At the University of New Hampshire, we have many beautiful landscapes and cities right outside our door. Students like to visit Boston, Portland, Maine, the White Mountains and even beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. There is so much to do around our campus, but you might ask: how do we get around if freshmen cannot have cars? Don’t worry about that! UNH has many different transportation options on campus.
1. Amtrak: The Amtrak Downeaster runs from Brunswick, Maine to Boston’s North Station, with a handful of stops along the way in Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Haverhill, and more. This allows students to go into our nearby cities for internships, food, shopping or concerts. The train station is conveniently located right on campus alongside the Whittemore Center – and in the same building as the UNH dairy. The Amtrak offers discounts for students as well!
2. Campus transportation: We have the largest public transit system in the whole state of New Hampshire. There are two types of buses. The first is the Campus Connector, which goes everywhere around campus like the dorms, academic buildings, recreation facilities and dining halls. The second is Wildcat Transit, which goes to the surrounding towns, such as Newington, Portsmouth, Dover, and Newmarket. The Wildcat Transit is part of tuition and fees, so you do not need to pay when you hop on the bus – and you can track your route in real-time right on the UNH app.
3. Zipcar: We do have Zipcars on campus next to the train station and across the street from the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. Zipcar is a short-term car rental service, so you can rent a car by the hour or day and return it right back to the same space where you got it on campus. All you have to do is sign up online and pay their yearly student membership (about $25), and you have the ability to rent a car whenever you want for an hourly or daily fee.
4. Uber/Lyft: These ride-share companies are everywhere, so this is another option for getting around. Some students even work as drivers to make money on the side. However, you do have to pay and sometimes it can be costly depending on where you are going.
Overall, do not stress about being car-less during your first year on campus as you explore the area, adjust to college life and meet new people. UNH provides us with these different transportation options to help us get to where we need to be. Even if you don’t bring a car later in your college career, these opportunities are still available for you.
See the ways we get around campus
Learn more about our location
Watch how students get around the Seacoast
