Ah, Ohio. That horrible place where nothing ever grows, and the tap water is flammable. At least, that’s what I was raised to believe. Yup, ever since the Toledo War (Or the Michigan-Ohio War. I’m dead f*cking serious. This was a real thing. Read about it here), Michigan and Ohio have been at each other’s necks. Whether it’s one of the most heated rivalries in American football history, or a comparison between two cities (No, Cleveland is NOT better than Detroit), Ohio is always finding a way to piss us off, and vice versa.
However, it comes to my attention that there are some people out there who might actually WANT to go to Ohio. No, no I’m serious. Crazy, right? Well, not totally. Even I’ve had to venture into the Buckeye State on more than one occasion. Most recently, I managed to snag tickets to a live event featuring Josh Gates (a personal hero and massive inspiration) that I had to travel to Akron for. The trip turned out to be great. Josh put on a fantastic show, and Akron was very welcoming. The venue for the show in particular was stunning, but I digress (check out this Instagram post for more on that). So, for that reason, I’m writing this short guide. Here’s the lowdown on how to get from Michigan to Ohio.
How to get from Michigan to Ohio
Traveling by Bus
Bus travel used to be the cheapest way to get from Michigan to Ohio, but lately, prices have gone up. Operated by Greyhound USA, the bus line runs from Detroit to Columbus, covering roughly 200 miles in about 4 hours, depending on which bus you choose to take. As of November 2022, 3 buses depart from Detroit daily, the first at 6:45 am, the second at 12:35 pm, and the third at 8:30 pm. While bus #2 arrives at 4:15 pm (3h 40m after departure) and bus #3 arrives at 12:30 am the next day (4h after departure), bus #1 arrives at 2:35 pm (7h 50m after departure). This is due to a transfer in Lima, OH, that takes approx. 3 and half hours.
Pricing depends on which class you’d like to travel in. The cheapest is economy, which hovers around $30-50, based on which bus you take (bus #2 tends to be cheaper, coming in around $30 each day). You can also choose to travel in economy extra, bumping the price up by $20. With this class, you gain priority boarding and free same day exchange, which allows you to switch to an earlier bus, provided there’s availability when you arrive. Not necessarily worth it to me, but still pretty neat.
A further $20 will net you flexible class, which comes with all the perks of economy extra, but with the added bonus of a refundable fare, as well as an extra free under-the-bus bag you can stow.
Additional Buses
It’s worth mentioning that there is a collection of buses that run to and from Detroit to different major cities in Ohio, such as Cleveland and Akron. However, many of these buses (but not all) are not direct, and often make one or more transfers/long stops before reaching their destination. Also, the Detroit-Columbus bus line makes 5-minute stops in a number of cities and towns, including Toledo, Bowling Green, and Kenton, so if you’re looking to disembark at any of these stops, you’re more than welcome.
If you need any more information regarding schedules and routes, check out Greyhound’s website and put together your trip!
Traveling by Car
For those looking to travel a little faster, a good old fashioned road trip might be your best bet. Well, besides those giant silver birds in the sky, anyway. In any case, the bonus of car travel is that you have complete freedom to choose your destination and drive there, with no layovers or hour-long stops along the way (if you so choose). There’s no taking a bus to Columbus, getting off, and then finding transportation to wherever you need to be.
Road tripping comes with its perks, but that’s not to say it’s perfect. For one, it can be a little more expensive, depending on how you go about it. Gas isn’t exactly cheap these days, and one or two $40 fill-ups can cost more than a bus ticket on their own. There are also the potential added costs of food, repairs, or even a rental car. These expenses all add up to a moderate price tag, but it really all depends on how you travel. Gas is a necessity, but if you drive safely, use your own vehicle, and forego food for the drive (or bring your own snacks), it can come out to be much cheaper.
Road Safety
Speaking of safe driving, another thing to consider when taking an extended road trip, especially in the Great Lakes region, is road conditions. In the winter, lake effect snow can slow your drive to a crawl, and treacherous ice can send you off the road if you’re not careful. I posted a Michigan Winter survival guide earlier this month, which you can check out here. All of the driving tips apply to Ohio too, so I recommend taking a look if you’re planning a Winter journey.
It goes without saying that roads are less inclement in the warmer months, but given the toll that the long winter takes on them, there tends to be a lot of construction and maintenance. It’s not nearly as life threatening, but it can be irritating. Just stick with the drive and realize from the outset that it may take a bit longer than planned.
Traveling by Plane
Of course, for those people who want to get to Ohio as fast as possible (why?), you can always hop on a flight. I’ve never done this personally (as a matter of fact, I’ve never flown in a plane before), but after doing the research, I can attest that flights out of Detroit to larger cities like Cleveland and Columbus tend to be on the cheaper side, and often arrive about an hour after departure, sometimes less. These flights are non-stop and direct, and cost around $200-280.
There are other flights, some slightly cheaper, that include one or more layovers on the way there. Most stop in Chicago, but some flights I seen have layovers in Boston, Tampa, and Las Vegas. So, if you’re the kind of person who wants to fit an extra vacation into their trip to Ohio, you have options. But otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend.
How to get from Michigan to Ohio – Final Thoughts
You know, for all the garbage I keep giving Ohio, I guess the Buckeye State isn’t really that bad. Maybe I’ve been too harsh on this poor state. Maybe we all have. After doing the research and writing this post, I think I’m starting to see why people might want to travel here. I mean, it’s got the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Cedar Point (a family vacation destination when I was a kid). You know what? To all the Ohioans reading this, I just want to apologize. You’ve never deserved all this hate. But before I sign off, I want to make one thing perfectly clear…
Ohio State is NOT better than Michigan. Sorry.
Thanks for checking out the blog! If you like what you see, click here to choose what to read next. I’m hoping to go from making nothing with this “blogging” thing to traveling the world full-time, and I’m documenting my entire journey here. And I’m inviting YOU to join me! Yes, you, reading this article! Consider it, won’t you? I promise it’ll be worth your while!
