UF Off-Campus Housing Bus Routes: 10 Gainesville Apartments on RTS Lines That Run Often

The best UF off-campus housing bus routes for living without a car are RTS Routes 33, 20, 13 and 37, which all run roughly every 10 to 18 minutes on weekday middays this fall, and UF students ride every RTS fixed route with a Gator 1 ID at no charge. Below are 10 Gainesville apartments we list that sit a short walk from a stop on those lines, starting with Museum Walk on SW 19th Avenue, where a Route 33 bus comes by about every 10 minutes. Route and frequency details were checked against the RTS fall 2026 schedule on October 23, 2026.

Full disclosure: every building here is one we list as University of Florida off-campus housing, and each listing's commute widget ties it to UF. The bus data comes from Gainesville's Regional Transit System, not from the leasing offices.

Key Takeaways

• Free for you. RTS says designated UF students get "pre-paid unlimited access to all RTS fixed-route services" (bring the Gator 1 mobile ID or card).
• Route 33 is the workhorse west of campus: about every 10 minutes on weekday middays, and it still runs on Saturday and Sunday.
• Routes 9 and 38 skip weekends entirely this fall, and Route 21 runs Monday through Thursday only, 7:38 a.m. to about 6:15 p.m.
• Cheapest pick on a frequent line? The Quarters, where a room in a four-bedroom lists from $560 on Route 37.
• Breaks change everything. RTS runs reduced service November 21 to 25 and most of December, and Route 21 stops completely.
• Distances to each stop below are straight-line from the listing's map pin, so add a minute for the parking lot.

How UF Students Ride RTS for Free in Fall 2026

UF students don't pay at the farebox. The RTS fares and passes page lists UF students, faculty and staff under prepaid unlimited access, while a regular adult cash fare is $1.50. You just show your Gator 1 when you board.

The fall schedule runs August 17, 2026, through January 3, 2027. A few changes matter if you're picking an apartment by bus line. According to UF Transportation and Parking Services, RTS is adding peak-hour buses to Routes 9, 33 and 37 "to help reduce overcrowding," and Routes 9 and 38 no longer run on weekends because of low ridership.

Here's our rule for this list, the FMP Two-Line Test: before you sign, find two routes within a few minutes' walk of the front door. A packed bus that rolls past your stop at 8:40 a.m. can wreck a car-free week. A second line is your backup.

1. Museum Walk (SW 19th Avenue): Best Bus Access Overall

Museum Walk gets a 10-minute bus a short walk away, plus two backup lines. RTS has a stop literally named "Museum Walk Apartments" on Route 33, about 0.1 miles from the building at 3500 SW 19th Ave. Route 33 runs between Butler Plaza and The Hub on campus, and on weekday middays the schedule shows a bus every 10 minutes, with the last trip toward campus leaving at 10:29 p.m.

Walk a little farther, to the Campus USA stop, and you also get Route 20 (every 12 minutes midday) and Route 21. Rooms list from $900 in a three-bedroom, and since the two-bedroom plans list higher ($981 to $1,010), read that as per-person rent. It's 1.8 miles from UF per the listing. No reviews yet. See Museum Walk floor plans.

2. Campus Circle (SW 38th Terrace): Route 33 at the Door, Two More Nearby

Campus Circle gets its own Route 33 stop, "Campus Circle Apartments," roughly 0.07 miles from 1742 SW 38th Ter. Route 33 comes by about every 10 minutes on weekday middays. Routes 20 and 21 both stop about 0.16 miles away on SW 38th Terrace and at Kensington, so you have three ways to campus.

A room in a four-bedroom lists at $829. The two-bedroom plan is $1,109, and that drop as bedrooms go up only makes sense as per-bed pricing. UF is 2.2 miles away per the listing, which is a bike ride in October and a sweaty one in August. Campus Circle on Find My Place.

3. On20 Apartments (SW 20th Avenue): Best-Rated Building on a Frequent Line

On20 is the pick if reviews matter as much as the bus. It holds a 4.8 from five reviews on Find My Place, the best score of anything on this list. The "34th St Plaza" stop, about 0.1 miles from 3527 SW 20th Avenue, is served by Route 20 to the Reitz Union (every 12 minutes on weekday middays, last trip 10:12 p.m.) and Route 21.

Rooms start at $709 in a three-bedroom. A two-bedroom plan lists at $909 and a one-bedroom at $1,619, so the lower numbers are per person. Route 20 also runs weekends, every 36 minutes. On20 Apartments listing.

4. Canopy Apartments (SW 20th Avenue): Cheap Room, 12-Minute Bus

Canopy, at 4400 SW 20th Ave, sits 2.5 miles from UF, the farthest out of the SW 20th group. It makes up for it with a Route 20 stop called "Canopy Apartments" about 0.15 miles away. The Route 21 terminal at Liv Apartments is also close (0.2 miles), and Route 21 runs every 22 minutes Monday through Thursday while classes are in session.

Four-bedroom rooms list from $670, three-bedrooms from $810 and two-bedrooms from $950. Rent falls as the unit gets bigger, so that's $670 per person. No reviews on FMP yet, so ask current residents how full the 8 a.m. Route 20 is by the time it reaches you. Canopy Apartments on Find My Place.

5. The Metropolitan (SW 13th Street): Best Bus-or-Bike Option

At 1.2 miles from UF, The Metropolitan is close enough that the bus is optional. Route 13 stops at "Home2 Suites Hotel," about 0.04 miles from 2205 SW 13th St, and runs up 13th toward Beaty Towers every 12 to 13 minutes on weekday middays. Weekends drop to every 50 minutes.

