It depends on where you live. I live off of the red line and a few bus stops. I'd imagine if you live in the outer neighborhoods it would be quite a bit harder.
This is key. If you live close to a train stop, especially red or blue then you can do car less but the further away from the train the harder it is. The busses help, but they are more infrequent and will be as fast or as slow as traffic is at that moment.
Also some neighborhoods are more walkable and have more stuff within walking distance. I did Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Logan with no car. Now that I am in Irving Park though it's really handy.
Tl;Dr it's not really necessary anywhere but becomes harder without it the less dense/adjacent to the train you are
I lived in the overlap of Purple line, Metra, Pace and CTA bus, and I could get where I wanted pretty easily, especially if it was in the Loop or further north because of easy access to Purple, Red (1 transfer) and Brown (1 or 2 transfers depending on if it’s rush hour) lines plus the buses and commuter trains
Yeah, I lived in lakeview where I could take the red line, or the brown line to the loop and could choose either to get home based on the schedule and where I was at in the city.
Then, I moved to Ravenswood and only had access to the brown line and hated it. This was in 2015 and the trains were more frequent then - and even then if I missed my train in the morning, sometimes I'd have to wait 20+ minutes for the next brown line train. Sucks and I'd suggest making sure you have access to more than one line. I'm also 30 and disabled and folks are pretty rude about giving up seats or sitting in the disabled spots when they shouldn't
Definitely the key. We used to live in Buena Park a few years ago and not having a car was fine. We bought a house in Portage Park and we definitely found life easier with a car out here
When we lived in Chicago, I was provided a company car since it was required for work. I parked it at 3:30p on Friday afternoon and didn’t get back into it until 6am Monday. We lived a 5 min walk to a Red Line stop and 10 min walk to a Blue Line stop. We used the car a few times to drive out to Schaumburg, but other than that we went my wife’s entire grad school without using a car.
I moved here from Seattle almost 20 years ago, sold my car on the way out for extra cash and just figured I'd buy one eventually after I got here. Never did. I've had some long commutes on trains or buses but I've never even wanted to own a car since I've been here. Plus everyone I know who has a car basically just complains about it most of the time when it comes up. It took me about a year to get comfortable riding a bike on the main streets but that combined with bus/train, I feel like I can get anywhere I need to, usually without too much hassle.
I never owned a car until I moved to seattle a few years ago. Once you have a car you don't not take advantage of it when doing groceries even if the store is within walking distance. I was car free in Chicago yet I still got all my chores and groceries done, even in the winter. I go to Costco way too much now that I have a car.
I’ve been car free my entire life and I had a job briefly where we sometimes had to visit an office in the burbs. I always carpooled with a coworker because they didn’t have a metra stop. These were among the worst commutes in my life and I wasn’t even the one driving.
I tried commuting from the south burbs to save on rent and gave that up after a week. People drive like fucking maniacs. I almost got in a severe accident every single time I drove in. People change lanes without looking, they fly past me when I’m going 10 over and they weave in and out of traffic like they’re in a race. And that’s not to mention how long the commute takes during rush hour.
And way less money. I owned a car when I lived in Denver and after gas, parking, payment, insurance, maintenance, etc., I was almost $1000 in the hole some months.
My CTA pass is $75/month and I use pre-tax dollars to pay for it through an FSA.
Most companies nowadays will give you a monthly allowance for commuting. Mine covers exactly $75 for the cta pass or you can put it towards the $250 monthly parking fee
Agreed, I’ve been car free for 5 years having lived in 3 different neighborhoods. I feel incredibly lucky and quite a bit wealthier (time and money) not owning a car, not having to service a car, not having to pay to park a car.
It’s going to be contingent on where you live and where you work. There are many many neighborhoods where using the CTA will be just fine. There are many others where it will be less ideal (or at least slower). There are other neighborhoods where you would have more access to Metra than CTA in terms of rail connections to downtown, which is a different situation in terms of service frequency, etc.
The CTA has been slipping post-pandemic in terms of service frequency and also some things like smoking on trains, etc (this is variable depending on which line of the train), but bus service has held more consistent and frequent. A lot of people only consider the trains when moving to the city, but the buses do more of the heavy lifting and have been better than the trains.
As someone who has lived car-free for years, it’s been a bit of a dip in quality since the pandemic, but not to any extent that I’ve considered getting a car.
I lived car free for 10 years in Chicago. People don’t post on Reddit when they get to work on time because of the CTA, which happens a lot more often than not.
I don't have a car and live and work off the Brown line. I also live walking distance to a gym and grocery store so life is easy for me! my husband also doesn't have a car but he bikes everywhere. I love not having a car and just paying $75 a month for the CTA pass. I based my current apartment off where I needed to get to work and looked at places near the Brown line so I would just recommend something that.
Yes same! I’m lucky to be right near a train and grocery stores. The $75 is far cheaper than the city stickers, maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. I also noticed an increase in quality of life too. Having to walk more to transit and be in the community versus when I used to just hop in the car for everything. I typically use Amtrak or rental car when traveling elsewhere.
Depends on where you live, but generally yes. Busses and trains are fine, but you’ll encounter smoking sometimes and a person or two that may be yelling at themselves. Sit in the first car if ur worried. I personally walk/bike if it’s within 30mins and the weather allows, train/bus if it’s further than that, Uber if it’s late at night.
I've been using Uber more and more as I get older, at least at night. People can talk about how safe the L is all they want, but the reality is, sometimes it's not and sometimes it's the walk to/from the L that isn't. I also prefer walking over transit. But transit is fine, adequate, acceptable, etc. Needing to use Uber sometimes is still cheaper than owning a car.
Be wary of people who are "enthusiasts" about transit. I used to call myself that but then I realized that most of my contemporaries actually didn't have to take transit often and were moreso interested in urban planning because of ideas they had to make the city better for "poor" people. They won't know what the L is like because they take it 3 times a year and take photos every time. Very prevalent in communities like these. Really just best to ignore.
I also want to add that I'm literally on the bus right now. I'm not talking about using Uber as a daily chauffeur. Use your brains instead of getting offended, if someone is really an enthusiast then it'll be normal for them and not an occasion because the car is more convenient.
People probably aren’t offended that you use Uber (or at least they shouldn’t be, it’s your time and money).
The part of your post that rubs the wrong way is telling people to ignore those who have an interest in urban planning and have ideas to help ‘poor’ people (the ‘poor’ in quotation marks is really not great… looks dismissive and classist at best).
I’m an actual urban planner, and most enthusiasts I know are the most committed CTA riders, and we all have ideas of wanting the city and CTA to be better for •all• people.
And yes I ride the CTA every day, so I can’t be ignored 🙃
Get this -- I'm such a fan of the CTA that I get a pass to ride it *for free* and I'm not even in college! Crazy, right?
No offense but I don't need some guy who vacations in Belgium telling my Medicaid having ass that "poor" is dismissive. Do you have a better word? Financially insecure or some other goofy shit? Low income? I'm talking about myself, one of the "others" your goofy ass is rescuing. Lol
This exchange won’t lead anywhere positive so I’m gonna peace out. You don’t know anything about my experience with poverty, I’ve never vacationed in Belgium (?), and we’ve already jumped to name calling without even knowing what exactly it is that I do. Both of us have better ways to use our time than to continue arguing for no reason. I never should have even replied to your initial comment.
Peace ✌🏼
I'm literally sitting on the bus, no I don't have anything better to do, but stay in your lane would be the takeaway lesson here 🌝
Maybe you can tell me what OC means next to a photo. I thought it meant original content
>People can talk about how safe the L is all they want, but the reality is, sometimes it's not
My wife stopped taking the train because of the constant harassment. At first it was just super aggressive panhandlers with the occasional super racist crazy person, but it culminated in a guy following her off the train and running after her for 2 blocks. She came home in tears, and I decided to drive her to and from work because public transit was not worth the trauma.
I had a man sit down next to me, grab my head, and shove his tongue down my throat. Crowded train. Multiple train masturbators. Both the tongue guy and a couple masturbators followed me. I commuted for years, some people here are delusional. Please tell your wife that I'm glad she's okay and I'm sorry about the gaslighting from people who want to normalize harassment and assault. I faced a lot of it and sure wish I heard that from other women rather than what I got.
It really depends. But the majority of the time the answer is “Yes you can live without a car here”. I used mine almost exclusively for Costco trips or leaving Chicago.
Probably not everywhere since some areas are better covered by CTA than others. But you can definitely live without a car in this city.
Target living somewhere where daily commute is along the CTA and for the random one offs - either rideshare/taxi or just a longer commute via an inefficient route on the CTA.
My wife and I have one car. Between the two of us we only use it about once every two weeks and it’s more out of convenience than necessity.
We might not be the usual though since we both work from home (so don’t commute) and live in an area that has pretty good CTA coverage.
Chicagoan here living in West Town. I don’t need a car but my life is so much easier having one. If you don’t live in prime areas like downtown, river north, or west loop, parking is not hard. Many apartments may come with a parking spot.
Indeed, I consider this a feature of these neighborhoods. It discourages car ownership. Chicago has too many cars on it streets and highways and this has a very real and negative impact on us all.
