It’s going to be a lot easier for Scioto County residents to travel around Ohio thanks to a new direct bus service. In the forties and fifties, your options for traveling between Ohio cities were plentiful. You could catch one of several trains or grab a bus at the busy Greyhound station.
Over the years, travel options decreased. As a result, it’s been a decade since residents have had direct bus service to locations throughout Ohio. Now, the launch of a new bus service will open up travel possibilities for Portsmouth residents.
The Routes
Barons Bus has started a new, daily round trip service that offers direct trips to:
- Piketon
- Chillicothe
- Columbus
- Findlay
- Bowling Green
- Toledo
A spokesman for Barons Bus told me, “This service really opens up travel throughout the state. It’s on a route with 6 other locations in Ohio. Additionally, it will also serve passengers looking to go out of state.”
The Service
The bus service began last Monday. The Portsmouth stop is at the Scioto County Welcome Center at 342 2nd street. Right now, tickets must be purchased online and printed out. However, the company said they’d like to have a ticket agent in Portsmouth sometime soon.
In addition to direct travel within Ohio, you can also purchase tickets for out-of-state destinations. The spokesperson said the company’s buses allow you to travel in style and safety. All are the model year 2017 or newer and equipped with seatbelts and other safety features. Each bus also offers WiFi and power outlets to keep your electronic devices charged.
The Price
The current schedule has the bus leaving daily at 3:20 am. Prices are as follows:
- Piketon – $13 one-way
- Chillicothe – $17 one-way
- Columbus – $20 one-way
- Toledo – $58 one-way
For more information on pricing and tickets, you can visit their website at https://baronsbus.com/bus-tickets/.
Riders can call 888-378-3823 Ext 1 for information on pricing and schedules.
John Gobe, VP of Barons Bus said, “Barons Bus is excited to provide service to the Portsmouth community. We will now offer daily service to Portsmouth allowing easy access to the intercity bus network. We have a relationship with the intercity bus network, allowing passengers to travel seamlessly to other operators. Passengers can purchase tickets from our website to over 3,800 destinations. Tickets can be purchased to Columbus for $20. We look forward to providing the highest quality of intercity bus transportation and safe affordable travel for our communities.”