Rooms list from $925 in a four-bedroom, against $1,290 for a two-bedroom and $1,680 for a one-bedroom, so $925 is per person. It rates 4.2 from five reviews. Route 13 also serves Alsander GNV at 1900 SW 13th (from $1,145 a person) and Anthem House at 2548 SW 13th, which lists from $1,159 (its mixed plans make the basis unclear, so ask). The Metropolitan floor plans.

6. Oxford Manor (SW Archer Road): Most Routes Within a Short Walk

Oxford Manor, at 2777 SW Archer Rd, is a transfer point disguised as an apartment complex. The University Commons stop, about 0.16 miles away, is served by Routes 9, 12 and 37. Routes 1 and 38 also stop at Brandywine Apartments, about 0.2 miles off. That's five lines, and Route 1 heads past UF Health Shands, handy for health science students.

Rooms in a three-bedroom start at $669. Two-bedroom plans list from $835 and one-bedrooms from $1,394, so the $669 is per bed. It's 1.5 miles from UF per the listing, with no reviews yet. Oxford Manor on Find My Place.

7. The Quarters (SW 37th Boulevard): Cheapest Room on a Frequent Line

The Quarters is the price play. A room in a four-bedroom lists from $560, and three-bedroom rooms start at $645, so that's per person. Route 37 stops at "The Quarters Gainesville," about 0.1 miles from 4000 SW 37th Blvd, and runs to the Reitz Union every 12 to 18 minutes on weekday middays, every 30 minutes Saturday and hourly Sunday.

The catch is the reviews. It sits at 3.4 on FMP, and one resident wrote, "DO NOT SIGN A LEASE HERE." Read all five before touring. Route 37 is also one of the lines TAPS is adding peak buses to for crowding, so leave early. The Quarters listing.

8. Lexington Crossing (SW 27th Street): Two Lines, Weekday-Heavy

Lexington Crossing has two RTS stops with its own name on them. Route 9 runs from there to campus every 9 to 26 minutes on weekday middays, and Route 12 adds a bus every 15 to 30 minutes. Both stops are about 0.1 miles from 3700 SW 27th St.

Weekends are thin, though. Route 9 doesn't run at all, and Route 12 drops to hourly. Rooms list from $649 in a four-bedroom, $749 in a three and $999 in a two, a clear per-bed pattern. UF is 2.4 miles away per the listing. Lexington Crossing on Find My Place.

9. Gainesville Place (SW 35th Place): Its Own Weekday Route

Gainesville Place is the end of the line for Route 38, which RTS names after the complex. On weekdays, buses leave the "Gainesville Place Apartments" stop for The Hub every 8 to 17 minutes midday, with the last one at 10:29 p.m. Route 38 doesn't run Saturday or Sunday, so on weekends you walk about a quarter mile to the SW 35th Place stops for Routes 37 and 12.

Rooms in a four-bedroom list from $630, and the two-bedroom plan is $998, so the $630 is per person. It's 1.9 miles from UF per the listing. Gainesville Place floor plans.

10. Hideaway Gainesville (SW Williston Road): Lowest Rent, Weakest Bus

Hideaway is on this list for one reason: $549. That's the starting rent for a room in a four-bedroom, and with three-bedroom rooms from $639 and two-bedrooms from $759, it's per person. It's the cheapest UF-linked listing we have.

The bus is the tradeoff. Only Route 12 stops at "Hideaway Apartments," about 0.16 miles from 2800 SW Williston Rd, running every 15 to 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly on weekends. With one route and no backup, a full bus means a late arrival. Fine if your schedule is flexible; risky if you have an 8:30 a.m. exam. Hideaway Gainesville listing.

Frequent Routes, Low Ratings: Two Places to Research Hard

Two more UF-linked complexes sit on frequent lines but have rough reviews. Varsity House on SW 37th Street lists rooms from $685 and is about 0.09 miles from a Route 33 stop, but it rates 1.9 on FMP, and one June 2026 review opens "NEVER LIVE HERE." Cabana Beach, 3 miles out on SW 51st Terrace, has Route 20 running through the property and rooms from $620, with a 2.7 rating. Cheap rent on a good bus line is worth a tour. Just read every review first.

If you'd rather walk than ride, the Midtown and north SW 13th Street buildings in our guide to UF off-campus neighborhoods are inside a mile of campus. You can also browse everything in town on the Gainesville student housing page.

Frequently Asked Questions About UF Off-Campus Bus Routes

Is the RTS bus free for UF students?

Yes. RTS lists UF students under prepaid unlimited access on all fixed routes, so you pay nothing at boarding. Show your Gator 1 ID, card or mobile.

Which RTS route runs most often to UF apartments?

Route 33. On weekday middays this fall it runs about every 10 minutes between Butler Plaza and The Hub, serving Museum Walk, Campus Circle and Varsity House along the way.

Do RTS buses run on weekends in Gainesville?

Some do. Routes 33, 20, 37, 12 and 13 run Saturday and Sunday, mostly every 25 to 60 minutes. Routes 9, 38 and 21 don't run on weekends at all this fall.

Can you live off campus at UF without a car?

Plenty of students do. Pick a building near two frequent routes (the FMP Two-Line Test), check the last bus home before you sign, and plan on reduced service over Thanksgiving week and December.