Is it possible to live in Houston,Texas without a car?

Question

I just landed job there and I don't have one yet? What type of public transportation is in Houston anyway?

Answer 1

It is very possible if you live close to where you work or close to public transportation. personally I would recommend some sort of vehicle but I know thousands in Houston do not have cars and mange to get by.

Answer 2

Without a car, you will waste a lot of time and be very frustrated. With a car, a trip might take 15-30 min. By bus it can take 1-1 1/2 hours. Not to mention that it's hot from March til Oct/Nov and you will not feel like standing at the bus stop. To be fair to the city, the city is very spread out so it does take time for buses and light rail to cover the distance. If you can live close to where you work, you might be able to use the bus.

Answer 3

For the poster above, there is only one city in the northeast larger than Houston: New York City.

Can you survive without a car here? Sure, but it won't be easy. It is possible if you work downtown and live on a bus route. I see a few people in front of my condo property standing at the bus stop, briefcases in hand, catching the bus downtown. I'm fortunate enough to live on a route that goes from the suburbs into downtown. Most bus lines do not do this.

If you're going to move to a suburb, and work in, say, the Energy Corridor, good luck finding a bus route that will take you anywhere near your destination without multiple transfers. I used to live seven miles from my office. One morning I got on the net and calculated how long it would take to get there. After walking half a mile to the correct stop, and two transfers later, it would take one hour and ten minutes. Good thing I had a car and it took fifteen minutes. I'm currently 15 miles from my office, but since I work in Fort Bend County and live in Houston's Memorial area there isn't a bus that will take me within three miles of my job, and that's after transferring once from an east-west route to a north-south route. Oh, my fifteen mile commute takes 17 minutes on average by car.

My advice is to buy a decent used car. Honda and Nissan are your best bets. Also, get a tollway tag. You get a 25 cent discount and don't have to wait in line if you do this.

Answer 4

Although I like Houston, it has a terrible public transportation system for a city of its size. I've lived in larger cities in the northeast, and Houston's public transportation is laughable compared to theirs. The problem is that the city is so spread out, so you really have to use a car to get around. They have a light rail, but it only travels a few miles through the city. It's not like the intricate subway systems of NYC or Boston. It's convenient if you live near it, but it's not big enough. The buses run all over the city, so they'd be your best bet. They're not that bad. You'll have your strange characters, but that's the case anywhere. But, one of the biggest reasons there hasn't been a change to Houston's public transportation is that people are set in their ways and want to drive their giant SUVs alone to work and waste gas. So, most people are against expanding the light rail. So, unless you're going to live near downtown somewhere, I think you'll need a car.

To person below: I didn't mean cities larger than houston, I meant I've lived in some larger (meaning not small) cities in the northeast.

Answer 5

It can be very difficult to get around Houston without a car. Some are the options that you have are Metro (bus), and Metro rail if you work near downtown or the medical center. Then of course there are good ol' taxis but that can get expensive if you have a long way to go. I suggest getting a car asap.

Answer 6

Hell no. Our public transportation system is not even at the level of the one in Dallas, which has commuter trains. Houston has the most expensive commutes and the people drive more miles per capita than in any city in America. It also does not help that we are ridiculously spread out. Rail is only good if you live near downtown and I would take a car any day instead of the crappy Metro buses.

Answer 7

There are buses for public transportation, and park and ride areas so you can stay energy conscious after you buy a car. We do have the lowest gas prices here, but gas is not cheap anywhere. You might try to join or start a carpool at work. Welcome to Houston.

Answer 8

Well, of course, anything is possible, but it would be difficult. The city of Houston encompasses an area of over 600 square miles. The grid system for metro bus lacks alot to be desired. Metro rail is better, but you need to live and work near the rail. Try to arrange carpooling and then begin saving for a good used car as soon as possible. Good luck to you!

Answer 9

Yeah its possible, only depending where you are trying to go.Because metro and metro rail will only go so far.But its to hot in Houston to be trying to wait on public transportation any way, so your best bet would be to travel in your own car!!

Answer 10

Grumble. Houston does have a public bus system, but my sister told me I was not to ride on it. So I have no idea. Most people tend to commute quite a ways, it seems like. Maybe you can ask some of your future co-workers where they live, try and get an apartment where they are at, and carpool.

Good luck!