Getting To and Around Campus

No matter how you get to campus—on a skateboard, via bike, by bus, or in a car—CU Boulder’s Environmental Center, Transportation Services and Parking Services are working to make your commute safer and more efficient, with a lower impact on the environment.

If you are bringing a bike to campus, remember the following: Bike registration is required and comes with many benefits. The free registration process can be completed online or at campus bike stations. When locking your bike, use a U-lock to deter theft and install front and rear lights for safety. When commuting by bike, you are encouraged to wear a helmet.

If you don’t have your own bike, all CU Boulder students are eligible for free Boulder BCycle (electric bike share) annual memberships. Learn about free CU Boulder student annual memberships on the campus bike sharing page and sign up for the monthly Bike Newsletter.

All fee-paying students receive a Buff OneCard ID that is used as a transit pass which works on all local and regional buses and trains (RTD), including the AB (SkyRide) bus to and from Denver International Airport. Find and plan your route using the RTD Trip Planner or google maps and download the Transit App to see your closest stops and real-time arrival information for buses. CU’s Buff Buses, including the Stampede, do not require a bus pass.

A variety of summer parking options for vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters are available for you to purchase online on the Parking Services (PS) website. Customer Service Specialists are available to help determine the best option for your summer parking needs. Sale dates are posted on the Parking Services website.

If full-time summer parking is more than you need, the university offers hourly parking. Parking payment machines and meters are available throughout campus and pay-by-phone parking is available via ParkMobile. Simply download the smartphone app, look for the green signs at parking payment machines, and never use a payment machine again!

Night and weekend access may be purchased for those who need parking outside normal business hours. For more information about hourly parking options, see the Campus Parking map.

Parking Services
parking@colorado.edu
303-735-PARK (7275)​
1050 Regent Dr., 502 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309

NightRide is a CU Boulder student-run service that provides free rides on campus or within Boulder city limits at night. Hours may vary depending on the night and time of year.
 
  • Studying late at Norlin and missed the last bus? Use CU NightRide!
  • Headed for a night out with friends on The Hill? Use CU NightRide!
  • It’s dark and cold and you don’t want to walk back to your residence hall? Use CU NightRide!

Visit the NightRide webpage for hours, schedules, and details on downloading the TransLoc app for booking a ride.

CU's Environmental Center subsidizes student access to Colorado CarShare and Zipcar. Visit their CU-specific websites for complete details, age and eligibility requirements, locations, and more. Like car rental, these vehicles are checked out and returned to the same locations using a mobile app or online webpage. You pay based on time and distance traveled.

Rules and regulations regarding where non-motorized and motorized devices are allowed to be ridden vary. Motorized devices are not allowed in residence halls and may not be taken into or stored in any campus building or residence hall. When commuting by scooter, skateboard, or roller skates, you are encouraged to wear a helmet.

  • All wheeled devices must yield to pedestrians.
  • All are allowed on multi-use paths and most sidewalks on campus (no-ride zones are signed).
  • The speed limit on multi-use paths is 15mph, and 8mph in crosswalks.
  • Skateboards are allowed on city streets only if there is a bike lane.
  • E-scooters are only allowed on sidewalks if there is no adjacent street with a bike lane.

For more details on these and other devices, see the city’s handy chart. 

Lime rentable e-scooters are available on campus with certain limits:

  • Parking must be within a "lime grove" to end a trip.
  • Access is limited to certain corridors and streets.
  • Speed is 15mph maximum and is reduced to 10mph in slow zones.
  • Hours of operation are 6am-11pm.

Download the Lime app for details or visit CU's micromobility page.  

Motorcycles, sit-down scooters, and mopeds (both electric and gas-powered) are allowed on city streets but are not allowed on campus sidewalks or paths. Students who bring a motorcycle, sit-down scooter, or moped (regardless of engine size) to campus must purchase a special motorcycle parking permit and park only in designated motorcycle spaces. When commuting by motorcycle, scooter, or moped, you are encouraged to wear a helmet.