I’ve never owned a car in Richmond and would say it’s very doable. I think the Museum District is the best neighborhood to live in without a car. You have everything you need within walking distance and multiple grocery store options.

I currently live in Church Hill and find it more difficult than the Museum District, but still doable. Getting groceries is harder because I have to ride a bike or take the bus.

I would continue to live without a car in any of these neighborhoods: Scott’s Addition, The Fan, Jackson Ward, Downtown, or Shockoe Bottom.

Possible but a car makes it so much easier. A good bike would do

You can but you'd be very limited to where you can live. Like living in DC (dc is better to be carless in because at least there's robust public transportation)

The bus services are mostly adequate within the city limits, taking into account delays, hours of operation, an almost disgraceful dearth of shelters and benches at stops, and for what I'm certain will be a confusing reorientation of routes over the next couple of years. Better than nothing, and for the immediate future, fare-free, so yay.

Definitely would have to pad out the transportation experience with some ride share service. If you're able, procure a bicycle or moped or something if a car isn't an option.

I work from home and rarely drive. Mass transit is a bit of the pain unless you're taking the Pulse, but the city is fairly bike-friendly. Actual bike infrastructure is a bit sparse, but the city itself is pretty doable by bike.

There will be parts of the city that will be rather inaccessible (getting to a Trader Joe's will be a hike) but if you're comfortable with urban biking and the risks that entails, it's doable.

It is doable, but just understand that Richmond is not DC or New York. We have the pulse bus line, uber/lyft, and those scooter things. The main thing your going to run into is of the most great things about Richmond are the surrounding areas which public transit specifically doesn’t go to. For Some stupid reason people in the suburbs believe that having public transit into the city will cause the rifraf to invade, so only the city itself has decent public transport. Also, btw, the buses like to hit people here, so never cross a street when a GTRC bus is around. Finally the ebike sounds great, but bike theft is definitely a thing here, so just make sure you have a go way to store it. You mentioned your budget is a million dollars in some comments, which great for you, but understand the locals don’t really appreciate out of towner coming in and driving up real estate price, so maybe don’t mention that if your trying to make friends. Best of luck, hope you like Richmond!

Biking between roughly museum district and church hill areas is very easy. Living in southside with just a bike may be a bummer as their aren't many grocery stores, but just check out specific locations on google maps.

I haven't had a car for 6 years or so. Only have sporadic experience taking buses here.

I have been car free my entire time in RVA, which hasn’t been that long, but I’ve been dedicated to it. Most other car free people are northside it seems but I manage from Southside. The bus is generally good enough, never perfect, but it does enough.

Biking is generally good here on certain routes, but I’ve had a few encounters with drivers who are extremely hostile or have 0 clue what a bike is and how a bikes signals. Fortunately they’re few and far between, and avoiding busy roads makes it a lot easier.

Getting groceries is difficult, especially in my location, so I had to give up and just get all my groceries delivered.

The biggest issue is just that every once in a while I have to get somewhere with a car. Ubering has been fine mostly, but occasionally I just get screwed over by not having a car. It doesn’t happen enough to justify buying a car, however.

Getting out of the city is harder, the train to DC or tidewater is good, but that’s about as far as you can get.

But I encourage you to try! I know a lot of people in RVA that are one car households, low-car or completely car free. It’s a lifestyle all of us seem to like and it saves so. much. money.

I do this already living downtown and it is very very doable (esp with you having an e bike) Richmond is relatively small (less than 5 miles from west to east). Dm me if you have any questions about logistics or tips.

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it depends on where you live in RVA. The more expensive the area the more bus stops there are. I believe by express GRTC you mean pulse. That goes up + down broad only.

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GRTC is by far better than the NOVA bus system. It's also free. If you need to be somewhere at a specific time then GRTC isn't great. Also you gotta know where you going, and there are times when its faster to walk. Especially if you have to take multiple.

in terms of bike lanes and transit access its probably worse than alexandria

Just make sure you live somewhere between the Museum District and Churc Hill, and make sure you don't have kids.

