Cleveland Hopkins International Airport: where to stay, areas and…

Cleveland Hopkins is one of the few US airports with its own train: the RTA's Red Line leaves from the terminal and reaches Tower City, downtown, in under 30 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes from 4:00 until half past midnight. This makes downtown a practical base even for flyers, not just for those visiting the city. Travelers with a flight in the early morning hours or arriving late at night, when the train isn't running, are better off near the terminal. Those coming instead for the Cleveland Museum of Art or the Cleveland Clinic find University Circle, east of downtown, more convenient.

Airport area

3 km from the terminal, with a free shuttle running from 4:00 to 24:00; one of the two properties is also just steps from the Red Line's Puritas station.

Best for: Flights before 4 a.m. or after midnight, when the Red Line isn't running.

Pros

Free shuttle running almost all day, handy for inconvenient flight times
From one of the two properties, the Red Line station to downtown is within walking distance

Cons

A residential/commercial area, little to do on foot in the evening
Outside the shuttle's hours, a taxi or car is still needed

Recommended hotels in this area

Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Airport: About 3 km from the terminal with a free shuttle from 4:00 to 24:00, a 5-10 minute ride.
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cleveland - Airport North: Free airport shuttle from 4:00 to 24:00, and just steps from the Red Line's Puritas station downtown.

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Downtown, Cleveland

City centre · The RTA's Red Line connects Tower City to the airport in under 30 minutes, with a train every 15 minutes from 4:00 until half past midnight.

Best for: Those visiting the city, attending an event at the convention center, or wanting to try the direct train to the airport.

Pros

Direct rail link to the airport, handy outside peak traffic hours
A few steps from Playhouse Square and the Lake Erie waterfront

Cons

The train doesn't run between half past midnight and 4 a.m.
Hotel parking often expensive, mentioned repeatedly in reviews

Recommended hotels in this area

Hilton Cleveland Downtown: 5 minutes on foot from the convention center, with views of Lake Erie from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper floors.
Drury Plaza Hotel Cleveland Downtown: In the historic former Board of Education building, with breakfast and an evening reception included in the stay.

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University Circle

Neighbourhood · From the neighborhood the airport is reached by car in about 25-30 minutes; by train you first need to get to Tower City downtown and then take the Red Line.

Best for: Those with an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic or visiting the neighborhood's museums.

Pros

A few minutes' walk from the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Case Western Reserve campus
About a mile from the Cleveland Clinic, convenient for those with medical appointments

Cons

Less direct connection to the airport than from downtown: a change of train or a car is needed
In the evening the neighborhood empties out early outside the university campus

Recommended hotels in this area

Courtyard by Marriott Cleveland University Circle: In the heart of University Circle, a mile from the Cleveland Clinic and a few minutes' walk from the museums.

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