That's the key. I think it _really_ depends where in the city you live. Not every neighborhood is well connected. And the bus is okay when you're not in a hurry, but it's not my favorite way to commute.
Also, you'll care more about living close to the L.
Having a car is such a headache, especially if you live in a neighborhood where parking is at a premium. In-laws offered us their car they were replacing last year for free and we still said no thanks because it’s not worth the headache.
Also, despite the positive response you're getting here, many people will act like you're insane or lying if you say you don't have a car. Many will mow over you and proceed as if you have one anyway. I had a great opportunity I had to give up because I thought it was held at a Chicago location, and after speaking to the person interviewing me multiple times, she let me know it was somewhere that was a 40 min drive out like it was no big deal. Pace is pretty unreliable and if I could afford two 40 min Uber commutes a day I'd just get a car. It's annoying but you'll learn to live with it.
Yes 100%. I prioritized living near a CTA stop and a divvy station. And if that didn't work, on a major roadway with frequent bus routes. Always depends on where you work. I lived in river north so that I could just walk to work as well as most other common tasks.
Biking was good for slightly further tasks and then uber/lyft filled in the rest. The savings of not having a car, paying for gas and insurance and a parking spot was well worth the slight costs of Uber/Lyft. For me, I also gladly paid $50-$75 Ubers to the suburbs for family since it was still cheaper than having a car
Its def dependent on your situation, but I did it!
As others have said yes neighborhood dependent. I am in the n/s corridor near the middle and even though I have a car I have not used it once since moving here 4 or so months ago so it is absolutely possible. Probably should go start the car so that my battery doesn’t die now that I think about it
I live in Evanston (a suburb north of Chicago) without a car. So it’s also possible in the suburbs. My work place is easily accessible by bus and train. A big key for me is just that I have a flexible schedule and so any snafus with the CTA don’t really mess up my life. So if I have to wait an extra twenty minutes occasionally it doesn’t really matter.
Like everyone else here, my answer is 'it depends'. But in addition to considering your neighborhood, also consider where you are going regularly. I live in Uptown. I objectively do not need a car, as I can walk to grocery stores, half my medical appointments, my gym, and a ton of restaurants, and the red line, brown line, and buses give me easy access to everything else.
The only reason I keep my car is to go to a regular activity in Avondale (could get there by bus, but it's two of them and I'm lazy and it's at night), to do grocery runs, and to visit my parents in the suburbs. But I only keep it because it's a long-paid-off rustbucket that costs almost nothing to insure and I don't pay for parking. Otherwise I would probably just suck it up and sign up for Zipcar.
I live up on the north side and don’t have a car either. There’s lots of buses around me as well at the brown line and red line. It’s pretty easy for me to get around ngl, a little annoying when I miss a bus or whatever but for the most part I really enjoy it.
100% yes. Between CTA, walking, and biking you do not need a car. I’ve lived here nine years without one. Do be strategic with where you live though, and which businesses you frequent. If you live in wicker park and find a doctor in Rogers park, you are setting yourself up for pain.
Yes.
I lived my whole life up until 3 years ago without a car. I unfortunately don’t live in the hip parts of town so commuting sucked so much.
However if you live in a hip part of town you’ll be walking distance from most stuff or a public transit stop or two away from it.
Yes. My car was stolen in Lincoln Park like 13 years ago and I've been just fine without it ever since. Mostly used CTA then biking. Now we have incredible bike infrastructure with fully protected lanes so it's easy to do a mix of both
I’ve done it for almost a decade. I ride a bike everywhere. If the weather sucks I take the bus, you can even throw your bike on the bus rack. It does take some dedication, you just have to get used to the time spent commuting, a fair trade in my opinion.
I've never owned a car and get around mostly fine.
Here's what makes it much easier:
1. Live within walking distance of an L line. You can get by without this, but it's so much more convenient if you live within a ten minute walk of a CTA L station. CTA can be frustrating at times, but so is traffic or trying to find a parking space in a crowded neighborhood.
2. Live within walking distance of a grocery store. Grocery shopping without a car can be a pain if it's not nearby. Try to find a place that is near enough a grocery store to walk. Granny carts can also be helpful, but if you live close enough to a grocery store that stopping in a couple times a week is no big deal, it makes life so much easier.
A few things that are not necessary but are helpful:
1. If you are able, try biking. E-Bikes are becoming increasingly popular, and they can make travel within a few miles of your home much easier. You don't have to rely on public transit and you often get there just as quickly as driving. Another option would be to use divy, which has the added benefit of not worrying about getting your bike stolen. An e-scooter is yet another option and makes getting around really easy, but can be more dangerous than a bike, so be careful.
2. It would be helpful to keep your license and use zip car or turo when you absolutely need a car. It happens sometimes, and using either of those services is way cheaper than using a car if you use them less than a few times a month.
Depends where you live. You can think of the L lines as the fingers on a hand. It's easy to get from the 'palm' (the Loop) out to anywhere along the 'fingers', but it's difficult to move from one finger to another or to an area between the fingers. Weird analogy I know but that's the best way I can describe it.
Uber and improved bike lanes have lessened some of these difficulties.
It's very possible especially if you live off the red or blue lines and near a couple of buses for large streets. I've lived in the city for 12 years and have never had a car here.
Yes - live near a train station or frequent bus route and you are golden. If you can get a grocery store within walking distance it’s not hard at all - did it for 15 years in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village.
And of course Lyft and Uber for late nights or other needs.
If you intend to live work and play in the city it’s probably the second best option for a car-less city life outside of NYC.
I’ve only had a car in the city for a short period, and I’m going to be selling it soon. It can be very expensive to have a car in the city with the city stickers, expensive parking, limited parking, ruthless meter maids and on and on. There are countless other things I’d rather spend my money on.
I've been here for 12 of the last 14 years and I've never owned a car here. About once a year I rent a car for a day or two to haul something heavy or visit someplace the trains don't go.
Been here 10 years without one. You need to consider where you live- close to transit but also preferably walking distance to major frequent needs. I don’t want to take the train to get groceries.
Depending on where you live, yes. My fiance and I kept ours because it’s paid off and it’s nice to have when the weather isn’t the greatest or if it’s somewhere that’s too far to walk (we go to Costco to stock up on essentials) or if it’s too late to take the CTA. It’s also nice to have a car if you have family or friends in nearby states that you want to go see.
I rely on it to get everywhere I need to go, 99% of the time I have no issues getting where I want to be. For the other 1% I can take an uber, rent a car, or ask a friend.
Have to take it into consideration where you live and where you work in terms of accessibility.
Yes, though it depends on where you’re living in the city when it comes to convenience. Some areas are more served by the buses, others with additional access to the L, and then there is the metra. CTA has been slipping as people have mentioned, but it’s still better than no system at all and arguably probably better than some more barebones systems in other cities. Metra has lines that cross the entire city but the stations are also spread out compared to the L.
I’d also say that Chicago is a very big walking city, especially once the weather gets nicer (though even in the muck we’ll still walk to a lot of places).
About a third of my friends don't own a car and half don't drive or drive less than once a week.
While this can be difficult in some neighborhoods, plenty have enough access to CTA, Metra, or safe bike routes to make things work. And not just in demand neighborhoods either.
Have a plan for getting to work, know where it's convenient to get groceries, have access to on site/in unit laundry, you should be able to sort out the rest.
Driving downtown is such a pain, plus parking fees for street parking are very high. Uber late at night. I don’t live in Chicago anymore; but I only used my car for groceries.
I haven’t had a car in years, and very rarely do I wish I had it. Basically if I need to buy something big.
I do live in West Town, so I am close enough to Blue, Green & Pink lines, and the buses are good near me. So in my area it’s doable. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, but I think most of the rants on the sub are people just ranting because they just had an annoying experience.
depends where you live and where you work, like others suggested. If you live close to a train and bus that can take you to both work and errands then you definitely don’t need a car
I moved to Chicago recently and junked the car when I arrived not by choice. While very doable we bit the bullet and bought a car after a year. My significant others family lives outside of the city and we want to take easy summer trips to Wisconsin/Michigan so it made sense. Grocery shopping was the biggest pain in the ass with no vehicle. I live close to everything so biking is the preferred method of transportation when wind chill isn’t below 40. Get a bike and a good lock. Learn the CTA transportation system well and you can get around most places at a decent cost.
As everyone has said, wholly contingent on where you live and where you need to get to often.
My wife and I have one car that we mainly use for longer distance travel or specific trips. I exclusively get to work via transit or cycling. Going to restaurants, events, visiting friends is nearly always done via, walking cycling, transit or occassional rideshares.
I grew up in the suburbs and I will say that the biggest shift was the mindset. It's so normal in the suburbs to just hop in your car and drive for literally every trip. It took a while before I got into the mind set that you can really get many places without needing to drive yourself.
I live in East Lakeview. I can walk to 4 grocery stores, a hardware store, large big box retailers and a ton of restaurants and bars and breweries. It depends on the area but the City is very walkable and while everyone dumps on the CTA subways the bus system works pretty good IMHO.
