BlaakLane.com offers chauffeur service in Cincinnati for CVG airport transfers, downtown and Over-the-Rhine meetings, corporate trips to Blue Ash and Mason, and game days at Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park. You see a fixed fare for the address, time and vehicle before you confirm. A vetted local affiliate drives each trip; the confirmation names the operator and the chauffeur.
How to book a car in Cincinnati
Use the reservation engine on this page or at /book/. Add the flight number for an airport pickup, or a hotel or street address, choose one of the nine vehicle classes, and the price appears in full before you commit. It includes the chauffeur, fuel and waiting time as set out below; gratuity and any CVG airport parking are charged at actual cost and added to the booking. The Toronto dispatch desk works 24/7 and hands the trip to a vetted Cincinnati operator held to the BlaakLane.com written standard. Product launches, shareholder meetings and convention groups needing several cars are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing.
CVG is in Kentucky: what that means for your pickup
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport sits in Hebron, Kentucky, about 13 miles southwest of downtown Cincinnati. It has one terminal with Concourses A and B, and it is also a major cargo hub. Pre-arranged cars and limousines collect passengers at Ground Transport East, on the baggage claim level; signs lead there from the carousels. Your chauffeur messages the vehicle and position when you land. A name-board greeting at baggage claim is an add-on, and add-ons are only available in selected locations. See CVG Airport for terminal maps.
Flight tracking times the chauffeur to your real landing. Waiting included: 60 minutes on international arrivals, which clear US Customs and Border Protection at CVG first, 30 minutes on domestic flights and 15 minutes on other pickups, then 15-minute blocks. The drive into downtown takes 20 to 30 minutes on I-275 and I-71/75, crossing the Ohio River on the Brent Spence Bridge, which is the city's main pinch point at rush hour. Private flyers usually land at Lunken Airport (LUK), about 10 minutes east of downtown, or at the FBO ramp at CVG.
Planning table: common Cincinnati routes
| Route | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| CVG to downtown or The Banks | 13 miles | 20-30 min |
| CVG to Blue Ash | 28 miles | 35-45 min |
| CVG to Mason and Kings Island | 38 miles | 45-55 min |
| CVG to Covington or Newport | 11 miles | 15-20 min |
| Downtown to Lunken Airport | 6 miles | 10-15 min |
| Downtown to Hyde Park or Oakley | 6 miles | 15-20 min |
A city on both banks of the Ohio
Downtown rises from the river, with The Banks between the two stadiums and Fountain Square at its centre. Over-the-Rhine, just north, is a dense district of restored nineteenth-century brick buildings with Findlay Market, Music Hall and much of the city's dining. Mount Adams overlooks the basin from the east, while Clifton holds the University of Cincinnati. Hyde Park, Oakley and Madeira are the east-side residential areas, and the northern suburbs of Blue Ash, Mason and West Chester carry large office parks along I-71 and I-75. Across the river in Kentucky, Covington and Newport have their own hotels and a short commute to downtown offices.
Hotels, venues and the convention centre
The Duke Energy Convention Center fills a block on Elm Street, near the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati and the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, an Art Deco landmark in Carew Tower. The Cincinnatian and the 21c Museum Hotel are smaller downtown options, and Hotel Covington sits across the river. Paycor Stadium (the Bengals) and Great American Ball Park (the Reds) frame The Banks, TQL Stadium in the West End is home to FC Cincinnati, and the Heritage Bank Center hosts concerts by the river. The Aronoff Center and Music Hall handle Broadway, the symphony and opera.
Cincinnati events by month
- Late March or early April: the Reds opening day and its downtown parade.
- Early May: the Flying Pig Marathon, with morning road closures across downtown.
- August: the Cincinnati Open, a major professional tennis tournament in Mason.
- Sunday of Labor Day weekend: Riverfest fireworks on both riverbanks.
- September: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati downtown.
- September to January: Bengals home games at Paycor Stadium.
Cincinnati USA publishes the latest calendar. For stadium days, the car stages outside the closure zone and a coordinator plans groups; see event transportation.
Picking a vehicle
Solo travellers take a Standard Sedan; Luxury Executive Sedans suit executive visits to the downtown headquarters towers. Executive SUVs handle winter weather and the hills of Mount Adams. Standard Black SUVs and Sprinters carry teams to Mason for the tennis or to Kings Island, and minicoaches or motorcoaches move a convention. Stretch limousines and Rolls-Royce, Maybach or Bentley cars are supplied by partners. Every vehicle is four model years old or younger. See the fleet and rates.
Transfers to Louisville, Lexington and beyond
- Louisville: about 100 miles on I-71, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes.
- Lexington: about 85 miles on I-75, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, useful for Keeneland and the horse farms.
- Indianapolis: about 110 miles on I-74, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Indianapolis is on Eastern time, the same as Cincinnati.
- Columbus: about 107 miles on I-71, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.
Dayton is about 55 miles north on I-75, under an hour. More on intercity transfers.
Trains at Union Terminal
Cincinnati Union Terminal, the Art Deco station that also houses the Cincinnati Museum Center, is served by Amtrak's Cardinal a few days a week between Chicago and New York by way of Washington, D.C. The trains call late at night, so book the car to the published time and the chauffeur will adjust to the actual arrival. Schedules are on Amtrak.
Traffic and roads to expect
Driving is on the right. The Brent Spence Bridge on I-71/75 carries far more traffic than it was designed for, and a new companion bridge is under construction next to it, so allow extra time at peaks. There are no toll roads in the metro area. Downtown's hills and one-way grid slow short trips, and winter ice can close steep streets in Mount Adams and Clifton.
Travellers who book in Cincinnati
Consumer-goods, banking and healthcare executives, logistics teams visiting the air-cargo operations around CVG, airline crews, sports fans and wedding parties heading to venues along the river. Companies manage bookings through corporate accounts with monthly invoicing. Child seats are free on request.
If your plans change
More than 72 hours before pickup, cancellation costs nothing. Within 72 hours we charge 10% of the fare, within 48 hours 50%, and within 24 hours or for a no-show 100%.
