Best Ways to Get Around Richmond for VCU Students
By Maddie Quigley
Richmond is a very walkable city. Whether you need to go to the store or want to spend some time in nature, you can easily walk wherever you need to go, Richmond is not that big of a city.
If you are walking by yourself or at night, you always want to trust your gut and be aware of your surroundings. Walking is also not always the quickest or most ideal method of transportation in certain scenarios, so I have provided some alternatives new or current students may not know of. 
RamSafe is a good option if you don’t want to walk alone in Richmond at night. It is a great resource, as it provides free and safe transportation to buildings within the Monroe Park and MCV Campus areas.
It operates 365 days a year and is solely for VCU students, faculty, and staff. The only issue is that it only operates from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. so you can’t use it during the day. Download the RamSafe App to request a ride when needed.
If you need to get somewhere during the day, you can use Richmond public transport. The GRTC buses have been free as of last year for anyone.
It operates 365 days a year and is solely for VCU students, faculty, and staff. The only issue is that it only operates from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. so you can’t use it during the day. Download the RamSafe App to request a ride when needed.
Many of these buses go through campus, including the five that go up Main Street and down Cary Street frequently throughout the day. I use the Transit App to type in my destination, which shows me what the best route is and what time a bus will arrive.
The bus is not always reliable. There may be traffic or a change in schedule you don’t see until the last minute. Alternatively, you can order an Uber or Lyft.
Richmond is a city with plenty of drivers at any time of day. Ordering a car is not the cheapest or safest option, though. There are stories out there of people getting kidnapped in an Uber.
Some transportation options that aren’t free but are less expensive and safer than Uber and Lyft are bike and scooter rentals. Companies such as Lime, Bird, and RVA Bike Share make it easy to find a scooter or bike near you and use it to get to your destination.
Scooters are often lying around campus, and a bike share rack sits right in Monroe Park. Download those companies' apps to find one closest to you. You don’t have to worry about getting taken by an Uber driver, but there are other safety risks with riding bikes and scooters you should keep in mind.
You could also use your own bike, skateboard, or scooter to get around campus quickly. But I will warn you, bike theft is extremely common in the city, so if you can’t bring your bike inside wherever you are going, you should invest in one or more very secure locks.
Overall, there are many ways to get around Richmond. Walking, RamSafe buses, GRTC buses, Uber/Lyft, and renting a bike or scooter are the ones I thought best to emphasize for VCU students. I hope you learned at least one new way to get around campus and Richmond.
Photo courtesy of Andrzej Rembowski from Pixabay