Living Car-Free at Colorado State: Which Fort Collins Apartments Sit on MAX and Transfort Routes

You can live off campus at Colorado State without a car, and Fort Collins makes it easier than most college towns. Transfort buses, including the MAX rapid bus line, have been fare-free since March 2020, MAX stops at a University station on the east side of campus, and Route 31 runs every 10 minutes through Campus West on school-year weekdays. The best car-free picks are apartments near the MAX line in Old Town and Midtown, the Plum Street complexes on Route 31, and the Lake Street buildings you can simply walk from.

Key Takeaways

• Riding is free. Transfort stopped collecting fares in March 2020, and CSU's transportation office says local routes are free for anyone.
• MAX covers about five miles from the South Transit Center to downtown, with stops at Prospect, University and Laurel that put you at the edge of campus.
• Route 31 loops from the CSU Transit Center through Plum Street and Campus West every 10 minutes, but only on weekdays when CSU is in session.
• Near MAX on FMP: The Mark Fort Collins lists 4x4 beds from $897, and State Fort Collins, near the MAX line south of Prospect, lists private rooms from $689.
• Late nights are covered (mostly). The Gold route runs every 15 minutes on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Skip the car and you also skip parking permits, which climb to $200 a year for a fifth car at one address in the city's permit zones.

How Transit Works for CSU Students

Transfort is free for everyone, so a CSU student's transit budget is zero dollars. CSU Parking and Transportation Services says anyone can ride the city's local routes for free, and fare collection has been off since March 2020.

Three pieces of the network matter most if you're living car-free:

• MAX, the bus rapid transit line from the South Transit Center to the Downtown Transit Center, which CSU says runs every 10 to 20 minutes.
• Around the Horn, the on-campus shuttle. It runs every 10 minutes on weekdays and meets MAX at University Station.
• Routes 2, 3, 6, 7, 19 and 31, which Transfort lists as its main routes into the CSU Transit Center by the Lory Student Center.

For weekends out, the Gold route covers Old Town, Laurel, Elizabeth, Prospect and College every 15 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., per Transfort's CSU resources page. CSU's RamRide also runs Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Fort Collins Apartments Near the MAX Line

The apartments closest to MAX cluster downtown along Mason Street and in Midtown south of Prospect Road. Living near a station turns campus into a short ride, and downtown into an even shorter one. (Heads up: Transfort posted a MAX detour starting October 26, 2026, with no end date yet, so check stop alerts before you tour.)

The Mark Fort Collins sits on West Olive Street in Old Town, near the MAX Olive stop, about 0.9 miles from CSU. Its 4x4 floor plans list at $897 and its 3x3s at $917, and rent climbs as units get smaller, which points to per-bed pricing. One review on its FMP page complains the building's own shuttle runs unreliably, so plan on MAX instead. Max Flats on South Mason Street is a 20-minute walk from campus, with one-bedrooms from $1,590.

A few blocks closer to campus, Flats at the Oval on West Laurel Street lists 3x3 floor plans from $755, and the MAX Laurel stop is nearby. In Midtown, State Fort Collins on Choice Center Drive sits near the MAX line just south of Prospect Road. Its private rooms start at $689 in a four-bedroom, and FMP's commute widget puts it 0.8 miles from CSU (a 22-minute walk if you'd rather skip the bus).

Campus West on Route 31

Campus West is the best car-free neighborhood if you'd rather walk or bike than wait for a bus at all. The Plum Street complexes sit just west of campus, and Route 31 loops from the CSU Transit Center through Plum and Campus West every 10 minutes on school-year weekdays.

On FMP as of October 2026, The District at Campus West at 1308 West Plum lists private rooms in a 4x4 from $749. Across the street, Union on Plum lists rooms at $919, and Union on Elizabeth lists five-bedroom rooms from $919 a block south.

One catch. Route 31 doesn't run on weekends or during breaks (it's off over Thanksgiving week and from late December to mid-January). Route 3 also runs from the transit center along Plum and Elizabeth, so check its weekend schedule before you count on it.

Walk-to-Campus Living on Lake Street

The Lake Street complexes on CSU's south edge are the easiest car-free option of all, because you don't need a bus to reach class. The Social at Stadium Walk at 914 West Lake lists rooms from $1,110 and sits about half a mile from campus. The Standard at Fort Collins and Stadium Apartments sit on the same stretch near Canvas Stadium.

Route 2 also runs along Lake and Prospect if you need to get across town. The trade can be price. The Social's $1,110 room costs $421 a month more than State Fort Collins' cheapest bed in Midtown, so you're paying for the walk.

Where Car-Free Gets Harder

Complexes two miles or more from campus can still work without a car, but check the bus first. The Cottages of Fort Collins on Gold Drive and The Outpost Fort Collins on Lupine Drive both list rooms under $800, which is tempting. Before you sign, find the closest stop, the route number and the last weekday trip back from campus.

Ask about bikes too. Fort Collins is an easy town to bike, and a covered bike room can matter more than a parking spot. If you're thinking about bringing a car anyway, our Fort Collins U+2 and parking guide walks through the permit costs in the neighborhoods around campus.

Comparing buildings? Start with off-campus housing csu listings, then check each address against the Transfort map.

Frequently Asked Questions About Living Car-Free at Colorado State

Do CSU students pay to ride Transfort or MAX?

No. Transfort has been fare-free since March 2020, and CSU's transportation office says local routes are free to ride for anyone.

Which MAX stops are closest to CSU?

Prospect, University and Laurel. CSU's transportation page lists those three as the MAX connections to campus, and Around the Horn meets MAX at University Station.

Is Campus West good for students without a car?

Yes, and it's probably the best pick. The Plum Street complexes are walkable and bikeable, and Route 31 runs every 10 minutes on weekdays while CSU is in session.

Does Transfort run late at night?

On weekends, yes. The Gold route runs every 15 minutes on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., and RamRide covers the same nights.

What's the cheapest apartment near the MAX line on FMP?

State Fort Collins, near the MAX line south of Prospect Road, lists private rooms from $689 a month, the lowest of the MAX-area buildings in this guide. Fees aren't posted yet, so ask for the full monthly cost.