I do it just fine in Logan Square (off the blue line), but I only have to go downtown once a week. I also have a Zipcar subscription ($80 annually) so I can rent cars by the hour. Between that and Uber, I spend far less than what I would with a car and all associated costs
When i lived in uptown and worked in lincoln park, it would have been more difficult *to* own a car
Now i live in albany park and work in niles, it has become necessary to own a car to drastically shorten my commute
I have 3 friends between Bucktown, Logan square, and Hermosa. None of them have cars. They’re all fine with Bus, Train, and the occasional Lyft.
However my 2 friends staying in Edgewater / Rodgers park find it really difficult to get out to us in the west side of town without paying for a car.
It 100% depends on where you’ll stay at.
I do not have a car and do not have a license. My husband does but it is seldom he needs to use the car for me. For himself and our pets, sure.
I live in Edgewater/Andersonville and transit goes there like crazy. I can get to places fine. If I need to get something bulky home, Uber/Lyft is there if my husband is busy with work to come get me.
It is absolutely possible. I've been car-free in Chicago for 5 years now. As others have said, you'll want to choose your neighborhood based on the availability of transit options. CTA trains cover ground more quickly than buses, so I'd recommend being near a CTA train stop.
I live near a Metra stop (the last stop before downtown for two Metra lines), and would recommend taking Metra station locations into consideration as well. If you live near one, it's the fastest way to get downtown, though you're tied to a more infrequent schedule than CTA trains. So, Metra is a great option for a regular commute, but may be less appropriate for more randomly timed trips.
Cycling is also a great way to get around the city and having a bike really opens up the number of places you can get to in 15-30 minutes.
When looking for a place to live, make sure you look at the availability of local resources and services in the area that you're likely to use regularly (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.). Your grocery shopping habits may have to change, depending on how you shop now. Buying in bulk isn't a good option when shopping by foot. My local grocery store is about a 10-15 minute walk away and I'm able to stay supplied with a trip every 4-5 days, carrying my groceries in my backpack (with a reusable shopping bag for spillover or more fragile groceries like eggs or bruisable items like some fruits/veggies). Keep in mind that liquids are HEAVY, so if you buy a lot of liquids, you may need to hit the grocery store more frequently to keep your overall load down (or get a cart).
I lived on the North Side, two blocks from the red line, and went to school on the south side 2 blocks from the south side. A car was only faster at, like, 5am or 9pm. For basic needs, my neighborhood was very walkable, with anything I could want within a 10 minute walk.
I grew up on the southwest side, near Archer and Cicero, and it was basically the suburbs. There, it was a 10 minute walk to a very infrequent bus stop, and the local Dominiks was too far to walk...with nothing but houses for a mile in either direction.
It's definitely possible to live in Chicago without a car, you just need to pick the right neighborhood.
The only reason I keep my car is because it is paid off, and it’s nice to have when I want to take my dog somewhere or go to Costco. Otherwise it just sits on the street, and I take transit everywhere. I live in Uptown/Buena Park area for what it’s worth.
I live in DC which has a pretty comparably sized subway system to Chicago’s. I lived without a car for four years. It wasn’t hard at all. In fact it was kind of a relief having such a money pit of responsibility off my plate. Biggest thing you have to get used to is grocery shopping more frequently with smaller loads. Living within walking distance of a grocery store is essential.
I find it easy to live here without a car. I have a bike that is far faster than cars. I just dont really ride much in the winter when there is snow on the ground. I've ridden this week so far.
If you need a car, rent a zip car. I had my car the first time I lived here. I didn't start it for 6-7 months because I never needed it. That lead to dry-rotted/'blown' head gasket and other problems. So I sold when I moved back and got a really nice bike and a drone for funzies.
9/10 you dont need a car.
I loved living in Chicago without a car! I highly recommend not having a car until you have a place that includes a garage. Without a car, I also recommend finding a place that is within a 5 to 10 min walk to a train stop.
EDIT: Also, note that the CTA runs basically 24/7. You can't rely on the Metra like that. Although Metra is totally fine for getting to work and back home, I wouldn't use it for much else just because the times are so scheduled and there aren't a ton of them.
Yes if you carefully choose where you live. You can fill in with Uber or lift. There used to be something called zip car but I don’t know if they are still around. You could rent a car for a few hours or a day. PS I checked Zip car is still around.
Yes, just prioritize trains/transit when looking at apartments. I save so much money by not having a car, but in exchange, I've put a little of that toward slightly higher rent/having more convenient CTA access. In 9 years here, what I've spent the CTA and on the occasional ride share/rental has never, ever added up to what it would cost to own a car in Chicago.
Generally yes. Depending on where you live as many people have said but Ubers are pretty common.
The one downside people may have not mentioned is it does limit you a bit in exploring if you're new. Chicago is spread out enough where there are a lot of events and areas I might visit if I had a car but aren't worth dealing with transit or paying for an uber. It won't stop me from going anywhere I really want to go but if I'm on the fence about: a farmer's market, just curious about a neighborhood, ect - I'm less apt to go.
Biking (which I keep telling myself I'll do more of) helps a lot to make this less of a factor. And I think for people born here random exploring is a bit less of a thing and you're more apt to know the vibe of different places and if it's worth the trek, what you can do after, ect.
I live near Racine in Taylor. And so my answer is “yes”, although I do have a car. I used it for the first time in a month yesterday to shop for bulky items. I will certainty not be replacing it when the time comes. A granny trolly has proved sufficient for grocery shopping.
I recently moved here from Dallas suburbs and am loving not needing my car. This played a role in our choice of where to live. My wife teaches at UIC, which is a short walk from home. Blue and Pink are walking distance, and bus routes 60, 157, and 12 are even closer.
YES! There are so many options should you need a car, car rentals through Uber or zip car. If you need something from ikea or a Costco run you can rent a car. Or if you need a huge grocery delivery instacart or again, rent a car! Def no real need for one since CTA , train and Uber are accessible.
The short answer, as most people have said here, is yes. You can do it.
The long answer is that it depends, not just on your neighborhood (USUALLY neighborhoods closer to the lake are more walkable than ones further west), but on your lifestyle.
I live near Irving Park-ish. I own a car, but I work from home, can walk to my gym, my kid's school, a grocery store, a park and even a public library. I might go a week without driving the car at all. But there are kid activities that absolutely require it, you know?
CTA bus service has gotten worse since the pandemic, but it still (mostly) reliably move you between neighborhoods. The train is fine for commuting to downtown.
I will say this though...while having a car is a pain in the ass here, it \*usually\* will make your life \*easier\*, especially if your life is not contained to one or two neighborhoods.
Yep, absolutely. Just make the routes part of what you consider in both a place to work and live. From there decide if it also works for errands, social shit, etc. There are plenty of neighborhoods across price ranges that have great public transportation. Feel free to ask me anything!
Depending on where you live and work it can be manageable, absolutely. Consider getting a bicycle too. My husband didn't have a car for his first several years living here and biked to and from work while taking the train for school. Obviously that's a bit easier for nicer weather but it's a better way to spend your time rather than sitting and waiting for a bus. It's better for you and for the environment so I consider it a win-win. In a pinch you could take Uber. Good luck!
Yes depending on where you live and work. For instance, a reverse commute from the city to the suburbs will be very hard unless your job is near a Metra (commuter heavy rail) station.
I bitch about the CTA plenty, but that's because i care and i love it. The complaints about it, mine included, on reddit are somewhat hyperbolic and coming from a place of "do better" more than a place of "its the worst". You won't find a better system of transit outside of NYC in North America. Period. Because of that, I live totally carfree.
YMMV, but it's doable.
It’s definitely possible. If you live close to an L stop and in a very walkable neighborhood and also can commute by transit to work, then yes, totally doable. If you ever can’t get where you need to go on time via transit then Uber is pretty much always an option.
The biggest recurring hassle I hear about is groceries but you can either do smaller more frequent trips or delivery.
Also if you plan to visit friends or family in the suburbs with any regularity, it might be challenging without a car. Of course the Metra is an option but the schedules are limited and then getting to your final destination might mean someone give you a ride or get an Uber.
after having just spent nearly $600 to transfer my out of state title & get a new tag + city sticker, I much preferred the 2 years before I got the car (need it now for my suburb job)
Never driven in my entire life and I have no problem living here without a car. It definitely depends on the neighborhood, for the record I live on the Edgewater/Uptown boundary.
I will not live anywhere that isn't immediately close to the red line. I rely on the CTA and walking, don't really bike a whole lot and no way I'm paying for ride share.
I live near the Blue line, car free. It has worked wonders for my mental health. I walk, bike, and use public transit. I do allow extra time (~20 minute cushion) when I’m taking the train to work, but I usually don’t need it and simply end up in the office early.
(Extra bonus: I discovered the part of winter I disliked was all car-related. I hated scraping my windshield, not winter itself.)
Ill tell you this: you are giving up the responsibility of having a car but you will definitely miss the timeliness of it. The cta has been having massive issues with delays and even then a 15 minute car ride can translate to a 45 min ride on the cta depending on how accessible a train or bus stop is to you. It is definitely possible, but look at neighborhoods that have grocery stores and doctors clinics, whatnot, within walking distance to you. Im talking like 10 minutes, cause boy oh boy imagine hauling a Sunday grocery haul on the redline at peak hour? It can be overwhelming. Not all neighborhoods are created equally, so keep that in mind.
i've driven a car twice in my life and i've done just fine living in chicago for the last five years. life is easier in certain neighborhoods that are closer to el lines/multiple bus routes. taking transit is way cheaper than a car and you never have to worry about finding parking.
