UofL Off-Campus Housing by Bus: TARC Routes and the Apartments Along Them

UofL off-campus housing works fine without a car if you pick an apartment on the bus: TARC Route 4 (Fourth Street), Route 3, or the Route 94 Cardinal Shuttle. UofL students and employees ride every TARC route free with a UofL ID, and since TARC's new network launched on August 2, 2026, Route 4 runs about every 15 minutes on weekdays past The Marshall and Trifecta on South 4th Street. The Highlands is the exception: both Highlands apartments on our UofL page sit on Route 1, which doesn't reach Belknap, so plan on a transfer.

Key Takeaways

• Free. TARC fares cost UofL students nothing with a valid UofL ID, on any route.
• Route 4 on South 4th Street is the backbone: every 15 minutes on weekdays, every 30 on weekends, roughly 5 a.m. to almost midnight.
• The Cardinal Shuttle (Route 94) loops Belknap about every 6 minutes on weekdays, but it doesn't run on weekends or when classes aren't in session.
• Of the 12 apartments on our UofL off-campus housing page, 9 sit within a quarter mile of a stop for Route 3, 4, 20 or 94.
• Highlands apartments are on Route 1 (Broadway–Bardstown), which doesn't reach campus on its own.

Which TARC Routes Serve UofL's Belknap Campus in 2026

Four regular routes touch Belknap under the new TARC network, according to TARC's New Network page:

• Route 4, Fourth Street – New Cut. Downtown to Old Louisville to campus along 4th Street.
• Route 3, Preston Highway – West Market. Crosses campus on Cardinal Boulevard and Eastern Parkway, and also stops downtown at Muhammad Ali and 3rd.
• Route 20, Eastern Parkway. A 30-minute crosstown route along Eastern Parkway, seven days a week.
• Route 94, Cardinal Shuttle. The campus loop via Cardinal Boulevard, Floyd Street and the Student Activity Center.

We pulled the numbers below from TARC's published schedule data (the GTFS feed for August 2026 through January 2027), using a Tuesday as the typical weekday. Route 93 also shows up near campus, but it's a limited UPS commuter shuttle with a few early-morning and late-night trips, so don't count on it for class.

UofL Apartments on Route 4 (South 4th Street)

If you want the easiest car-free setup, live on 4th Street. Route 4 comes every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 on weekends, from about 5 a.m. until close to midnight on weeknights.

• The Marshall Student Living at 2400 S 4th St lists from $715. The 4th @ Industry stop is basically out front (about 100 feet).
• Trifecta Apartments, across the street at 2501 S 4th St, lists from $675 and shares that same stop. It's also about 0.1 miles from the Route 94 and Route 20 stops on 3rd Street.
• Lofts on Ormsby in Old Louisville lists from $700, roughly 0.13 miles from the 4th @ Ormsby stop. That's the pick if you want a historic neighborhood and still a direct bus.

One quirk: at The Marshall, the three-bedroom lists cheaper than the four-bedroom and the one-bedroom costs the most. When a price curve jumps around like that, treat the number as a starting point and ask the leasing office what you'd pay for your bed.

UofL Apartments on the Cardinal Shuttle and Route 3

The apartments east of 4th Street, around Floyd and Brook, are close enough to walk but also sit on the shuttle. UofL's Parking and Transportation office says the Belknap shuttle runs roughly 6:40 a.m. to 9:36 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 7:56 p.m. Friday, only while classes are in session.

• The Nine at 1900 S Floyd St lists from $719. Cardinal @ Brook (Route 3) is about 0.09 miles away, and the 94 stops at Cardinal @ 1st, about 0.12 miles.
• Cardinal Village at 1800 S 2nd St lists from $899, with Routes 4 and 94 each about 0.18 miles away and Route 3 at about 0.21.

Weekend reality check: the 94 doesn't run Saturday or Sunday. Route 3 does, every 30 minutes.

UofL Apartments West of Campus Near Ruggles Place

The Province (KY) at 600 Ruggles Pl, The Brexx at 1000 Manor Park Dr and Derby Row at 1501 Bellamy Pl are walkers' apartments, not bus apartments. The nearest Route 4 stop is about a quarter mile from The Brexx and The Province, and Derby Row's closest regular stop is Route 8 on 7th Street, which doesn't serve Belknap. Prices list from $609 at Derby Row, $714 at The Province and $799 at The Brexx. Our guide to UofL off-campus neighborhoods covers what the walk is like.

Downtown, Eastern Parkway and the Highlands: Farther Out by Bus

Vue at 3rd Street (downtown)

Vue at 3rd Street at 537 S 3rd St lists from $899. Route 3 stops at Muhammad Ali @ 3rd, about 0.07 miles away, and runs every 15 minutes on weekdays toward campus. Good for students with downtown internships.

2416 Sherry Rd (Eastern Parkway)

This one lists at $550, the lowest price on the page. Routes 3 and 20 both stop at Eastern Parkway @ Concord, about 0.12 miles away, so you've got two ways to Belknap.

Highland Station and The Avenue in the Highlands

Here's the catch. Highland Station (1172 E Broadway, from $1,189) and The Avenue in the Highlands (1031 Everett Ave, from $1,115) are on Route 1, which runs Broadway to Bardstown Road and does not stop at Belknap (Highland Station also has Route 81, which doesn't either). Route 20 does reach Belknap, but its nearest stop (Baxter at Eastern Parkway) is about 0.9 miles from The Avenue. So you'd transfer, usually downtown. TARC says timed transfers at its downtown hub take about 5 to 10 minutes. Doable. Just not a quick hop before an 8 a.m.

How to Check a UofL Apartment's Bus Access Yourself

Pull up the listing's address on our University of Louisville off-campus housing page, then search the address in TARC's trip planner and check three things. Which routes stop within a quarter mile? Do they run on weekends? And does any of them actually reach Belknap without a transfer? Those three answers will tell you more than any "minutes to campus" claim in a listing.

Frequently Asked Questions About UofL Off-Campus Housing and the Bus

Is TARC free for UofL students?

Yes. UofL says students and employees ride TARC free with a valid UofL ID, on every route. Without one, you pay the regular fare.

What's the best bus route for UofL off-campus housing?

Route 4. It runs down 4th Street every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 on weekends, and The Marshall, Trifecta and Lofts on Ormsby are all within about 0.13 miles of a stop.

Does the Cardinal Shuttle run on weekends?

No. Route 94 is weekday-only and runs only while UofL classes are in session. On weekends, use Route 4 or Route 3.

Can I live in the Highlands and take the bus to UofL?

You can, with a transfer. The Highlands apartments are on Route 1, which doesn't serve Belknap, so you'd switch buses, typically downtown.

When did the TARC routes near UofL change?

August 2, 2026, when TARC launched its new network. If an older guide mentions route numbers near campus, double-check them against the current map.