(Well run) Public transportation, whether it's one line (or one loop like this one) or dozens of winding webs across a city, is one of the true signs of a city "on the go!!" The Cincinnati Bell Connector is new (just running since 2016) and right now somewhat limited in its stops, but for visitors like us, it was a PERFECT way to get a taste of some of the city highlights without having to constantly battle for a parking space!! I know there was and continues to be quite a bit of controversy regarding this new street-car venture here in Cincy, but I think it's a huge plus to have this type of service. Super reasonable pricing ($2 for 1 hr/$4.00 for an all day pass) safe, easy on and off stops, clean and comfortable cars, and VERY user friendly. We found parking down by the Banks (not a game day!!) explored around the waterfront for a while, then took the VERY convenient connector ride up to Findlay Market. On our way, we saw plenty of other attractions we hope to visit SOON. Win-win for attracting visitors and allowing locals to ditch their cars as well. I hope this service continues to grow and thrive!! read more

OMG...this is such a great addition to Cin City! We got to do all our "wants" without wearing ourselves out. It began when we asked at our hotel what was the best way to get to Findlay Market and they sent us around the corner to the tram stop. The tram goes to the riverbank, Over the Rhine, downtown, Washington Park, Findlay Market, the Brewery District and Fountain Square. 20 minutes total round trip. All day pass was $2. Although it's on the honor system, if they check and you don't have a ticket it's $100 fine, so do get your ticket. We only had to show our ticket once. And enjoy your ride! We did. Oh...its new and clean. Not you typical experience on public transportation. read more

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority - Riding Down the street - Public Transportation Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Visiting from TN and we took the Connector from Smale riverfront park to Findlay market. It was pretty neat. The kids really enjoyed it and it was great not having to drive in traffic. The driver gave my kids free ringpops when we got on to go back to the park. Cool experience for tourists :) read more

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The new buses have both USB ports and outlets. Wi-fi is also available. However, they also have plastic seats that are terrible. While their own social media posts boast these seats are "easy to maintain," that may be their only redeeming feature. They are very hard to sit on because the way they are angled and their surface, I almost slide off of them every time the bus stops. I feel like I have to hold onto one of the bars or the back of the seat in front of me for the entire ride. My knees also hurt often and now they feel worse because I have to plant my feet on the floor to keep me on the seat! I did respond to their social media posts by telling them about my experience. They indicated they are working on some kind of fix. I will wait and see. If they do fix this issue, I will give them a favorable review for doing so. read more

I was looking for a place to review the streetcar (Cincinnati Bell Connector). I guess this is the closes I can get. Took the family down to Washington Park on Saturday for some Holtman's and a playground. We decided to give the streetcar a try. I was pleased to find an app that worked great. It was easy to buy tickets ahead of time and use them when needed. We had 3 adults and 8 children, and to transport all of us from Washington Park to the Banks and Smale Park was $7. Crazy cheap!!! The streetcar arrived on time with the electronic signage at the stop, and it was easy to get on and off. We had a stroller, so it was great to be able to roll right on and not have to lift it. There was plenty of room on board. My wife was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it was. The maps were clear and the audio was fantastic (hate public transportation that doesn't have good audio). After some fun times down at Smale, we hopped back on to OTR and our cars. Awesome overall experience. Know it's costly, but we all lamented it not being able to go further throughout the city. read more

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority - First ride on the streetcar! - Public Transportation Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Service is spotty at best on the weekend. Especially on Sundays and holidays. I've been known to wait two hours for a bus because they had a driver just not show up. read more

I have had some good and some bad experiences with Cincinnati's public transportation system, both as a passenger and a motorist. The good things: Most of the drivers are friendly. It was rare that I boarded a bus and did not recieve a greeting. The busdrivers do a good job at keeping the busses clean. A couple of times there has been some rowdy passenger on the bus and the bus driver took appropriate and appreciated measures to shut it down. Riding the bus isn't that bad of an experience, and the people watching is great. The bad things: Sometimes I think the drivers think schedules are arbitrary. One route in particular is NEVER on time. As a fellow motorist, I have been nearly run off the road on MORE than one occassion. I don't know if it's that the drivers can't judge where they are on the road or if they just think they really have the right-of-way. That's disturbing. Also, I can't help but notice how fast some of the drivers drive. It feels weird to me to be driving down a stretch of Paddock Road where the speed limit is 40 mph and the bus passes me. That, combined with the alarming number of busses I've seen run red lights seems very dangerous. read more

I never really considered reviewing Cincinnati's bus system, but it's probably the institution I deal with the most, so here we go. I've been riding the Metro almost everyday since I moved to Cincinnati a year and a half ago, both from my prior place in Walnut Hills and my new one in Northside. In that year and a half, I've seen some strange riders, grouchy drivers, and late buses. More often than that, though, I've seen a relatively efficiently running, on time bus systems with drivers who care (or at least fake it really well) about their jobs and passengers. When my wife wrecked her car, we decided to go from a two car to one car household. I thought it would be a nightmare, but frankly, it has been at times inconvenient, at worst. It's easy to get to and from downtown from pretty much anywhere. The express route gets me to and from work in about fifteen minutes each way. I also get to avoid paying for parking downtown, which I am extremely thankful for. Is it perfect? Of course not. They're using outdated technology for fares (soon to be remedied), it is way, way too difficult to get from the east side to the west and vice-versa, and it would be nice to have a more dynamic way of tracking how early/late your bus is (though getting up on Google Maps has been a tremendous move forward). I can't wait to see how SORTA and Metro move forward with the implementation of new technologies to make riding the bus a better experience. They provide a valuable service to me and thousands upon thousands of other people in the region. Kudos to the great work! read more

Someone needs to investigate Metro buses. It was 9 degree this morning and the 5:53 23X bus did not have heat and there was a window that wouldn't close. This is unacceptable and they need to be held accountable. read more

I've always detested riding Metro...dirty, loud, bumpy rides, not on time, bedbugs , etc But the latest incident sent me over the edge. I boarded a bus a shortly after a scruffy looking guy boards the bus with a pit bull. The dog had no rabies or registration tags and no gear specifying it was a service dog. He has the dog on a long leash so the dog approaches me. Needless to say, I was terrified I left the bus shortly after that and called their customer service. I've decided to spend the extra money and use Uber/Lyft. Bus service in thi city is deplorable drivers there is clear mismanagement read more

Always on time during commuting hours. Always clean. I almost always get a seat. People watching can be funny. Generally a quiet, clean, quick public transportation experience. read more

Cincinnati needs a streetcar and light rail, but until that golden day arrives, the SORTA Metro bus system will have to do. It's not at all a bad bus system. Buses are clean, on time, and although some passengers are loony, nearly everyone behaves (and no road rage!) I encountered a very nasty driver one day recently and I called to complain and SORTA's customer rep apologized :-) Going anywhere in the urban core is relatively easy, especially between downtown and the UC/Clifton areas, but also to Union Terminal, Findlay Market, Eden Park, the Zoo. Good connections in Government Square or on Fourth St for TANK buses. Of course it could be better funded and cheaper (it's not the cheapest bus system around) but service is adequate for an American city this size. read more