probably because Columbus has so many of them. Rates of $2 to $3 for the first hour and $5 to $15 for all day or overnight are typical. The Arena District offers parking at a variety of prices. The underground garage at the Ohio Statehouse also is a real bargain: $2 for the first hour weekdays, $2 for four hours weekends.

The city’s on-street parking meters have a wide range of time limits (from 30 minutes to 12 hours) and varying prices. Thirty-minute meters are
50 cents; two-, three- and four-hour meters are 75 cents per hour, and 12-hour meters are 40 cents per hour. The city also has four off-street lots with three-hour meters. Overtime parking is strictly enforced, and the ticket costs $25. Don’t even think about leaving your car at a banned meter during rush hours (affected meters are marked with a small notice and signs on the street). You’ll be out more than $190 by the time you find the impounding lot and get your car out of hock.