10 UT Austin Apartments on Shuttle Routes: Living Car-Free in Riverside, North Campus and Hyde Park

If you want to live car-free, the UT Austin apartments that work best are on a shuttle route, meaning a street a UT Shuttle already runs: Elmont Drive and South Pleasant Valley Road in Riverside (Routes 670 and 672), Speedway in North Campus and Hyde Park (Route 656), or a short walk from the Forty Acres. Riverside is the cheap option, with per-bed plans at Ballpark North and Town Lake listing from about $575 to $715 a month. North Campus and Hyde Park cost more but put you a walk or one bus ride from class.

Below are 10 places on Find My Place's list of off-campus housing near UT Austin, grouped by neighborhood, with the route that actually serves each one. Prices are the floor-plan rents on each FMP listing as of November 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Riverside is where the money is saved: Ballpark North and Town Lake both price per bed, with 4x4s listing at $635 and $645.
• Check the street, not the ZIP code. UT's Route 670 serves Elmont, Crossing Place and Wickersham north of Riverside Drive, so a complex two blocks off that path can mean a much longer walk to the stop.
• The shuttle is free with a physical UT ID (CapMetro does not accept the virtual card), and most CapMetro buses are free with it too.
• North Campus mostly skips the bus question. Red River Place is 0.8 miles from campus per FMP's commute widget.
• Hyde Park's ride in is Route 656, which runs Speedway north of Dean Keeton and 46th Street.
• Plan for weekends: UT Shuttles run Monday through Friday and Sunday while classes are in session, and Saturday only during finals.

How UT Shuttle and CapMetro Service Works for Off-Campus Renters

UT Parking and Transportation Services lists seven shuttle routes, and all of them are free with a valid UT photo ID. UT's shuttle page says a physical ID card is required on CapMetro, so keep the card in your wallet even if your phone has the virtual one. CapMetro's UT rider's guide adds that students ride most regular CapMetro service free with that ID, and that Routes 7, 10, 20, 801 and 803 serve campus directly.

One change matters for Riverside. In April 2026, CBS Austin reported that CapMetro's board approved cutting weekday service on Route 670 North Riverside and Route 661 Far West to every 15 to 20 minutes, down from every 8 to 10, starting in August 2026. Budget a few extra minutes if you're living on 670.

1. Ballpark North (Riverside): Best Per-Bed Price on the 670

Ballpark North is the cheapest way onto Route 670. It sits at 4600 Elmont Drive, and Elmont is one of the three streets UT names for Route 670 North Riverside. Floor plans list at $590 for a 4x2, $635 for a 4x4 and $695 for a 3x3, and rent falls as bedrooms go up, which only makes sense if those are per-bed prices. It's about 3.5 miles from the UT Tower in a straight line. Reviews are mixed (3.2 from five reviewers on Ballpark North's FMP page), so read them before you sign.

2. Town Lake (Riverside): Most Floor Plans on the Lake Shore Route

Town Lake works if you want a choice of unit sizes in Riverside. It's at 1109 South Pleasant Valley Road, a street on Route 672 Lake Shore, which comes up Lakeshore Boulevard and San Jacinto and makes its last campus stop at 23rd and Trinity. The per-bed curve runs from $575 for a 4x2 bed to $645 (4x4), $715 (3x3) and $840 (2x2), and a 1x1 lists at $1,185. Town Lake has no reviews on FMP yet. Ask the office how far the nearest 672 stop is from your building before you sign.

3. Edison Austin (East Riverside): Studios Instead of Roommates

Edison Austin is the Riverside pick for someone who wants to live alone. Studios list from $1,199 and one-bedrooms from $1,399, all whole-unit. It's 3.7 miles from UT per Edison's FMP listing, at 4711 East Riverside Drive.

Ask whether the 672 stops near the building. If it doesn't, CapMetro's Route 20 runs Riverside and is free with your ID. Late nights are covered too: Night Owl Route 483 Riverside runs midnight to 3 a.m., Monday through Saturday.

4. Red River Place Apartments (North Campus): Walkable and Under $1,000

Red River Place is the cheapest true walk-to-class option here. One-bedrooms at 924 East Dean Keeton Street list at $875 and $950, whole-unit. FMP's commute widget puts it 0.8 miles from campus. Route 640 Forty Acres also runs Dean Keeton if the Texas heat wins. Red River Place has no reviews on FMP yet.

