For many students, traversing Austin’s bustling streets feels overwhelming, especially trudging up steep hills or stalling in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Luckily, the metropolitan area boasts countless transportation alternatives, providing citygoers with options for every occasion. To make students’ next trip more efficient, The Daily Texan compiled a list of various transportation methods to test out.

CapMetro

With the swipe of a UT ID, students unlock full access to Austin’s entire public bus and rail system: CapMetro. Choose to navigate campus with the UT shuttle bus or utilize the mainline bus and rail services to gain broader access to the city and suburbs. The system also covers late-night rides with their Entertainment Bus option, which, according to their website, picks up passengers from UT, West Campus and Riverside areas. The E-Bus runs Thursday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. For added convenience, apps like the CapMetro app and Moovit provide departure locations, times and route paths.

Electric Scooters

For those seeking an adrenaline rush, electric scooters double as an exhilarating and efficient means of transit. With a range of brands to select from, including Lime and Bird, riders enjoy free rein to explore their surroundings at less than a dollar per minute. Riders travel in bike lanes to avoid pedestrian and vehicular traffic and arrive at their destination quickly. 

Bikes

Bike lanes snake through many streets in Austin, offering plentiful opportunities to utilize bike share programs, such as MetroBike. Biking proves even easier with seven Bicycle Fixit Stations placed around the UT campus, providing students with an array of tools to fix any technical issues. The Orange Bike Project, located in the 27th Street Parking Garage, provides bike rentals as well as professional assistance with bike maintenance.

Rideshare Services

For flexible routes, rideshare options pick up students from almost anywhere, anytime. Options include Uber and Lyft, as well as Austin-specific services like Fetii, CapMetro Rideshare and the technological tidal wave Cruise, a self-driving car service. Additionally, the UT Night Rides partnership with Lyft provides an economical way to get home from midnight study sessions, offering free car rides from campus between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. after registering.