Getting Around Indianapolis Without a Car

Indianapolis is known as a car city — but for Butler students living off campus, a car is often more optional than you'd think. The neighborhoods closest to campus are walkable and bikeable, and with a combination of the IndyGo bus system, rideshare, and a bit of planning, many students get by just fine without one. Here's what you need to know.

Walking and Biking to Campus

Butler's campus sits in a walkable residential area. If you live in Butler-Tarkington or Meridian-Kessler — the two neighborhoods closest to campus — you can walk to most destinations in under 20 minutes and bike in under 10. Broad Ripple is a 10–15 minute bike ride.

Biking tips for Butler students:

• The Monon Trail runs through Butler-Tarkington and connects north to Broad Ripple and south toward downtown — it's a protected path, not on a road
• Get a quality U-lock; bike theft happens in every urban neighborhood
• Indianapolis has a Pacers Bikeshare system (docked bikes) with stations near campus — useful for one-way trips
• Indiana law requires a white headlight and red rear reflector for night riding

IndyGo Bus Routes

IndyGo is Indianapolis's public bus system. It's not as extensive as major-city transit, but several routes are genuinely useful for Butler students:

• Red Line BRT: Runs along College Avenue through Broad Ripple, Midtown, and into downtown. Frequent service (every 10–15 min during peak hours) and connects to groceries, restaurants, and entertainment.
• Route 39 (Kessler): Runs east–west along Kessler Blvd, connecting Meridian-Kessler and Butler-Tarkington.
• Route 18 (16th Street): Connects western neighborhoods and runs toward downtown.

Fares: $1.75 per ride with cash; $1.50 with the MyKey card (reloadable). A 30-day unlimited pass is $60. Students can also pay with Google/Apple Pay.

Check the IndyGo app or Google Maps for real-time bus arrivals — service gaps can be long on evenings and weekends.

Rideshare (Uber and Lyft)

Uber and Lyft work well in Indianapolis. Surge pricing is rare outside of downtown events and late weekend nights. A typical Uber from campus to Broad Ripple runs $8–$12; downtown is $12–$20.

For students without a car, the most practical approach is: walk or bike for daily campus needs, use IndyGo for errands and longer trips, and use Uber/Lyft for evening outings and anything too far to bike.

Grocery Access Without a Car

This is the most common concern for car-free students. Options:

• Kroger on Keystone — reachable by bike or a short Uber ride from most Butler-area neighborhoods
• Whole Foods on 86th Street — accessible via Uber; slightly further but worth it for some
• Aldi on Kessler — closest affordable grocery store to the Butler area; bike-accessible
• Meijer on Lafayette Road — a full-service supercenter; requires a car or rideshare
• Instacart / DoorDash Grocery — delivery adds cost ($5–$10 + tip) but is a legitimate strategy for weekly big shops

A common student strategy: weekly grocery delivery for big shops, Aldi by bike for fill-ins.

When You Do Need a Car

Some situations genuinely require a car or a friend with one: IKEA runs for apartment setup, large Costco/Sam's trips, traveling home for breaks, or reaching healthcare facilities (though most are accessible by Uber). For occasional use, Zipcar has vehicles available in Indianapolis — hourly or daily rental, often cheaper than Uber for longer trips.

How to Factor Transportation Into Your Housing Search

If you won't have a car, proximity to the Monon Trail and Red Line BRT stops should be a real factor in which apartments you consider. A unit that's $50/month cheaper but requires a $15 Uber each way for groceries isn't necessarily a bargain. When browsing listings, note each listing's distance to campus and nearby amenities — and factor transit access into your total cost of living estimate.