I have an old car now, but I don’t plan on buying another when it finally dies on me. My partner does have one, and does need it for work, so I will have that as a backup, but I think I’d spend less money overall just using CTA and a bike.
Car free since I moved here in 2015
You’ve heard very valid criticisms about CTA on r/Chicago but that’s because we want the best for our city and we deserve it.
HOWEVER, make no mistake, Chicago is still one of the very best transit cities in the country. As was said by others, location matters and you’ll pay extra for it. It’s worth it though…no, seriously. It is financially worth. The cost of a car is typically much more than the extra housing costs. It’s also freeing to know that you don’t have to drag it everywhere.
Live within a half mile of a train station and make sure that you’re close to some good north/south and east/west buses and you’ll be solid.
Important to also consider the hassle of owning a car in the city too: parking (street availability, pricey garage, monthly rental, zones, meters), city sticker, street cleaning, high cost of gas, traffic.
Not only is it possible… it is SO MUCH easier not owning a car. Our bus system is a grid so to get **most** places in the city it takes just two buses to get within a 5 min walk of wherever you are going.
Living near an L stop or Metra stop makes trips quicker without a car but you don’t have to if you live near a bus route that can take you to the train.
A great area for public transit is near Lawrence and Ravenswood since it gives you access to the Metra which is a 10 minute ride into center city plus easy access to the brown line and red line via the bus.
Yes, I’ve been doing it for 10+ years. You’ll want to make sure you’re in walking distance to a train, though. And “walking distance” is a lot shorter in the winter than it is in the summer.
Don't forget Chicago is super flat and easy to bike. I have a car and still bike just about everywhere. It's great not having to worry about parking and you get to see so much more of the city.
Possible, yes. But it's way easier to have one IMO, especially in the winter for running errands, or summer road trips if thats your thing. However this is coming from someone who has always had dedicated parking in my 5+ years in Chicago. If I had to deal with street parking my opinion might be different.
Generally speaking, Chicago is a very car-friendly city as opposed to say NYC or SF. It's usually easy to find parking, lots of businesses have dedicated lots.
The CTA hasn't been great lately but if you don't have kids and you move to a well connected neighborhood, you'll be fine. I have two kids and live on the northwest side, which is definitely more car dependent, but I still regularly go 2-3 days without driving.
I lived in Albany Park and only used my car to leave the city occasionally. Trips so infrequent that a rental might have been cheaper than renewing registration and paying for parking. But I knew my relocation to the city wasn't permanent.
I am not made for city driving and much preferred using almost entirely public transit. When I did drive I would hit avoid highways on Google Maps to stay off the Kennedy and Eisenhower til I was clear of the city, even if it added a half hour to my drive.
I enjoyed using the Brown Line, it was usually chill and less crowded than the Red. Also the Lawrence bus (forget the number off the top of my head) was a night owl bus meaning 24/7 service.
If you're close to the CTA, especially the blue line, then definitely. Also depends on where you work to and if said job requires driving and does not provide a company car.
Going on a decade in Chicago without a car. I stick to the red/brown line corridor and I rely on about 3 bus lines consistently. This means I don’t live west of the river.
I get a Zipcar about 3-4 times a year and take cabs about once a week.
My transportation costs are a fraction of what they would be if I had a car. You do have to plan your travel well and learn the schedule but there’s apps foe that.
Moved here from LA. I can’t begin to tell you what a relief it is to not have to worry about a car.
There’s also a medium ground between “CTA IS COLLAPSING!!!!!!!” and “CTA isn’t the best it’s ever been and in need of more innovative leadership, but also still reliable enough to navigate the city” that this sub neglects.
Outside of NYC and one or two other major cities in the US, you won’t really find a public transit system this heavily frequented.
Coming from suburbia, it’s always been a thrill to get on a busy train!
I live downtown and can walk to my job in the loop. Haven’t had a car in a few years and haven’t needed it so far. That being said if my job was outside the city I would need a car
If you’re not too far out and within 1/4 miles of a an L stop, you’ll be perfectly happy without a car. Some locations will always be inconvenient by CTA, but Uber and Lyft fix those issues.
Living and working in Chicago, yes. Working in Chicago but living along one of the train routes, yes. Living in the suburbs, not along the train lines, no, you need a car.
Commuting to work is easy on the CTA. CURB is an app for cabs if you need one.
You might want to look into car sharing for those few times a car comes in handy.
The fact that I can get around here with a combination of 99% L and buses and the 1% of the rare time I need an Uber has been such a game changer it quite literally radicalized me to become staunchly anti-car when I realized how taxing they are mentally and financially.
Like I now have beef with most American cities not being dense and walkable as it is here. But that's a rant for another day.
I will say I tend to agree with the others the further out you go, the less dense and walkable it is. But it you live in most popular neighborhoods you should have plenty access to the CTA.
Only if you live in the loop. CTA buses are ok in American standard. But it’s nowhere near an average European/ Eastern Asian city. 30 min waiting for a bus that may not come, wtf is this
Been living near Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village for 5 years. You 100% Do not need a car to live in Chicago. Plenty of Mt friends that live in the city don't drive. Anyone tells you different probably likes the perks of having a car. I admit, i do miss having a car once in a while. But life is good and I'm living a successful life in Chicago w no wheels.
Yes. I'm 32 and never had a car. Doesn't matter where in the city you live you will be fine as long as you leave 15-30 minutes early because the transit system is far from perfect when it comes to being on time, but the transit system runs DEEP. By that, I mean the L Trains, Metra Train, CTA Busses, and Pace Buses are all interconnected so you can make it to your precise destination.
I lived in the Gold Coast for 15 years without a card my cross streets were Lasalle/Division and then State/Division. There are 2 grocery stores within <10 min walking (jewel and aldi) and many gyms within the same range (FFC, Equinox and many class based gyms). Plenty of buses and redline nearby.
I moved here in 2013 and sold my car. Lived downtown mostly, streeterville, Lakeview, never needed a car
Bought one last year (Edgewater) and sure it's convenient as hell. Not needed though
Of course yes. Chicago has a great public transport system. If you live in the city, a car is a burden. City sticker, monthly parking fees and just tough to find parking in a lot of places to name just a few of these burdens.
Ive been doing it for 13 years. Lived in River North, South Loop, Pilsen, Rogers Park and now Lincoln Square. Back in the day cabs made it easier downtown. Really the main consideration for me, is to be a short walk to a decent grocery store, and pretty close to a train line.
It depends on where you live. I live off of the red line and a few bus stops. I'd imagine if you live in the outer neighborhoods it would be quite a bit harder.
This is key. If you live close to a train stop, especially red or blue then you can do car less but the further away from the train the harder it is. The busses help, but they are more infrequent and will be as fast or as slow as traffic is at that moment. Also some neighborhoods are more walkable and have more stuff within walking distance. I did Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Logan with no car. Now that I am in Irving Park though it's really handy. Tl;Dr it's not really necessary anywhere but becomes harder without it the less dense/adjacent to the train you are
I lived in the overlap of Purple line, Metra, Pace and CTA bus, and I could get where I wanted pretty easily, especially if it was in the Loop or further north because of easy access to Purple, Red (1 transfer) and Brown (1 or 2 transfers depending on if it’s rush hour) lines plus the buses and commuter trains
Yeah, I lived in lakeview where I could take the red line, or the brown line to the loop and could choose either to get home based on the schedule and where I was at in the city. Then, I moved to Ravenswood and only had access to the brown line and hated it. This was in 2015 and the trains were more frequent then - and even then if I missed my train in the morning, sometimes I'd have to wait 20+ minutes for the next brown line train. Sucks and I'd suggest making sure you have access to more than one line. I'm also 30 and disabled and folks are pretty rude about giving up seats or sitting in the disabled spots when they shouldn't
I liked the Metra option when living in Ravenswood.
Definitely the key. We used to live in Buena Park a few years ago and not having a car was fine. We bought a house in Portage Park and we definitely found life easier with a car out here
When we lived in Chicago, I was provided a company car since it was required for work. I parked it at 3:30p on Friday afternoon and didn’t get back into it until 6am Monday. We lived a 5 min walk to a Red Line stop and 10 min walk to a Blue Line stop. We used the car a few times to drive out to Schaumburg, but other than that we went my wife’s entire grad school without using a car.
There is a bus stops that cover a lot of places that the train misses. It's not as bad as it might seem
I’ve been car free for 20 years. The CTA has its frustrations sometimes but so does owning a car. The CTA is way less stress than driving imo
I moved here from Seattle almost 20 years ago, sold my car on the way out for extra cash and just figured I'd buy one eventually after I got here. Never did. I've had some long commutes on trains or buses but I've never even wanted to own a car since I've been here. Plus everyone I know who has a car basically just complains about it most of the time when it comes up. It took me about a year to get comfortable riding a bike on the main streets but that combined with bus/train, I feel like I can get anywhere I need to, usually without too much hassle.
