Where to Live in Minneapolis Without a Car: A Renter’s Guide
You don't necessarily need a car to live in Minneapolis. But you do need to be a little picky about where you live.
An apartment that's a few blocks from a train station, on a good bus route or close enough to walk to groceries can make going without a car surprisingly manageable. Move a few miles away from those connections, and your experience can be completely different.
If you're moving to Minneapolis without a vehicle, or you have one but would rather leave it parked most days, here's what to look for and a couple of areas worth putting on your apartment search.
Can you live in Minneapolis without a car?
Yes. Minneapolis has light rail, bus rapid transit, regular bus service and a well-established bike network. The trick is choosing a neighborhood where those options overlap with the places you actually need to go.
Metro Transit's METRO system includes both trains and bus rapid transit, with METRO routes generally running at least every 15 minutes during most of the day. The Blue Line runs between downtown Minneapolis and Mall of America, while the Green Line connects downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and downtown St. Paul.
That gives you quite a bit of the Twin Cities without needing to drive.
For apartment hunting, don't just search for a building that's "near public transit." Pull up a map and look at where that transit actually takes you.
What should you look for if you don't have a car?
Being close to a bus stop is helpful, but that alone doesn't make an apartment a great place to live without a vehicle.
Think about an average week.
How will you get groceries? How long will your commute take? Can you get downtown without making two or three transfers? What happens when you need to get to the airport? Is there somewhere nearby to grab dinner or coffee? And, importantly in Minnesota, how far are you actually willing to walk to transit in January?
A five-minute walk to frequent transit is very different from a 20-minute walk to a bus that comes once an hour.
Two Minneapolis locations make particularly good examples of what to look for.
Prospect Park: Green Line access and an easy connection to the University of Minnesota
If your regular routine takes you to the University of Minnesota, downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, Prospect Park deserves a look.
The METRO Green Line runs through this part of Minneapolis and connects downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and downtown St. Paul. That makes it possible to move between the two cities without driving or figuring out a complicated series of bus transfers.
This is where you'll find 3020 On the Rail of In the City Apartments at 3020 University Avenue SE.
The name isn't just branding. The building is about a block from Green Line light rail, so transit can actually become part of your everyday routine rather than something you use occasionally.
For University of Minnesota students and employees, that's especially useful. The Green Line serves the university area, including Stadium Village, and continues into downtown Minneapolis in one direction and St. Paul in the other. Metro Transit also allows bikes on its buses and trains, which opens up another option for people who like to combine biking with transit.
The immediate area helps, too. Fresh Thyme Market is about 0.1 mile from 3020, Malcolm Yards is roughly 0.2 mile away and Surly Brewing is around 0.3 mile away. That matters more than it might seem when you don't own a car. Being able to pick up groceries or meet someone for dinner without planning transportation first makes daily life a lot easier.
3020 also has secure bike storage, which is worth considering if a bike will be one of your main ways of getting around.
South Minneapolis: Blue Line access near Minnehaha Avenue
The other area we'd consider is South Minneapolis near Minnehaha Avenue.
The METRO Blue Line runs through this side of the city with stops at 38th Street, 46th Street and 50th Street/Minnehaha Park before continuing south toward MSP Airport and Mall of America. Heading north takes you into downtown Minneapolis.
At 4555 Minnehaha Avenue, MN46 Apartments sits near the 46th Street transit area in the Hiawatha/Longfellow part of South Minneapolis.
This location gives you a different kind of car-light lifestyle than Prospect Park.
If you work downtown, travel regularly, spend time around South Minneapolis or simply want access to more of the city without driving everywhere, being near the Blue Line is a big advantage. The 46th Street Station (~8 minute walk) is also a transit connection point, with the METRO A Line and several regular bus routes serving the station.
And then there's the neighborhood itself.
Minnehaha Falls and the Mississippi River trail system are nearby, along with neighborhood restaurants, shops and everyday services. MN46 also has bike storage, so it's easy to use a bike for shorter trips and transit when you're going farther.
Can you get to MSP Airport without a car?
This is one of the biggest advantages of living near the Blue Line.
The Blue Line serves both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Metro Transit says trains generally run every 15 minutes during most of the day, and the trip from downtown Minneapolis to the airport takes less than 30 minutes.
That makes the area around MN46 particularly interesting for frequent travellers or airport employees. Instead of arranging a ride, paying for airport parking or booking a rideshare every time you fly, you have a public transit option built into the neighborhood.
The Blue Line continues past the airport to Mall of America as well.
What if you need to get from Minneapolis to St. Paul?
You can do that without a car, too.
The Green Line connects the two downtowns and passes through the University of Minnesota and University Avenue corridor along the way. That's one reason 3020 on the Rail works so well for someone whose life isn't confined to one side of the Mississippi.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are separate cities, but if you live close to one of the major transit corridors, you don't necessarily have to choose one city and ignore the other.
What about winter?
Yes, you can use public transit year-round. But winter is also why we'd pay attention to the actual walking distance between an apartment and transit rather than simply accepting that a listing is "near" a station.
A walk that feels easy in September can feel very different during a January cold snap.
Look at your entire routine when touring an apartment. Walk from the building to the station. Find the nearest grocery store. Check where you'd catch the bus. See whether you'd be comfortable making those trips throughout the winter.
This is one of the reasons locations like 3020 on the Rail stand out: having rail very close to home removes one of the bigger inconveniences of relying on public transportation.
So, where should you live in Minneapolis without a car?
There isn't one answer because it depends on where you're going most often.
If you want easy access to
The University of Minnesota
The Green Line
Downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul
Take a look at 3020 On the Rail Apartments in Prospect Park.
If your priorities are
South Minneapolis
The Blue Line
MSP Airport
Minnehaha Falls
Connections into downtown
MN46 Apartments is worth considering.
The bigger lesson is to choose your apartment based on your real routine, not just its distance from downtown.
Before signing a lease, enter your workplace, school, grocery store and a few places you visit regularly into Metro Transit's Trip Planner. Check the route on a weekday morning, in the evening and on a weekend. You'll get a much better idea of what living there without a car would actually feel like.
Looking for a transit-friendly apartment in Minneapolis?
In the City Apartments offers two Minneapolis communities with very different, but very useful, connections to public transit.
Explore 3020 on the Rail Apartments if being steps from the Green Line and close to the University of Minnesota is at the top of your list.
Check out MN46 Apartments if you want South Minneapolis living with access to the Blue Line, Minnehaha Falls, MSP Airport and downtown.
Take a look at current availability at In the City Apartments and find the location that works with the way you actually get around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you live in Minneapolis without a car?
Yes. Living close to the METRO Blue or Green Line, bus rapid transit and everyday services can make it possible to get around Minneapolis without owning a vehicle. Your experience will depend heavily on the neighborhood and your regular destinations.
Does Minneapolis have light rail?
Yes. The METRO Blue Line connects downtown Minneapolis with South Minneapolis, MSP Airport and Mall of America. The METRO Green Line connects downtown Minneapolis with the University of Minnesota and downtown St. Paul.
What Minneapolis apartments are near light rail?
In the City Apartments' 3020 on the Rail at 3020 University Avenue SE is about a block from the Green Line. MN46 Apartments at 4555 Minnehaha Avenue is near the Blue Line's 46th Street Station.
Can you take public transit from Minneapolis to MSP Airport?
Yes. The METRO Blue Line serves both terminals at MSP Airport and connects them directly with Minneapolis.
Can you take public transit from Minneapolis to St. Paul?
Yes. The METRO Green Line connects downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and downtown St. Paul.
