When making the move to live off-campus, many Washington University students tend to look no farther than the closest neighborhoods to campus, limiting their search to University City. This search comes out of a wish for convenience, with students often not having cars to commute to and from campus. However, students should not fear a slightly longer commute to campus with the abundance of public transportation options in the St. Louis area.

Note: The information in this article about commute times for public transportation varies based on the time of day.

The Loop

Nestled comfortably in University City, the Loop and offerings just north and south of the Loop tend to be good options for University students looking to make their move off campus. Depending on where on the Loop students are located, there are different options for transportation. The St. Louis Metro Green Line is commonly used by students living in the area. For students farther east on the Loop, the Delmar Loop MetroLink station can take them right to campus, either to the stop on the east end of campus (Skinker) or the west end of campus near the Village (Big Bend-University City). Students living in Everly have the perk of a shuttle that runs to and from campus.

Skinker-Debaliviere

The Skinker-Debaliviere neighborhood is another one of the more common options for students seeking off-campus living. Most of the neighborhood is a walkable distance from campus. For students not wishing to make the up-to-20 minute trek to campus daily, a direct bus line to campus exists to make their lives easier.

Central West End

The Central West End brings us to our less common options for off-campus living for Washington University students. Far less walkable than the Loop or the Skinker-Debaliviere neighborhood, the Central West End sits about 3 miles from campus, leaving walkers clocking in at about 60 minutes. The Central West End MetroLink station and direct bus lines can bring students straight to campus.

Forest Park Southeast/The Grove

Sitting about 4 miles from campus, the Grove is the least walkable option for off-campus living on this list. It is also the least navigable by public transportation. Students looking for the shortest commute time can take the MetroLink from campus to the Central West End, then embark on a 20 minute walk to reach the Grove. Or, students can navigate the bus system (this option requires at least one transfer on most occasions and can take up to 50 minutes).

Clayton-Tamm/Dogtown

A largely underrated neighborhood located a mere 2 miles from campus, Dogtown is somewhat walkable, clocking in at about 40 minutes. For bikers, Dogtown could be a prime location. For students hoping to commute to and from Dogtown using public transportation, the routes generally take about 30 minutes.