Cars: You can't park them anyway

If you're a college student and you don't have a car, things could be worse. You could be in a remote college town where there isn't a train or bus station for miles and leaving town means hiking over a rocky mountain pass.

Luckily, you're in Baltimore, a place where if you look on the brighter side of things, everything looks pretty nice. If you don't have a car, keep this in mind. Transportation can cost an arm and a leg, but if you know enough, it can be ridiculously cheap. However, like many things in life, you get what you pay for.

When traveling around the city, there are several options, but it sometimes depends on where you want to go.

The local bus has more than 40 routes throughout the city, so you're sure to get where you want to go. Just remember that usually means a longer trip and the possibility of transferring buses. The local buses are usually crowded and don't run on schedule, but the low fare ($1.60 one way) can't be beat. Keep in mind that it'll probably take you about 30 to 40 minutes to get to the Inner Harbor if you factor in waiting for the bus.

Believe it or not, Baltimore also has a subway, called the Metro. In true Baltimore style, it only has one line, running from the Hospital/Med School in East Baltimore to Owings Mills, a northwest suburb of Baltimore. Granted, this line is pretty lengthy (it takes about a half hour to travel from end to end), and most Hopkins students tend not to use it, since it runs east/west and north/south. The Metro, like the bus, is only $1.60 each way.

One of the best things about living in a large city is that there are plenty of cabs. It's easier to get a cab if you're on a major street, and it's a good idea to get a few friends to split the fare. A cab to the Inner Harbor usually costs about $8 and about $12 to Little Italy or Fell's Point.

Finally, one of the best services that the University offers is its free shuttle service. The local shuttle that stops behind Shriver Hall drops off and picks up at the Peabody School of Music (on Monument St., about five blocks from the harbor) and at the JHU Medical School. The security shuttle service can be reached by calling x6.5700 and can pick you up at your dorm or house to take you anywhere within about a seven block radius.

Several options also are available for a trip home, depending on where you live. Leaving the driving to Greyhound will save you money, but could also leave you with a headache. The local bus station is on Fayette Street, closer to the harbor and about an $8 cab ride from Homewood. The best thing about Greyhound is the price. For example, a one-way Greyhound fare from Baltimore to Philadelphia ($18.50) is far less than a one-way Amtrak ticket ($43). In fact, you could get a round trip bus ticket for less than a one-way train ticket.

The problem with Greyhound is the service. The station is in poor condition, and it's not as safe as the train station. To make matters worse, your ticket doesn't give you a guaranteed seat on the bus. You have to wait in line for a bus that is usually late, and neither you, nor the employees at the station, know when your bus will arrive. The actual bus ride, however, can be a much smoother, quieter ride than the train, although this all depends on whether or not there's a crying baby in the seat next to you. Basically, if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, don't take the bus.

Penn Station, located the 1500 block of Charles St, is about a $5 cab ride from Homewood. The best thing about taking the train is reliability. You can purchase a ticket quickly, hop on a train, and arrive at your destination faster than the time it would take to drive. Just be careful; since unreserved trains are the cheapest (and thus what most college students ride), they can be packed on weekends and holidays, leaving you to stand or sit in the cramped aisle of the train.

Another, cheap option is the Light Rail, which departs from Penn Station. The Light Rail goes north through Timonium towards Hunt Valley, and also south through Baltimore to BWI Airport . The Light Rail is much slower than regular Amtrak trains but considerably cheaper, at the same price ($1.60) as the bus or metro.

Sure, it would be nice to have a car in which you could drive anywhere. Sure, taking public transportation or walking places can be a pain. But car repairs, auto insurance and paying for parking and gas can also be annoying. You can go all four years living in Baltimore without a car. Many people have, and though it may be tough to make it out to Best Buy in White Marsh anytime you want, that's what friends (with cars) are for, right?