5. UT Speedway (North Campus): Five-Star Reviews on the 656 Corridor

UT Speedway is one of the best-reviewed North Campus options on FMP's UT list, with a 5.0 score from five reviews. The building is at 3121 Speedway, about 0.7 miles north of the Tower in a straight line, and Route 656 runs Speedway north of Dean Keeton. Every listed plan is a two-bedroom, one-bath unit, from $1,409 to $1,549 a month. One reviewer called it "a nice, quiet neighborhood," which is not what anyone says about West Campus. Details are on UT Speedway's page.

6. Mark Embers (North Campus): One-Bedrooms Across the Street

Mark Embers, at 3106 Speedway, is basically UT Speedway's neighbor. One-bedrooms list at $1,149, $1,244 and $1,269, and a two-bedroom at $1,569 (whole-unit, since rent climbs with size). It sits on the same Route 656 stretch of Speedway. Mark Embers has no FMP reviews yet.

7. Whitis Lofts (North Campus): Closest to a West Campus Stop

Whitis Lofts is for the student who wants a shuttle stop practically at the curb. It's at 3011 Whitis Avenue, a few blocks from the 27th and Whitis stop on Route 642 West Campus. The listed one-bedroom is $1,100. Here's the catch: Whitis Lofts scores 2.9, and one reviewer reported mold, leaks and AC problems. Tour it in person and look at the unit you'll actually get.

8. Peppertree Apartments (North University): Cheapest Studio Toward Hyde Park

Peppertree is the budget studio between North Campus and Hyde Park. At 408 West 37th Street, it's 1.3 miles from UT per FMP's commute widget. Plans rise with size (studio $850, one-bedroom $995, two-bedroom $1,350), so these are whole-unit rents. Four reviewers gave Peppertree a 5.0, and one called the staff "great and honest."

9. Hyde Park Apartments (Hyde Park): Studio Living Near the 656

Hyde Park Apartments, at 4410 Avenue F, is about 1.8 miles from campus by FMP's commute widget. It's a few blocks west of Speedway, where Route 656 runs up toward 46th Street. Studios list at $950 and $975, and a one-bedroom at $995. The 4.2 score on Hyde Park Apartments' page hides a split: one June 2026 reviewer complained about overflowing dumpsters. Worth asking about trash pickup.

10. Oak Park Apartments (Hyde Park): One-Bedrooms Opening This Winter

Oak Park is the pick if you're signing mid-year. At 4505 Duval Street, it shows several units with November and December move-in dates on FMP. Studios start at $1,099 and one-bedrooms run $1,199 to $1,564, whole-unit. It scores 4.7 on Oak Park's page. Speedway, and the 656, is a couple of blocks west; the CapMetro app will show whether another stop is closer.

Riverside vs. North Campus vs. Hyde Park Without a Car

Pick Riverside if price is the deciding factor and you can live with a bus schedule. A per-bed 4x4 there saves several hundred dollars a month against a North Campus one-bedroom. You give some of it back in time, though, and the 670's new 15-to-20-minute weekday headways make that worse.

North Campus is the no-thinking option. Most of it is walkable, and the shuttle is a backup. Hyde Park sits in between: quieter streets, and a ride on the 656 or a long walk. If you're still choosing between UT's closer neighborhoods, our West Campus vs. North Campus comparison covers that trade.

Frequently Asked Questions About Living Car-Free Near UT Austin

Is the UT Shuttle free for students?

Yes, with a valid UT photo ID. UT says a physical card is required on CapMetro, and virtual IDs are not accepted. The same ID gets you onto most regular CapMetro buses free.

Does the UT Shuttle run on weekends?

Sundays, yes. Saturdays, only during finals. Shuttles run Monday through Friday and Sunday while classes are in session. On Saturdays you'll need CapMetro, which your ID covers.

Which UT Shuttle serves Riverside?

Two of them. Route 670 North Riverside serves Elmont, Crossing Place and Wickersham north of Riverside Drive. Route 672 Lake Shore covers East Riverside, South Pleasant Valley and Lakeshore Boulevard. CapMetro's Route 20 and Night Owl 483 also run along Riverside.

Is Riverside actually cheaper than North Campus?

On FMP's current listings, yes, if you're willing to share. Ballpark North and Town Lake list per-bed rents from $575 to $715, while North Campus one-bedrooms on this list start at $875. For a fuller price breakdown by neighborhood, see our UT Austin off-campus housing cost guide.