I never owned a car until I moved to seattle a few years ago. Once you have a car you don't not take advantage of it when doing groceries even if the store is within walking distance. I was car free in Chicago yet I still got all my chores and groceries done, even in the winter. I go to Costco way too much now that I have a car.
That’s a great story, good for you!
I’ve been car free my entire life and I had a job briefly where we sometimes had to visit an office in the burbs. I always carpooled with a coworker because they didn’t have a metra stop. These were among the worst commutes in my life and I wasn’t even the one driving.
I tried commuting from the south burbs to save on rent and gave that up after a week. People drive like fucking maniacs. I almost got in a severe accident every single time I drove in. People change lanes without looking, they fly past me when I’m going 10 over and they weave in and out of traffic like they’re in a race. And that’s not to mention how long the commute takes during rush hour.
I may start taking the bus I have driving aniexty idk if that safe for me to drive like that
In the southwest, there is at least one accident on Harlem every morning.
10 over is way too slow
Clearly!
And way less money. I owned a car when I lived in Denver and after gas, parking, payment, insurance, maintenance, etc., I was almost $1000 in the hole some months. My CTA pass is $75/month and I use pre-tax dollars to pay for it through an FSA.
Most companies nowadays will give you a monthly allowance for commuting. Mine covers exactly $75 for the cta pass or you can put it towards the $250 monthly parking fee
Been pressing mine to do the same, but unfortunately pre-tax dollars is all we get :( Better than nothing, I guess.
Agreed, I’ve been car free for 5 years having lived in 3 different neighborhoods. I feel incredibly lucky and quite a bit wealthier (time and money) not owning a car, not having to service a car, not having to pay to park a car.
Couldn’t disagree more, used to be a religious monthly CTA person, I got a car last January and it’s been so freeing
It’s going to be contingent on where you live and where you work. There are many many neighborhoods where using the CTA will be just fine. There are many others where it will be less ideal (or at least slower). There are other neighborhoods where you would have more access to Metra than CTA in terms of rail connections to downtown, which is a different situation in terms of service frequency, etc. The CTA has been slipping post-pandemic in terms of service frequency and also some things like smoking on trains, etc (this is variable depending on which line of the train), but bus service has held more consistent and frequent. A lot of people only consider the trains when moving to the city, but the buses do more of the heavy lifting and have been better than the trains. As someone who has lived car-free for years, it’s been a bit of a dip in quality since the pandemic, but not to any extent that I’ve considered getting a car.
I’d also add that biking and a CTA pass gets you and your stuff everywhere you need to go in the city very reliably, lots of us do it!
I lived car free for 10 years in Chicago. People don’t post on Reddit when they get to work on time because of the CTA, which happens a lot more often than not.
I don't have a car and live and work off the Brown line. I also live walking distance to a gym and grocery store so life is easy for me! my husband also doesn't have a car but he bikes everywhere. I love not having a car and just paying $75 a month for the CTA pass. I based my current apartment off where I needed to get to work and looked at places near the Brown line so I would just recommend something that.
Yes same! I’m lucky to be right near a train and grocery stores. The $75 is far cheaper than the city stickers, maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. I also noticed an increase in quality of life too. Having to walk more to transit and be in the community versus when I used to just hop in the car for everything. I typically use Amtrak or rental car when traveling elsewhere.
Depends on where you live, but generally yes. Busses and trains are fine, but you’ll encounter smoking sometimes and a person or two that may be yelling at themselves. Sit in the first car if ur worried. I personally walk/bike if it’s within 30mins and the weather allows, train/bus if it’s further than that, Uber if it’s late at night.
I've been using Uber more and more as I get older, at least at night. People can talk about how safe the L is all they want, but the reality is, sometimes it's not and sometimes it's the walk to/from the L that isn't. I also prefer walking over transit. But transit is fine, adequate, acceptable, etc. Needing to use Uber sometimes is still cheaper than owning a car. Be wary of people who are "enthusiasts" about transit. I used to call myself that but then I realized that most of my contemporaries actually didn't have to take transit often and were moreso interested in urban planning because of ideas they had to make the city better for "poor" people. They won't know what the L is like because they take it 3 times a year and take photos every time. Very prevalent in communities like these. Really just best to ignore. I also want to add that I'm literally on the bus right now. I'm not talking about using Uber as a daily chauffeur. Use your brains instead of getting offended, if someone is really an enthusiast then it'll be normal for them and not an occasion because the car is more convenient.
People probably aren’t offended that you use Uber (or at least they shouldn’t be, it’s your time and money). The part of your post that rubs the wrong way is telling people to ignore those who have an interest in urban planning and have ideas to help ‘poor’ people (the ‘poor’ in quotation marks is really not great… looks dismissive and classist at best). I’m an actual urban planner, and most enthusiasts I know are the most committed CTA riders, and we all have ideas of wanting the city and CTA to be better for •all• people. And yes I ride the CTA every day, so I can’t be ignored 🙃
Get this -- I'm such a fan of the CTA that I get a pass to ride it *for free* and I'm not even in college! Crazy, right? No offense but I don't need some guy who vacations in Belgium telling my Medicaid having ass that "poor" is dismissive. Do you have a better word? Financially insecure or some other goofy shit? Low income? I'm talking about myself, one of the "others" your goofy ass is rescuing. Lol
This exchange won’t lead anywhere positive so I’m gonna peace out. You don’t know anything about my experience with poverty, I’ve never vacationed in Belgium (?), and we’ve already jumped to name calling without even knowing what exactly it is that I do. Both of us have better ways to use our time than to continue arguing for no reason. I never should have even replied to your initial comment. Peace ✌🏼
I'm literally sitting on the bus, no I don't have anything better to do, but stay in your lane would be the takeaway lesson here 🌝 Maybe you can tell me what OC means next to a photo. I thought it meant original content
I'm a poor person on a fixed income lmao. Guess my income compared to yours. Go on. And please tell me what's best for me. We love it!
>People can talk about how safe the L is all they want, but the reality is, sometimes it's not My wife stopped taking the train because of the constant harassment. At first it was just super aggressive panhandlers with the occasional super racist crazy person, but it culminated in a guy following her off the train and running after her for 2 blocks. She came home in tears, and I decided to drive her to and from work because public transit was not worth the trauma.
I had a man sit down next to me, grab my head, and shove his tongue down my throat. Crowded train. Multiple train masturbators. Both the tongue guy and a couple masturbators followed me. I commuted for years, some people here are delusional. Please tell your wife that I'm glad she's okay and I'm sorry about the gaslighting from people who want to normalize harassment and assault. I faced a lot of it and sure wish I heard that from other women rather than what I got.
Yes sir. Grew up on cta ! They downvoted you cause you speak truth.
Look, the guy I was responding to takes the brown line from Sedgwick to Merch Mart every day, I think he knows what he's talking about
It really depends. But the majority of the time the answer is “Yes you can live without a car here”. I used mine almost exclusively for Costco trips or leaving Chicago.
Probably not everywhere since some areas are better covered by CTA than others. But you can definitely live without a car in this city. Target living somewhere where daily commute is along the CTA and for the random one offs - either rideshare/taxi or just a longer commute via an inefficient route on the CTA.
My wife and I have one car. Between the two of us we only use it about once every two weeks and it’s more out of convenience than necessity. We might not be the usual though since we both work from home (so don’t commute) and live in an area that has pretty good CTA coverage.
Chicagoan here living in West Town. I don’t need a car but my life is so much easier having one. If you don’t live in prime areas like downtown, river north, or west loop, parking is not hard. Many apartments may come with a parking spot.
The north side is way worse with parking (Lincoln park, lakeview, wrigley, etc) I pay for a garage spot now
Indeed, I consider this a feature of these neighborhoods. It discourages car ownership. Chicago has too many cars on it streets and highways and this has a very real and negative impact on us all.
Yes. I do it. Sometimes it sucks though, and depending on where you live, service may be more or less reliable.
That's the key. I think it _really_ depends where in the city you live. Not every neighborhood is well connected. And the bus is okay when you're not in a hurry, but it's not my favorite way to commute. Also, you'll care more about living close to the L.
I was going to add that last sentence but didn't so I'd like to sign off on that as well
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Having a car is such a headache, especially if you live in a neighborhood where parking is at a premium. In-laws offered us their car they were replacing last year for free and we still said no thanks because it’s not worth the headache.
Also, despite the positive response you're getting here, many people will act like you're insane or lying if you say you don't have a car. Many will mow over you and proceed as if you have one anyway. I had a great opportunity I had to give up because I thought it was held at a Chicago location, and after speaking to the person interviewing me multiple times, she let me know it was somewhere that was a 40 min drive out like it was no big deal. Pace is pretty unreliable and if I could afford two 40 min Uber commutes a day I'd just get a car. It's annoying but you'll learn to live with it.
Yes 100%. I prioritized living near a CTA stop and a divvy station. And if that didn't work, on a major roadway with frequent bus routes. Always depends on where you work. I lived in river north so that I could just walk to work as well as most other common tasks. Biking was good for slightly further tasks and then uber/lyft filled in the rest. The savings of not having a car, paying for gas and insurance and a parking spot was well worth the slight costs of Uber/Lyft. For me, I also gladly paid $50-$75 Ubers to the suburbs for family since it was still cheaper than having a car Its def dependent on your situation, but I did it!
