<p>For students who are gonna go there for the first time this fall, are you bringing or planning on buying a car?</p>
<p>Current students, do you have a car/do you think you need one?</p>
<p>I'm starting in fall and I'm from New Jersey, so it'd be a big deal to get it down there. I'd rather not have to bring it if I don't have to.... but if I need it, I guess I'll just have to suck it up and take it hahaha</p>
<p>I'm worried about transportation too. For those of us who choose not to (or can't afford to) bring a car, will we be able to make it by? How good is public transportation in Coral Gables/Miami?</p>
<p>How much would it cost to park a month?</p>
<p>My son is a freshman this year, he's from NY. He doesn't have a car, nor are freshmen permitted to have cars (unless that's changed). He's had absolutely no problem without a car. There's a raised subway right outside the campus which will take you most places you want to go, including south on Rte. 1 a couple of stops to a mall with Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. He's taken it to the Medical Center, too. It also meets up with a regional train line that will take you all the way up to West Palm Beach. There are a multitude of stores within walking distance across the street from campus, including a large mall a couple of blocks south. Cabs are plentiful for longer rides (e.g., Coconut Grove). BTW, the traffic on Rte. 1 is AWFUL (this from someone who's lived his entire life in the NYC metropolitan area), and parking isn't convenient on campus. So you may not regret being without a car your first year.</p>
<p>As for getting to campus, we drove down and brought much of my son's stuff. But you really don't have to do that, given the proximity of Target and Bed Bath & Beyond and other stores. After all, you're coming to a major city, or at least its suburbs!</p>
<p>whew well thats a relief</p>
<p>Ditto Bruce and ditch the car idea.</p>
<p>Sophomore on you'll have kids from FL that have cars on campus in case you need one, but really no reason.</p>
<p>Son volunteered in downtown Miami last fall and took public transportation.</p>
<p>Only time he had to have a car was to store stuff off campus for the summer, ship boxes home from the UPS store (across from campus) but he was able to use a car or get a ride/help.</p>
<p>Read old posts for getting stuff down to UM. The UPS store is directly across from UM and will hold your cartons for pick up. We flew down, rented a mini van and picked up large cartons we shipped. Shopped over the summer at Bed, Bath and Beyond and they have the order filled at the BBB down the block. We picked it up there (all packaged and waiting for us) along with toiletries (they sell them at that store). Very easy.</p>
<p>As a lifelong Miami resident, the Metro rail is not really that effective. It doesn't go anywhere. I guess college freshmen will have to make do with what they have. Being a commuter, I'll have a car though.</p>
<p>UM runs shuttles (HurryCane and Ibis Ride) to Coconut Grove, Sunset Place, Whole Foods, etc. Some run as late as 3:00 AM on weekends. Kids also share cabs for a few dollars each. Don't worry, you'll be able to get around.</p>
<p>As someone else said, as of this past year freshmen are not allowed to have cars. I did not have a car my freshman year and while it would have been much more convenient to have one, I survived. We would just walk across the street to CVS and Publix and lug heavy bags back across US1 in the 85 degree heat. And we took the Metrorail to Target and the Dadeland Mall and walked to Sunset Place. Other than for going to the mall, the Metrorail is pretty much useless. There are also cabs and on the weekends the school runs shuttles to the Grove and Sunset Place/Publix (cause everyone wants to go food shopping on Friday night). The only thing that's really difficult without a car is getting to the beach, which is about a $35 cab ride.</p>
<p>The school now has zipcars as well. Students can rent a car by the hour or by the day for a reasonable price if they need it. Generally if you split the cost between your friends it isn't too bad and the cars are located by the freshmen dorms and by the other dorms. You reserve the car online and can then take it out for your allotted time period.</p>
<p>I'm a freshman this year. we were not allowed to have cars, but they are changing that for next year. here's how transportation works
you will use the shuttle on thursdays to go to the grove.
you will not really use the metro, only occasionally when you want to go to Target/Michaels/Bestbuy, prob 4 times a year tops.
you may will rarely use the other shuttles, occasionally to go to publix or sunset place.
The only thing I found a car necessary for that really bothered me was the beach. It's very hard to get to w/o a car.
South beach was also annoying, the round trip taxi is pricing. But now since next year freshmen will have cars you'll be able to hitch rides wayyyyy easier to the beach/mall/publix. also older classmen can give you rides. If you really want to bring your car then do. but otherwise you will be fine. but coral gables and miami traffic/driving is hell.</p>
<p>Let me put it this way... If you can drive in Miami, you can drive just about anywhere except maybe New York City or Europe.</p>
<p>There is very good public transportation down in Miami/Coral Gables. It is very easy to get around without a car, and you're not allowed to have a car first year anyway.</p>