Most new arrivals reach the same conclusion about getting around in Columbus: you will want a car. Columbus is also spread out, so most people drive to cover the distances between neighbourhoods. Without one, you are relying on buses, ride-hailing, bike and scooter hire, and an on-demand microtransit service.
Columbus has no trains or trams, and it is the largest city in the US without any rail-based transit. That is slowly changing. Under the voter-approved LinkUS programme, local authorities are building new bus rapid transit corridors to speed up cross-town journeys.
Public transport in Columbus
Bus
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) runs the bus network. It operates around 40 routes and provides nearly 19 million passenger trips a year.
COTA also runs express routes, night services, an airport connector (AirConnect) to John Glenn Columbus International Airport, and on-demand COTA//Plus microtransit zones. Its CMAX line is a bus rapid transit route up Cleveland Avenue, and you can ride the free CBUS circulator around downtown and the Short North. Every COTA bus has free WiFi onboard. If you drive part of the way, you can leave the car at a COTA park-and-ride lot and finish the journey by bus.
You can pay by tapping a contactless card or phone, with a COTA smartcard, through the Transit app, or with cash on board.
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Taxis in Columbus
Taxis in Columbus are easy to find, but most new arrivals reach for a ride-hailing app instead. Uber and Lyft both operate throughout the city, but you can still book a traditional cab by phone or online if you prefer.
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Driving in Columbus
Driving in Columbus is the default for most new arrivals, and you will probably want your own set of wheels before long.
Driver’s licences
If you hold a driver’s licence from another US state or another country, you can usually drive on it while it is still valid. If your licence is not in English, get an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you move.
Once you become an Ohio resident, you will need to swap it for an Ohio driver’s licence at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
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Cycling in Columbus
Cycling in Columbus is increasingly popular, and local authorities continue to add protected bike lanes and turn boxes to make the streets safer for riders. In 2024, the Columbus City Council approved the Bike Plus plan, a long-term blueprint for nearly 500 miles (800km) of new bikeways across the city.
If you are not ready to buy your own bike, the city’s shared mobility scheme has you covered. Veo runs the dockless bike and e-scooter hire across Columbus; you unlock a bike or scooter through the Veo app and leave it at a parking corral when you are done.