VISITING Cleveland

While photographs and movies/videos can provide some insight into Cleveland, visiting it firsthand is necessary to truly experience the beauty and energy of the city—the winds off Lake Erie; the aromas of restaurants; the music on stages; and the vibrancy of the people, the streets, the culture, and the economy.

Getting to Cleveland
Transportation within the City
Accommodations
More Info

Getting to Cleveland

Airports

The City of Cleveland is served primarily by three airports:

• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE/KCLE) - the region’s main commercial and international airport. Hopkins Airport is located on the West Side of the City. Travel time to Downtown Cleveland is 28 minutes via a Red Line Rapid Transit Train, which departs from within the terminal. Trips to University Circle, which is beyond Downtown, take 42 minutes. Train service from Hopkins Airport for Downtown Cleveland operates 21.5 hours per day, seven days a week: the first train departs Hopkins Airport at 3:53am and the last train departs at 1:23am. Taxis, ride-hailing, and car rentals are also available.

• Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL/KBKL) - Located in Downtown Cleveland, the airport is very conveniently located for businesses and Downtown and nearby residents (pictured above). Though the airport has less scheduled carrier services than that of Hopkins Airport, it is an ideal airport for corporate flight operations, with sufficient field capacity and services for non-stop Cleveland-Europe or Europe-Cleveland service. Many private jets and charters use BKL and the airport is also the hub and base for Cleveland Clinic’s fleet of jets. For inbound international flights, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations are available at Burke.

• Akron-Canton Regional Airport (CAK/KCAK) - Located at the southern part of the Cleveland region in Summit County, south of Akron and north of Canton, Ohio. CAK is served by four airlines, operating domestic flights. There is no rail service between CAK and Downtown Cleveland; travel time via car is approximately 60-80 minutes depending on traffic.

Rail Service

Cleveland is served by Amtrak, with direct service to Chicago, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC. Operations are along two routes:

• Lakeshore Limited, operating Chicago-Cleveland-New York/Boston

• The Capitol Limited, operating Chicago-Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Washington, DC.

Ship / Ferry

Though Cleveland is a coastal city, there are currently no maritime passenger operations. A trans-Lake Erie ferry service between Cleveland and Canada has been planned, and a Dutch operator selected, but issues arose on the Canadian side of the operation before service was launched. Great Lakes cruises make a port of call at Cleveland, though generally passengers only have one day or less in the City. As an international port, there is regular service between Antwerp and Cleveland, the only container port on the Great Lakes; however these vessels are for bulk and containerized cargo only, no passengers.

Driving

For those driving to Cleveland, Interstates 71, 77, 80, 90, and 76 will lead you into Metropolitan Cleveland, along with various auxiliary Interstate highways (480, 490, 271, 277) and other expressways. Most hotels in Downtown Cleveland have parking and for those that do not, there is ample parking offered in nearby garages.

Transportation within the City

Transit

There are various transit agencies operating within Metropolitan Cleveland, with RTA being the largest. RTA is a multi-modal agency and operates heavy rail, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit services throughout Cleveland.

Ride-hailng

There are two ride-hailing companies operating in the city: Lyft and Uber.

Taxis

Various taxis operate within the city.

Car Sharing

There are two main car-sharing companies operating in the city: ZipCar and Turo.

Car Rentals

All major car rental companies in the US are in Cleveland. Cars can be picked up at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as well as numerous locations throughout the city. Some offer delivery to your location.

Bike & Scooter Sharing

• E-scooters: Bird, Lime, and Link (limited to 5am to 9pm)

• E-bikes: Wheels (24 hrs/day).

• Bikes: HOPR Bike Share - dockless.

Accommodations

A wide range of accommodation types are available in the city from hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, and furnished corporate/short-term apartments.

More Info

For a great website on places to eat, places to stay, and neighborhoods to explore, visit Cleveland Traveler.

QUICK FACTS

Metropolitan Cleveland is the largest population and economy in the state of Ohio. (Ohio is the 7th largest state in the US by population and economy.)

Population (Metropolitan): 2.9 million for the immediate 8-county area; 4.9 million for the full economic area.

Air Market Population: 4.93 Million

Media Market Population (DMA) (per Nielsen Media Research): Cleveland ranks as the 19th largest in the US with 1.6 million households (3.9 million population).

GDP: $207 Billion (2022) (25th Largest in US) (immediate 7-country area only). Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis.

GDP per capita: $67,400

Major Industries: Healthcare, aerospace, biotech, medtech, tech, advanced manufacturing, law, materials science

Cleveland Area Codes: Country Code: +1. Cleveland has five local area codes:

• 216 in the city’s core

• 440 and 436 - Eastern and Western suburbs

• 330 and 234 - Southern region

Time Zone: US Eastern. Currently Eastern Daylight Time (EDT): UTC-4.

Date founded: 1796

Notable Global Cultural & Educational Institutions: Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, Oberlin College

Geography: The Cleveland Metropolitan Economy is comprised of two US government-defined “metropolitan statistical areas” (MSA’s), the Cleveland MSA and the Akron MSA. This area is made up of Cuyahoga County (of which Cleveland is the center) and the seven outer counties: Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga, Lake, and Ashtabula.