Where to Live in St. Paul Without a Car: A Renter's Guide
Living in St. Paul without a car is absolutely possible. The catch is that some addresses make it much easier than others.
St. Paul's transit network isn't limited to the Green Line. Depending on where you live, you can use light rail, bus rapid transit, regular bus routes, biking and walking to get around the city and over to Minneapolis.
So if you're apartment hunting without a vehicle, don't start by asking which apartment has parking.
Start by asking where the nearest train or frequent bus goes.
Can you live in St. Paul without a car?
Yes, particularly if you choose an apartment close to one of St. Paul's major transit corridors.
The METRO Green Line is probably the best-known option. It runs from Union Depot in downtown St. Paul through University Avenue, past several St. Paul neighborhoods and the University of Minnesota, and into downtown Minneapolis.
But it's no longer the only major east-west option.
The METRO B Line provides bus rapid transit between St. Paul and Minneapolis, travelling through St. Paul along Selby and Marshall avenues before continuing toward Minneapolis. Like other METRO services, it's designed to provide frequent, all-day transit.
Depending on where you live, that means Minneapolis can still be part of your regular routine even if your home address is in St. Paul.
Hamline-Midway: live close to the Green Line
If light rail is high on your apartment wish list, start around University Avenue.
The Fairview of In the City Apartments is at 730 Fairview Avenue N in St. Paul's Hamline-Midway area is about a 13-minute walk from Green Line light rail.
That proximity is hard to overlook if you don't have a vehicle.
From the Green Line, you can head east toward downtown St. Paul or west toward the University of Minnesota and downtown Minneapolis. If your commute or school schedule takes you between the two cities, you don't need to rely on a car to do it.
The neighborhood also gives you more than transit. The area around The Fairview has a Walk Score of 83 and Bike Score of 88, and nearby destinations include restaurants, breweries, shopping and groceries. Bus routes 67 and 87 add more options for trips that aren't directly along the Green Line.
This is the kind of location we'd look for first if the goal were to make public transit the default rather than the backup plan.
Merriam Park: B Line access along Marshall Avenue
Light rail gets a lot of attention, but St. Paul's newer bus rapid transit network changes the conversation about where you can live without a car.
The METRO B Line runs along Marshall Avenue through this part of St. Paul, with stations at Cretin, Cleveland and Fairview before continuing east through Selby Avenue and downtown St. Paul. In the other direction, it heads into Minneapolis.
That puts Prior Marshall Apartments of In the City Apartments at 1955 Marshall Avenue in a particularly useful location for transit.
There isn't a B Line station directly at Prior Avenue. Instead, riders in the Marshall and Prior area can use the nearby Marshall & Cleveland or Marshall & Fairview stations (~7 minute walk).
That's an important distinction. You don't need a train station outside your front door to live without a car. A frequent bus route that takes you where you actually need to go can be just as valuable.
Prior Marshall is also close to the University of St. Thomas and the Macalester-Groveland area, making the location worth considering for anyone whose work, school or everyday life is centered around this part of St. Paul.
St. Anthony Park: walking, biking and buses instead of light rail
Not every good car-free location needs to be built around a light-rail station.
Priscilla Street Apartments of In the City Apartments at 2333 Priscilla Street is in St. Anthony Park, a quieter residential neighborhood close to the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
This is a different proposition than The Fairview.
If you need to take the Green Line every morning, The Fairview's location is going to make more sense. But if your regular destinations are the U of M St. Paul campus, neighborhood shops or places you can reach by bike or bus, Priscilla Street should be considered.
Metro Transit routes 87, 30 and 63 serve the surrounding area, and the neighborhood itself has everyday amenities including a library, co-op grocery, cafés and local shops.
For someone working or studying at the St. Paul campus, being able to walk or bike to your main destination can be more useful than living beside light rail and commuting back across the neighborhood.
That's why we wouldn't judge a car-free apartment on transit score alone. Start with where you actually need to go.