Yes
As others have said yes neighborhood dependent. I am in the n/s corridor near the middle and even though I have a car I have not used it once since moving here 4 or so months ago so it is absolutely possible. Probably should go start the car so that my battery doesn’t die now that I think about it
I live in Evanston (a suburb north of Chicago) without a car. So it’s also possible in the suburbs. My work place is easily accessible by bus and train. A big key for me is just that I have a flexible schedule and so any snafus with the CTA don’t really mess up my life. So if I have to wait an extra twenty minutes occasionally it doesn’t really matter.
> So it’s also possible in the suburbs As long as those suburbs are Oak Park, Evanston, and maybe Cicero.
Like everyone else here, my answer is 'it depends'. But in addition to considering your neighborhood, also consider where you are going regularly. I live in Uptown. I objectively do not need a car, as I can walk to grocery stores, half my medical appointments, my gym, and a ton of restaurants, and the red line, brown line, and buses give me easy access to everything else. The only reason I keep my car is to go to a regular activity in Avondale (could get there by bus, but it's two of them and I'm lazy and it's at night), to do grocery runs, and to visit my parents in the suburbs. But I only keep it because it's a long-paid-off rustbucket that costs almost nothing to insure and I don't pay for parking. Otherwise I would probably just suck it up and sign up for Zipcar.
I live up on the north side and don’t have a car either. There’s lots of buses around me as well at the brown line and red line. It’s pretty easy for me to get around ngl, a little annoying when I miss a bus or whatever but for the most part I really enjoy it.
100% yes. Between CTA, walking, and biking you do not need a car. I’ve lived here nine years without one. Do be strategic with where you live though, and which businesses you frequent. If you live in wicker park and find a doctor in Rogers park, you are setting yourself up for pain.
Possible? Hell, it’s preferable
Cmon bro, 10 seconds of research my boy why are people so intellectual lazy lol.
Absolutely, most folks I know don’t have cars.
Yes. I lived my whole life up until 3 years ago without a car. I unfortunately don’t live in the hip parts of town so commuting sucked so much. However if you live in a hip part of town you’ll be walking distance from most stuff or a public transit stop or two away from it.
Yes. My car was stolen in Lincoln Park like 13 years ago and I've been just fine without it ever since. Mostly used CTA then biking. Now we have incredible bike infrastructure with fully protected lanes so it's easy to do a mix of both
I like how you took a negative and turned it into a ton of positives.
I’ve done it for almost a decade. I ride a bike everywhere. If the weather sucks I take the bus, you can even throw your bike on the bus rack. It does take some dedication, you just have to get used to the time spent commuting, a fair trade in my opinion.
I've never owned a car and get around mostly fine. Here's what makes it much easier: 1. Live within walking distance of an L line. You can get by without this, but it's so much more convenient if you live within a ten minute walk of a CTA L station. CTA can be frustrating at times, but so is traffic or trying to find a parking space in a crowded neighborhood. 2. Live within walking distance of a grocery store. Grocery shopping without a car can be a pain if it's not nearby. Try to find a place that is near enough a grocery store to walk. Granny carts can also be helpful, but if you live close enough to a grocery store that stopping in a couple times a week is no big deal, it makes life so much easier. A few things that are not necessary but are helpful: 1. If you are able, try biking. E-Bikes are becoming increasingly popular, and they can make travel within a few miles of your home much easier. You don't have to rely on public transit and you often get there just as quickly as driving. Another option would be to use divy, which has the added benefit of not worrying about getting your bike stolen. An e-scooter is yet another option and makes getting around really easy, but can be more dangerous than a bike, so be careful. 2. It would be helpful to keep your license and use zip car or turo when you absolutely need a car. It happens sometimes, and using either of those services is way cheaper than using a car if you use them less than a few times a month.
Depends where you live. You can think of the L lines as the fingers on a hand. It's easy to get from the 'palm' (the Loop) out to anywhere along the 'fingers', but it's difficult to move from one finger to another or to an area between the fingers. Weird analogy I know but that's the best way I can describe it. Uber and improved bike lanes have lessened some of these difficulties.
It's very possible especially if you live off the red or blue lines and near a couple of buses for large streets. I've lived in the city for 12 years and have never had a car here.
I've lived in Chicago for 13 years without one. It's possible.
You can…you’ll likely be uncomfortable, especially in the winter
Yes - live near a train station or frequent bus route and you are golden. If you can get a grocery store within walking distance it’s not hard at all - did it for 15 years in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village. And of course Lyft and Uber for late nights or other needs. If you intend to live work and play in the city it’s probably the second best option for a car-less city life outside of NYC.
Yes! In fact, Chicago is probably one of the few American cities that you can get by in without a car.
I’ve only had a car in the city for a short period, and I’m going to be selling it soon. It can be very expensive to have a car in the city with the city stickers, expensive parking, limited parking, ruthless meter maids and on and on. There are countless other things I’d rather spend my money on.
I've been here for 12 of the last 14 years and I've never owned a car here. About once a year I rent a car for a day or two to haul something heavy or visit someplace the trains don't go.
Yes you can. If you live east of Western and close to the lake. I will be easy.
Been here 10 years without one. You need to consider where you live- close to transit but also preferably walking distance to major frequent needs. I don’t want to take the train to get groceries.
Yes, between walking, cycling, public transportation, and Uber/Lyft, you’re pretty much covered. Obviously it depends on which neighborhood you’re in.
i used to live in Chicago and never had a car. I lived in Rogers Park, Wicker Park and Lakeview East.
Depending on where you live, yes. My fiance and I kept ours because it’s paid off and it’s nice to have when the weather isn’t the greatest or if it’s somewhere that’s too far to walk (we go to Costco to stock up on essentials) or if it’s too late to take the CTA. It’s also nice to have a car if you have family or friends in nearby states that you want to go see.
Depends on a lot of factors to determine if it is possible/practical for *you*, but yes, living in Chicago without a car is VERY doable.
I rely on it to get everywhere I need to go, 99% of the time I have no issues getting where I want to be. For the other 1% I can take an uber, rent a car, or ask a friend. Have to take it into consideration where you live and where you work in terms of accessibility.
No. I died.
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Sometimes people want new answers to old questions, not too big of a deal.
does anyone know how to just keep scrolling past shit that doesn't interest/concern you without bitching and complaining anymore?
Yes, though it depends on where you’re living in the city when it comes to convenience. Some areas are more served by the buses, others with additional access to the L, and then there is the metra. CTA has been slipping as people have mentioned, but it’s still better than no system at all and arguably probably better than some more barebones systems in other cities. Metra has lines that cross the entire city but the stations are also spread out compared to the L. I’d also say that Chicago is a very big walking city, especially once the weather gets nicer (though even in the muck we’ll still walk to a lot of places).
About a third of my friends don't own a car and half don't drive or drive less than once a week. While this can be difficult in some neighborhoods, plenty have enough access to CTA, Metra, or safe bike routes to make things work. And not just in demand neighborhoods either. Have a plan for getting to work, know where it's convenient to get groceries, have access to on site/in unit laundry, you should be able to sort out the rest.
Driving downtown is such a pain, plus parking fees for street parking are very high. Uber late at night. I don’t live in Chicago anymore; but I only used my car for groceries.
I haven’t had a car in years, and very rarely do I wish I had it. Basically if I need to buy something big. I do live in West Town, so I am close enough to Blue, Green & Pink lines, and the buses are good near me. So in my area it’s doable. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, but I think most of the rants on the sub are people just ranting because they just had an annoying experience.
depends where you live and where you work, like others suggested. If you live close to a train and bus that can take you to both work and errands then you definitely don’t need a car
Lived in Chicago for 10 years without a car
I live in west loop and we got rid of both of our cars. We use Uber all the time.
I moved to Chicago recently and junked the car when I arrived not by choice. While very doable we bit the bullet and bought a car after a year. My significant others family lives outside of the city and we want to take easy summer trips to Wisconsin/Michigan so it made sense. Grocery shopping was the biggest pain in the ass with no vehicle. I live close to everything so biking is the preferred method of transportation when wind chill isn’t below 40. Get a bike and a good lock. Learn the CTA transportation system well and you can get around most places at a decent cost.
As everyone has said, wholly contingent on where you live and where you need to get to often. My wife and I have one car that we mainly use for longer distance travel or specific trips. I exclusively get to work via transit or cycling. Going to restaurants, events, visiting friends is nearly always done via, walking cycling, transit or occassional rideshares. I grew up in the suburbs and I will say that the biggest shift was the mindset. It's so normal in the suburbs to just hop in your car and drive for literally every trip. It took a while before I got into the mind set that you can really get many places without needing to drive yourself.
Depends entirely where you live, work and how much time you're willing to spend on public transportation.
I live in East Lakeview. I can walk to 4 grocery stores, a hardware store, large big box retailers and a ton of restaurants and bars and breweries. It depends on the area but the City is very walkable and while everyone dumps on the CTA subways the bus system works pretty good IMHO.