From experience, as soon as you go north of the interstate (still within Richmond-proper, mind you) things become dramatically less walkable and more auto dependent, and the bus network is sparser. It's still an easy bike ride---for an adult---but don't expect your kids to make that ride with you.

In summary check this map: https://www.walkscore.com/VA/Richmond

The Fan or the Museum District are super doable without a car, especially if you're a bike enthusiast. But there's lots you can get to on foot or by bus.

I live downtown without a car, the Pulse and the #5 bus serve most of my transit needs. I am fortunate enough to work within walking distance so I don't use the buses to get to anything too crucial. Whenever I have to leave city limits (Short Pump, airport) I use a rideshare service. Express GRTC buses are really only for people who live in the suburbs and work downtown, they only run during AM PM rush hours and then only in the direction to transport suburban office workers so that isn't really an option. An electric bike would certainly open your options!

Get a bicycle to get across town. I’ve found bike paths are far quicker than the slow ass bus.

PULSE (express GRTC) is great, but the regular bus lines are inexcusably slow.

Hard to say without knowing the details of your specific interests, but yes, I know people in Carytown, and The Fan who do not have cars. Many are avid bike riders who do fine. There is a long running joke about the fact that there are way more breweries than grocery stores in Richmond. That said, there is a Pubix and Fresh Market as well as some smaller corner stores in Carytown. The Fan/VCU are has a Whole Foods, an infamously sketch Kroger, and an Aldi. Hope it all works out for you. These neighborhoods are probably your best best for shedding the suburbia boredom.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It's possible, provided you live near a pulse stop. Our bus routes leave a lot to be desired, but the Pulse is pretty regular and as a bonus stops at Willow Lawn (shopping and groceries and some restaurants), Scott's addition (breweries and some nightlife), downtown (arts and restaurants), and Church Hill (some stuff). Your problem would be when you want to do anything else, like go somewhere specific not on that route. It's gonna suck.

It’s not great. There aren’t a ton of supermarkets you’ll be able to walk to, most bus routes run very infrequently, and good luck if you have to get out to the suburbs for anything

Do not move here.

I'm a remote, car-free individual as well. I haven't had any problems living here due to being vehicle free. The bus system isn't perfect, but it gets the job done well enough. I can walk to get just about anything I'd want or need. While I do have a pretty liberal definition of walking distance, with an e-bike, you should be fine.

The bus is free until 2025 and they have bike racks. I use an electric scooter and get around just fine in about a two-mile radius, going to the store and whatnot. I use the bus for longer trips. The bus system could be better but I don't miss the hassle of car ownership.

I do it from Shockoe. I am also near a Pulse stop so that helps.

I lived in Richmond city for over ten years without a car and it was great! The city is walkable, pulse busses are great and the city is relatively safe. I say go for it!

I’ve been car free for almost a year and I live on the southside!! It’s very DOable! There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.

Rva transit is fine enough. There are cities either just as affordable or slightly more expensive with much better transit though, but one perk is that the buses are currently free here.

If your work situation is going to be permanently remote and you have no reason to believe you’ll have to commute, rva can be a solid choice car free. The job market here is very unimpressive in case something changes though, as an fyi.

Jackson Ward, no car. If you can get what you need to eat from the Krogs, Whole Foods, and Publix it is fine. Just check which grocery stores you need, and how far they are. I'm WFH and can't justify getting a car due to the added expense, and the fact that biking to the stores helps keep me in shape, when I work such a sedentary job.

I live near Willow Lawn and don’t have a car, perfectly fine without it.

yes, you can. Easier with a car of course.

To do it you pretty much have to be in Fan or Museum District or close by

But I know at least 1 person in Church Hill who does it

Don't move here.

I live in The Fan and while I do have a car, I could easily get around without it. I normally walk to get groceries, go out for brunch or dinner, etc.

I live in Byrd Park and rarely drive...there's a bus on my corner and it's easy to either walk or bike everywhere. You said you have an electric bike, so do I. That's a great way to get around.

why can't you drive