Living Car-Free at Sac State: Which Sacramento Apartments Sit on Light Rail and the Hornet Shuttle

The best Sac State apartments for living without a car are the ones within a quarter mile of the University/65th Street light rail station: Wexler on 67th Street, The Mezzo on Folsom Boulevard and Academy 65 on 65th Street. From there the Gold Line runs to Midtown and downtown, the free Hornet Shuttle runs to campus, and your OneCard covers SacRT buses and light rail at no extra charge.

Key Takeaways

• Three FMP-listed buildings (Wexler, The Mezzo, Academy 65) sit within roughly 0.2 miles of University/65th Street station.
• Your OneCard is your transit pass. SacRT says the fare is already covered by registration fees, so there is nothing extra to buy.
• The Hornet Shuttle is free, but it only runs Monday through Friday while classes are in session (finals week included, breaks excluded).
• Midtown works too, if you can live with a train ride: Carol Manor on O Street is about a quarter mile from 29th Street station.
• "Car-free" is partly a money decision. One resident at The Mezzo reported paying $100 a month for a parking permit, and permits there run short.
• Uptake is still low: the State Hornet counted roughly 7,000 commuter sleeves among about 31,000 students in spring 2026.

How Car-Free Living Works at Sacramento State

Living car-free at Sac State comes down to one station and one card. The University/65th Street station sits at 65th and Q Street, south of campus, and it is the closest light rail stop to Sacramento State. SacRT's own guide for Sac State riders describes the walk as short and direct: head up 65th Street and enter campus through the Hornet Tunnel on Elvas Boulevard.

The card is your OneCard. Put it in the plastic sleeve with the current semester sticker (both come from the Transportation and Parking Services Welcome Center or the Bursar's Office) and you can ride SacRT buses and light rail all semester. That's it. No monthly pass, no fare app.

So the question isn't whether transit exists. It's which apartments put you close enough to the station that you actually use it. If you are comparing every option first, start with the full list of off-campus housing near Sacramento State, then come back to this shortlist.

Sac State Apartments Next to the University/65th Street Light Rail Station

Three buildings on Find My Place are close enough to the station that you could hear the train bells from the parking lot. Distances below are straight-line estimates from FMP listing coordinates to the station, plus the walk to campus shown on each property page.

Wexler (1500 67th St)

Wexler is the closest of the three, roughly 0.06 miles from the platform. Its FMP page puts campus at 0.5 miles, about a 16-minute walk. Floor plans run from one to five bedrooms, and the building lists from $609 a month. Some of its lowest prices are on its larger plans, so ask the leasing office whether a quote is per person or for the whole unit before you compare it to anything else.

The Mezzo (6400 Folsom Blvd)

The Mezzo sits about 0.1 miles from the station on Folsom Boulevard. Campus is 0.6 miles away (17 minutes on foot). It's the pricier pick: plans list from $1,780 a month, topping out at $3,550 for a three-bedroom. Reviewers like the staff. Parking is the sore spot (one resident wrote that the city issued fewer permits than there are apartments), which is exactly why a no-car plan fits this building.

Academy 65 (1325 65th St)

Academy 65 is about 0.2 miles north of the station, on the street that leads straight into the Hornet Tunnel. Its page lists campus at 0.4 miles, roughly 13 minutes walking, which makes it the shortest walk to class of the three. Units range from studios to four-bedrooms and list from $690 a month; the same per-person-versus-per-unit question applies on the bigger plans.

Where the Hornet Shuttle Fits In

The Hornet Shuttle is Sac State's free campus bus, and it covers the gaps light rail does not. University/65th Street station is one of its connection points, along with SacRT routes 26, 38, 81, 82 and 87. You need a valid OneCard to board, and the university's Hornet Shuttle page is clear about the schedule: weekdays during fall and spring semesters only. No summer. No spring break.

One stop matters for apartment hunters. Since October 2025, the Hornet Commons northbound stop has been served across the street on College Town Drive, next to parking Lot 7. That puts Hornet Commons (3001 State University Dr, listing from $1,150 a month) on the shuttle network, about 0.7 miles from campus. Read its reviews first, though. Its FMP score is 1.0, with complaints about staff and mail handling.

The live tracker is the TransLoc app. Use it. A shuttle that "comes every so often" is not a plan for an 8 a.m. exam.

Living in Midtown Without a Car

Midtown is the other realistic car-free base, because the Gold Line connects it straight to the 65th Street station. Carol Manor at 3008 O Street sits about 0.2 miles from 29th Street station (R Street between 29th and 30th) and lists a one-bedroom from $1,195 a month. Its FMP page shows campus at 2.5 miles, so you are trading a longer commute for walkable restaurants, coffee shops and the farmers market.

My honest take: Midtown makes sense for juniors and seniors with fewer early classes. The State Hornet reported Gold Line trains every 15 minutes on weekdays, which is fine. But a missed train plus a 10-minute walk from 65th Street adds up when you are already late.

Browse the full Sacramento student housing listings if you want to compare Midtown and East Sacramento side by side.

What Car-Free Actually Saves a Sac State Student

The biggest savings is not gas. It is parking. A Sac State semester parking permit, an apartment permit like the $100 a month one a Mezzo resident described, insurance and registration all disappear when the car does. Your transit pass is already paid for in your fees, so every month without a car is money you keep.

Plenty of students leave that on the table. In spring 2026, the State Hornet counted about 7,000 commuter sleeves handed out across a campus of about 31,000. If you live near 65th Street and still drive to class, you are in the majority, and you are paying for it twice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car-Free Living Near Sac State

Is light rail free for Sacramento State students?

Yes. SacRT says the semester pass is covered in your registration fees, so you ride buses and light rail with your OneCard, a plastic sleeve and the current semester sticker. The State Hornet has reported that commuter passes are moving to the Transit Connect app, so check Transportation and Parking Services for the current method before the semester starts.

Which light rail station is closest to Sac State?

University/65th Street, at 65th and Q Street on the Gold Line. From the platform, walk north on 65th Street and enter campus through the Hornet Tunnel on Elvas Boulevard.

Does the Hornet Shuttle run on weekends?

No. It runs Monday through Friday during fall and spring semesters, finals week included. It does not run in summer, over winter or spring break, or on holidays, so plan around SacRT on those days.

What is the cheapest apartment near the 65th Street station?

Wexler lists from $609 a month and Academy 65 from $690, both on FMP. Those floor prices come from multi-bedroom plans, so confirm whether the number is per person or for the whole unit before you sign anything.

Can I live in Midtown and get to Sac State without a car?

Probably, yes. The Gold Line links Midtown stations like 29th Street to University/65th Street, and from there it is a short walk or a Hornet Shuttle ride to class. Budget extra time for 8 a.m. starts.