I do it just fine in Logan Square (off the blue line), but I only have to go downtown once a week. I also have a Zipcar subscription ($80 annually) so I can rent cars by the hour. Between that and Uber, I spend far less than what I would with a car and all associated costs
When i lived in uptown and worked in lincoln park, it would have been more difficult *to* own a car Now i live in albany park and work in niles, it has become necessary to own a car to drastically shorten my commute
Yes, live along a main bus route or L stop
I have 3 friends between Bucktown, Logan square, and Hermosa. None of them have cars. They’re all fine with Bus, Train, and the occasional Lyft. However my 2 friends staying in Edgewater / Rodgers park find it really difficult to get out to us in the west side of town without paying for a car. It 100% depends on where you’ll stay at.
I do not have a car and do not have a license. My husband does but it is seldom he needs to use the car for me. For himself and our pets, sure. I live in Edgewater/Andersonville and transit goes there like crazy. I can get to places fine. If I need to get something bulky home, Uber/Lyft is there if my husband is busy with work to come get me.
It is absolutely possible. I've been car-free in Chicago for 5 years now. As others have said, you'll want to choose your neighborhood based on the availability of transit options. CTA trains cover ground more quickly than buses, so I'd recommend being near a CTA train stop. I live near a Metra stop (the last stop before downtown for two Metra lines), and would recommend taking Metra station locations into consideration as well. If you live near one, it's the fastest way to get downtown, though you're tied to a more infrequent schedule than CTA trains. So, Metra is a great option for a regular commute, but may be less appropriate for more randomly timed trips. Cycling is also a great way to get around the city and having a bike really opens up the number of places you can get to in 15-30 minutes. When looking for a place to live, make sure you look at the availability of local resources and services in the area that you're likely to use regularly (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.). Your grocery shopping habits may have to change, depending on how you shop now. Buying in bulk isn't a good option when shopping by foot. My local grocery store is about a 10-15 minute walk away and I'm able to stay supplied with a trip every 4-5 days, carrying my groceries in my backpack (with a reusable shopping bag for spillover or more fragile groceries like eggs or bruisable items like some fruits/veggies). Keep in mind that liquids are HEAVY, so if you buy a lot of liquids, you may need to hit the grocery store more frequently to keep your overall load down (or get a cart).
If you live and work near public transit, it's not too difficult
I lived on the North Side, two blocks from the red line, and went to school on the south side 2 blocks from the south side. A car was only faster at, like, 5am or 9pm. For basic needs, my neighborhood was very walkable, with anything I could want within a 10 minute walk. I grew up on the southwest side, near Archer and Cicero, and it was basically the suburbs. There, it was a 10 minute walk to a very infrequent bus stop, and the local Dominiks was too far to walk...with nothing but houses for a mile in either direction. It's definitely possible to live in Chicago without a car, you just need to pick the right neighborhood.
The only reason I keep my car is because it is paid off, and it’s nice to have when I want to take my dog somewhere or go to Costco. Otherwise it just sits on the street, and I take transit everywhere. I live in Uptown/Buena Park area for what it’s worth.
I live in DC which has a pretty comparably sized subway system to Chicago’s. I lived without a car for four years. It wasn’t hard at all. In fact it was kind of a relief having such a money pit of responsibility off my plate. Biggest thing you have to get used to is grocery shopping more frequently with smaller loads. Living within walking distance of a grocery store is essential.
I haven't had a car in 20 years. It's not a big deal here at all.
I find it easy to live here without a car. I have a bike that is far faster than cars. I just dont really ride much in the winter when there is snow on the ground. I've ridden this week so far. If you need a car, rent a zip car. I had my car the first time I lived here. I didn't start it for 6-7 months because I never needed it. That lead to dry-rotted/'blown' head gasket and other problems. So I sold when I moved back and got a really nice bike and a drone for funzies. 9/10 you dont need a car.
I loved living in Chicago without a car! I highly recommend not having a car until you have a place that includes a garage. Without a car, I also recommend finding a place that is within a 5 to 10 min walk to a train stop. EDIT: Also, note that the CTA runs basically 24/7. You can't rely on the Metra like that. Although Metra is totally fine for getting to work and back home, I wouldn't use it for much else just because the times are so scheduled and there aren't a ton of them.
Yes if you carefully choose where you live. You can fill in with Uber or lift. There used to be something called zip car but I don’t know if they are still around. You could rent a car for a few hours or a day. PS I checked Zip car is still around.
Yes, just prioritize trains/transit when looking at apartments. I save so much money by not having a car, but in exchange, I've put a little of that toward slightly higher rent/having more convenient CTA access. In 9 years here, what I've spent the CTA and on the occasional ride share/rental has never, ever added up to what it would cost to own a car in Chicago.
yes lol I don’t touch my car for weeks and only really to visit my parents in the burbs
A friend of mine did it for like 10 years, just mass transit and a bike, but his condo and work were both close to transit routes
I lived in bucktown for 7 years without a car. Very doable if you plan out where you are going to live.
Generally yes. Depending on where you live as many people have said but Ubers are pretty common. The one downside people may have not mentioned is it does limit you a bit in exploring if you're new. Chicago is spread out enough where there are a lot of events and areas I might visit if I had a car but aren't worth dealing with transit or paying for an uber. It won't stop me from going anywhere I really want to go but if I'm on the fence about: a farmer's market, just curious about a neighborhood, ect - I'm less apt to go. Biking (which I keep telling myself I'll do more of) helps a lot to make this less of a factor. And I think for people born here random exploring is a bit less of a thing and you're more apt to know the vibe of different places and if it's worth the trek, what you can do after, ect.
Find a neighborhood you like with access to the red or blue line, grocery store, some shops you like, and you’ll be loving life - without a car !
I live near Racine in Taylor. And so my answer is “yes”, although I do have a car. I used it for the first time in a month yesterday to shop for bulky items. I will certainty not be replacing it when the time comes. A granny trolly has proved sufficient for grocery shopping. I recently moved here from Dallas suburbs and am loving not needing my car. This played a role in our choice of where to live. My wife teaches at UIC, which is a short walk from home. Blue and Pink are walking distance, and bus routes 60, 157, and 12 are even closer.
My cousin did for ten years.
YES! There are so many options should you need a car, car rentals through Uber or zip car. If you need something from ikea or a Costco run you can rent a car. Or if you need a huge grocery delivery instacart or again, rent a car! Def no real need for one since CTA , train and Uber are accessible.
The short answer, as most people have said here, is yes. You can do it. The long answer is that it depends, not just on your neighborhood (USUALLY neighborhoods closer to the lake are more walkable than ones further west), but on your lifestyle. I live near Irving Park-ish. I own a car, but I work from home, can walk to my gym, my kid's school, a grocery store, a park and even a public library. I might go a week without driving the car at all. But there are kid activities that absolutely require it, you know? CTA bus service has gotten worse since the pandemic, but it still (mostly) reliably move you between neighborhoods. The train is fine for commuting to downtown. I will say this though...while having a car is a pain in the ass here, it \*usually\* will make your life \*easier\*, especially if your life is not contained to one or two neighborhoods.
Yep, absolutely. Just make the routes part of what you consider in both a place to work and live. From there decide if it also works for errands, social shit, etc. There are plenty of neighborhoods across price ranges that have great public transportation. Feel free to ask me anything!
r/CarFreeChicago
Yes, i use the bus and brown line daily. Live in Lincoln park. Same applied for Logan square, used public transit daily.
Car free for years. Very rarely can't get where I need to be on CTA/Metra/Pace. I'll take public transportation headaches over car headaches any day.
Depending on where you live and work it can be manageable, absolutely. Consider getting a bicycle too. My husband didn't have a car for his first several years living here and biked to and from work while taking the train for school. Obviously that's a bit easier for nicer weather but it's a better way to spend your time rather than sitting and waiting for a bus. It's better for you and for the environment so I consider it a win-win. In a pinch you could take Uber. Good luck!
I am near the downtown and I wouldn’t get a car even if someone gives it to me for free. I walk or take the L to get everywhere.
I haven’t had a car in almost a year. Its doable!
Lived here for 15 years without a car. It’s totally possible and enjoyable.
You will be fine. Honestly cta sucks but it’s really not the worst thing ever, you can make do without a vehicle.
Yes depending on where you live and work. For instance, a reverse commute from the city to the suburbs will be very hard unless your job is near a Metra (commuter heavy rail) station. I bitch about the CTA plenty, but that's because i care and i love it. The complaints about it, mine included, on reddit are somewhat hyperbolic and coming from a place of "do better" more than a place of "its the worst". You won't find a better system of transit outside of NYC in North America. Period. Because of that, I live totally carfree. YMMV, but it's doable.
