Getting around in St. Louis

“Coming from the Los Angeles area, flying in and out of St. Louis is fairly easy! Lambert International Airport is average sized, with a quick and friendly TSA, a smaller number of gates and few delays (in my experience). The airport is about a 15-minute drive from the Central West End (around $20-30 on Uber) or a 20-minute MetroLink ride (free for students). The only downside is that St. Louis is not a major flight hub, so direct flights are not always available depending on your destination, and flight prices can be higher than airports in big cities. But all-in-all, flying in and out of St. Louis is relatively painless and convenient!” 

[caption id="attachment_12150" align="alignleft" width="544"] Adam O. biking toward the Gateway Arch.[/caption]

“A lot of students live close enough to walk to school and some even choose to drive the half mile to get here. If you care about the Earth, your own health/fitness, and your wallet, you might consider biking to school. Worried about self care or finances during medical school? Save time by making your commute your exercise and save money on gas and parking! The med campus is very bike friendly. There are multiple open bike lock stations, as well as a handful of gated bike racks that you need to swipe in with your ID badge. I live about five miles west of campus, so half of my ride is through Forest Park, which is very safe for bikers and pretty. Making Forest Park part of your commute reduces a lot of the stress of bike commuting. If you have to ride in the dark (early or late) make sure you have a tail and headlight to increase visibility. And don’t forget your helmet! If the weather is horrible (too wet, icy, or snowy) then I walk a half-mile to the MetroLink and take the train to school (free as a student!). Come find me if you have any questions about cycling for commuting!” 

“St. Louis has various attractions and activities, but often times you'll need a car to get to them. If you don't have one, don't fret. WashU has a partnership with the Enterprise Carshare program, which allows students to rent cars for short periods of time. It's pretty cheap ($5/hour) and only requires a student ID and a valid driver's license.”

“I thoroughly enjoy having a car in St. Louis! The Central West End is fairly walkable, but if you want to explore downtown St. Louis, St. Louis County or the greater Midwest area, having a car makes travel infinitely easier. Gas is very affordable here, so road trips to Chicago, Nashville, and Memphis are not only short (less than five hours driving) but also budget-friendly! Day-to-day life is also easier with a car; for example, the more cost-effective grocery stores, as well as Target, Best Buy, and thrift stores are driving distance away. Parking is fairly affordable at most St. Louis apartment complexes, so if possible, I would definitely recommend having a car!” 

“My original plan was to bring my car up to St. Louis over winter break, but after a few months in St. Louis I have scrapped that plan and cannot see myself bringing the ’05 Sequoia anytime soon. Walking to class is super convenient, and getting to places for lunch from school is quite easy on foot. Public transportation is easy and Uber/Lyft are affordable in St. Louis. The only time they get expensive for me is to get to the airport, and all students get free Metro passes which gets you to the airport in the same amount of time as an Uber/Lyft. For errands, you can go with friends with a car or just have what you need delivered (I use Instacart, which allows me to get all my groceries delivered for just $99/year). On top of all this, think about how small your carbon footprint will be when you don’t use a car!” 

“If you decide to drive to school, there are a couple of options for parking on or near campus. There is hourly parking but it can be difficult to find a spot and it is not very cost-effective if you plan to drive every day. The nearby Clayton/Taylor Garage is $77/month (you can pay for this at the front desk in Olin Hall). If you are trying to save some money you may be able to find free street parking if you are willing to walk 10-plus minutes. Finally, if you arrive after 2 p.m. you can park in the Clayton/Taylor garage for free.” 

“Public transit in St. Louis includes the train (MetroLink) and the bus system (MetroBus). A perk of being a med student at WashU is that you can claim your U-Pass, which will give you free access to both throughout the year. You pick up your U-Pass from Olin Residence Hall at the beginning of the semester (keep a lookout for emails about this), and you will be prompted via email when it is time to renew. There is a MetroLink stop in the center of the med school campus, which makes it convenient for students who commute to and from campus by metro. Notable stops throughout the city include: downtown Clayton, Brentwood (right next to Mai Lee and walking distance from Target, DSW, Dierbergs, Petco, and Trader Joe’s), the DeBaliviere neighborhood, the Loop, the airport and stops downtown by the Blues and Cardinals games, as well as other attractions. The Metro does not service every area of town, so the bus system and ridesharing apps will be necessary at times if you don’t have access to a car. To plan your trip, use the online Trip Planner on the Metro Transit website, or use Google Transit.” 

“For nights out on the town or for times when you don’t feel like taking public transportation, St. Louis has both Uber and Lyft. Although Uber Pool and Shared Rides on Lyft aren’t currently available, using rideshare apps is much more affordable in St. Louis compared to bigger cities.”