Can you get from St. Paul to Minneapolis without a car?
Yes, and there are a few ways to do it.
The simplest is the Green Line. It connects downtown St. Paul with University Avenue, the University of Minnesota and downtown Minneapolis.
The B Line gives residents along the Marshall/Selby corridor another frequent connection between the cities.
Where you live determines which makes more sense.
From The Fairview, the Green Line is the obvious choice.
From Prior Marshall, the B Line is particularly useful.
From Priscilla Street, your best route will depend on your destination, so we'd recommend checking Metro Transit's Trip Planner using the exact places you travel most often.
Can you get from St. Paul to MSP Airport without driving?
Yes. Unlike Minneapolis, St. Paul doesn't have a direct light-rail line to MSP Airport. But Metro Transit does provide public transportation between St. Paul and the airport.
From downtown St. Paul, Route 54 provides service to MSP Airport. Metro Transit currently estimates the trip at about 20 minutes from downtown, with buses roughly every 15 to 30 minutes.
You can also use the Green Line to connect with the Blue Line in Minneapolis, depending on where you're starting and the route that makes the most sense that day.
So living in St. Paul without a car doesn't mean calling a rideshare every time you have a flight.
Don't forget about biking
This is an easy piece of the transportation puzzle to overlook.
All Metro Transit buses and trains can accommodate bicycles, which means your trip doesn't necessarily have to be entirely transit or entirely bike.
You might bike from home to a destination nearby, take your bike on transit for a longer trip, or use transit one direction when weather or your schedule changes.
For someone considering life without a car, that flexibility matters.
Which St. Paul location is best if you don't have a car?
It comes down to your routine.
If light rail and easy connections between
Downtown St. Paul
The University of Minnesota
Minneapolis
are priorities, start with The Fairview Apartments.
If you want to live around
Marshall Avenue
Merriam Park
The St. Thomas/Macalester area
Access to the B Line
take a look at Prior Marshall Apartments.
If your life revolves around
St. Anthony Park
The University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus
You'd rather walk, bike and use nearby bus routes
Priscilla Street Apartments may make more sense.
The best transit system is the one that connects your home with the places you actually go.
Looking for a St. Paul apartment where you don't have to drive everywhere?
In the City Apartments has several smaller apartment communities in St. Paul, and each one offers a different way to get around.
Explore The Fairview for Green Line access, Prior Marshall for the Marshall Avenue/B Line corridor, or Priscilla Street for St. Anthony Park and access to the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
Before choosing, compare the properties with your actual commute, school and everyday errands. The right location might mean your car stays parked, or that you realize you don't need one at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you live in St. Paul without a car?
Yes. Living near the Green Line, B Line, other frequent bus routes or within walking or biking distance of your regular destinations can make car-free living in St. Paul realistic.
Does St. Paul have light rail?
Yes. The METRO Green Line travels through St. Paul along the University Avenue corridor and connects the city with the University of Minnesota and downtown Minneapolis.
Can you take public transit from St. Paul to Minneapolis?
Yes. The Green Line connects downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. The B Line also provides bus rapid transit between St. Paul and Minneapolis through the Marshall Avenue and Selby Avenue corridor.
Which In the City apartment is closest to St. Paul light rail?
The Fairview at 730 Fairview Avenue N is about a 13 minute walk from the Green Line.
What public transit is near Prior Marshall Apartments?
Prior Marshall is at 1955 Marshall Avenue. The METRO B Line travels along Marshall Avenue, with nearby stations at Marshall & Cleveland and Marshall & Fairview.
Is Priscilla Street Apartments near public transportation?
Yes. Priscilla Street Apartments in St. Anthony Park is served by nearby Metro Transit bus routes, including routes 87, 30 and 63. It's also well positioned for people who walk or bike to the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
Can you get from St. Paul to MSP Airport without a car?
Yes. Metro Transit Route 54 connects downtown St. Paul with MSP Airport. Other trips can combine Green Line and Blue Line service depending on your starting point.