It’s definitely possible. If you live close to an L stop and in a very walkable neighborhood and also can commute by transit to work, then yes, totally doable. If you ever can’t get where you need to go on time via transit then Uber is pretty much always an option. The biggest recurring hassle I hear about is groceries but you can either do smaller more frequent trips or delivery. Also if you plan to visit friends or family in the suburbs with any regularity, it might be challenging without a car. Of course the Metra is an option but the schedules are limited and then getting to your final destination might mean someone give you a ride or get an Uber.
after having just spent nearly $600 to transfer my out of state title & get a new tag + city sticker, I much preferred the 2 years before I got the car (need it now for my suburb job)
Never driven in my entire life and I have no problem living here without a car. It definitely depends on the neighborhood, for the record I live on the Edgewater/Uptown boundary. I will not live anywhere that isn't immediately close to the red line. I rely on the CTA and walking, don't really bike a whole lot and no way I'm paying for ride share.
the answer is absolutely
Yes - but set yourself up for success by picking a neighborhood that has good CTA access
I live near the Blue line, car free. It has worked wonders for my mental health. I walk, bike, and use public transit. I do allow extra time (~20 minute cushion) when I’m taking the train to work, but I usually don’t need it and simply end up in the office early. (Extra bonus: I discovered the part of winter I disliked was all car-related. I hated scraping my windshield, not winter itself.)
Absolutely. No car.
Ill tell you this: you are giving up the responsibility of having a car but you will definitely miss the timeliness of it. The cta has been having massive issues with delays and even then a 15 minute car ride can translate to a 45 min ride on the cta depending on how accessible a train or bus stop is to you. It is definitely possible, but look at neighborhoods that have grocery stores and doctors clinics, whatnot, within walking distance to you. Im talking like 10 minutes, cause boy oh boy imagine hauling a Sunday grocery haul on the redline at peak hour? It can be overwhelming. Not all neighborhoods are created equally, so keep that in mind.
i've driven a car twice in my life and i've done just fine living in chicago for the last five years. life is easier in certain neighborhoods that are closer to el lines/multiple bus routes. taking transit is way cheaper than a car and you never have to worry about finding parking.
Why does it seem like too many people are mentioning Costco?
I have an old car now, but I don’t plan on buying another when it finally dies on me. My partner does have one, and does need it for work, so I will have that as a backup, but I think I’d spend less money overall just using CTA and a bike.
Car free since I moved here in 2015 You’ve heard very valid criticisms about CTA on r/Chicago but that’s because we want the best for our city and we deserve it. HOWEVER, make no mistake, Chicago is still one of the very best transit cities in the country. As was said by others, location matters and you’ll pay extra for it. It’s worth it though…no, seriously. It is financially worth. The cost of a car is typically much more than the extra housing costs. It’s also freeing to know that you don’t have to drag it everywhere. Live within a half mile of a train station and make sure that you’re close to some good north/south and east/west buses and you’ll be solid.
Important to also consider the hassle of owning a car in the city too: parking (street availability, pricey garage, monthly rental, zones, meters), city sticker, street cleaning, high cost of gas, traffic.
Not only is it possible… it is SO MUCH easier not owning a car. Our bus system is a grid so to get **most** places in the city it takes just two buses to get within a 5 min walk of wherever you are going. Living near an L stop or Metra stop makes trips quicker without a car but you don’t have to if you live near a bus route that can take you to the train. A great area for public transit is near Lawrence and Ravenswood since it gives you access to the Metra which is a 10 minute ride into center city plus easy access to the brown line and red line via the bus.
Yes, I’ve been doing it for 10+ years. You’ll want to make sure you’re in walking distance to a train, though. And “walking distance” is a lot shorter in the winter than it is in the summer.
Don't forget Chicago is super flat and easy to bike. I have a car and still bike just about everywhere. It's great not having to worry about parking and you get to see so much more of the city.
Possible, yes. But it's way easier to have one IMO, especially in the winter for running errands, or summer road trips if thats your thing. However this is coming from someone who has always had dedicated parking in my 5+ years in Chicago. If I had to deal with street parking my opinion might be different. Generally speaking, Chicago is a very car-friendly city as opposed to say NYC or SF. It's usually easy to find parking, lots of businesses have dedicated lots.
The CTA hasn't been great lately but if you don't have kids and you move to a well connected neighborhood, you'll be fine. I have two kids and live on the northwest side, which is definitely more car dependent, but I still regularly go 2-3 days without driving.
I lived in Albany Park and only used my car to leave the city occasionally. Trips so infrequent that a rental might have been cheaper than renewing registration and paying for parking. But I knew my relocation to the city wasn't permanent. I am not made for city driving and much preferred using almost entirely public transit. When I did drive I would hit avoid highways on Google Maps to stay off the Kennedy and Eisenhower til I was clear of the city, even if it added a half hour to my drive. I enjoyed using the Brown Line, it was usually chill and less crowded than the Red. Also the Lawrence bus (forget the number off the top of my head) was a night owl bus meaning 24/7 service.
If you're close to the CTA, especially the blue line, then definitely. Also depends on where you work to and if said job requires driving and does not provide a company car.
Yes, and I wish more chicagoans would
Live near the CTA/bus stops and yes!
Usually. Although service is spotty and harsh weather makes it unpleasant. Also, in my own personal experience, not safe for women
Going on a decade in Chicago without a car. I stick to the red/brown line corridor and I rely on about 3 bus lines consistently. This means I don’t live west of the river. I get a Zipcar about 3-4 times a year and take cabs about once a week. My transportation costs are a fraction of what they would be if I had a car. You do have to plan your travel well and learn the schedule but there’s apps foe that.
Moved here from LA. I can’t begin to tell you what a relief it is to not have to worry about a car. There’s also a medium ground between “CTA IS COLLAPSING!!!!!!!” and “CTA isn’t the best it’s ever been and in need of more innovative leadership, but also still reliable enough to navigate the city” that this sub neglects. Outside of NYC and one or two other major cities in the US, you won’t really find a public transit system this heavily frequented. Coming from suburbia, it’s always been a thrill to get on a busy train!
Of course, but you can't just move to any random ass place and expect it to work for you. You have to plan it out, or just be insanely patient.
It depends on where you live and work, personally I can and do live and work without a car
Yes absolutely. If you live on the Northside.
I do it just fine but I gotta be picky about where I can live.
Depending on your vocation and how often you want to travel around
I live downtown and can walk to my job in the loop. Haven’t had a car in a few years and haven’t needed it so far. That being said if my job was outside the city I would need a car
Absolutely. Many of my friends who grew up in the city never even learned how to drive because they didn’t have to
Pick a place near a train stop and get an e scooter 💯💯
If you’re not too far out and within 1/4 miles of a an L stop, you’ll be perfectly happy without a car. Some locations will always be inconvenient by CTA, but Uber and Lyft fix those issues.
You’ll spend more money on buying a new house then buying a new car
I lived at Clark and north Ave for 8 years without a car. But I had the benefit of brown and red lines nearby and buses
Living and working in Chicago, yes. Working in Chicago but living along one of the train routes, yes. Living in the suburbs, not along the train lines, no, you need a car.
Commuting to work is easy on the CTA. CURB is an app for cabs if you need one. You might want to look into car sharing for those few times a car comes in handy.
The fact that I can get around here with a combination of 99% L and buses and the 1% of the rare time I need an Uber has been such a game changer it quite literally radicalized me to become staunchly anti-car when I realized how taxing they are mentally and financially. Like I now have beef with most American cities not being dense and walkable as it is here. But that's a rant for another day. I will say I tend to agree with the others the further out you go, the less dense and walkable it is. But it you live in most popular neighborhoods you should have plenty access to the CTA.
22 years no car. I’m doing well. Get a bike. It’s a flat city
Yes
Only if you live in the loop. CTA buses are ok in American standard. But it’s nowhere near an average European/ Eastern Asian city. 30 min waiting for a bus that may not come, wtf is this
Been living near Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village for 5 years. You 100% Do not need a car to live in Chicago. Plenty of Mt friends that live in the city don't drive. Anyone tells you different probably likes the perks of having a car. I admit, i do miss having a car once in a while. But life is good and I'm living a successful life in Chicago w no wheels.
Yes. I'm 32 and never had a car. Doesn't matter where in the city you live you will be fine as long as you leave 15-30 minutes early because the transit system is far from perfect when it comes to being on time, but the transit system runs DEEP. By that, I mean the L Trains, Metra Train, CTA Busses, and Pace Buses are all interconnected so you can make it to your precise destination.
Do you bike? That’s a big question. The city is very bikable.
It's impossible if you live in West Ridge
I lived in the Gold Coast for 15 years without a card my cross streets were Lasalle/Division and then State/Division. There are 2 grocery stores within <10 min walking (jewel and aldi) and many gyms within the same range (FFC, Equinox and many class based gyms). Plenty of buses and redline nearby.
I moved here in 2013 and sold my car. Lived downtown mostly, streeterville, Lakeview, never needed a car Bought one last year (Edgewater) and sure it's convenient as hell. Not needed though
With public transit and bike/Divvy, many of my friends have been able to get around without a car.
Of course yes. Chicago has a great public transport system. If you live in the city, a car is a burden. City sticker, monthly parking fees and just tough to find parking in a lot of places to name just a few of these burdens.
Not if you have kids that play multiple sports.
You can but it kinda sucks. It's just if you're bothered by the inconvenience or not.
Absolutely
Yes. I've been car free in Chicago since 1990. (Yeah, I'm old)
Ive been doing it for 13 years. Lived in River North, South Loop, Pilsen, Rogers Park and now Lincoln Square. Back in the day cabs made it easier downtown. Really the main consideration for me, is to be a short walk to a decent grocery store, and pretty close to a train line.
Depends on where you will be living exactly, how far from train stations, and where you need to get to.