Take a ride with Capital Metro, the public transportation provider in Central Texas. Download the CapMetro app to buy passes and plan trips wherever you are. Capital Metro offers a network of bus routes, the new MetrorRapid Route 801, and the Metrorail service for people to get in and out of downtown and throughout the city. Austin MetroBike on-the-go bike rentals are available at more than 40 stations throughout the city.
There are also several bike shops that offer hourly and daily rentals, such as Barton Springs Bike Rentals. Companies like Lime Bike, Bird, Pace, and Lyft offer dockless bicycles and scooters in the city, among others. You can find maps and bike routes here. So no, you don't need to rent a car during your weekend stay.
For now, we have buses that can take you from one place to another. Here's a map of the bus system, if you want to see it. There's also a MetroRail, but it's quite small now. You would have to specifically plan your trip and Airbnb directly to be able to use it, since it doesn't reach most parts of the city.
Ridesharing abounds in Austin, so taking a Lyft or Uber isn't usually a big deal. Basically, this is a small trailer with seats propelled by a cyclist. Bicycle taxis abound in the city center and in neighborhoods such as East Austin and Rainey Street. Whether you're heading out to explore some attractions, do business downtown, or commute between any of the nine stops, MetroRail is one of the most comfortable and reliable modes of transportation in Austin.
The City of Austin estimates that there are 2,700 miles of sidewalks throughout the city, and only about 39% are functionally acceptable, meaning that they comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you want to stay in Austin for a long trip and do ALL the things, like visiting Mount Bonnell (quite to the west) and eating lots of barbecues (located all over the city) and going to visit some amazing Dripping Springs breweries, AND you have an easy place to park your car (for example, if you're staying at an Airbnb in a neighborhood), renting a car is a good idea. Austin's Capital Metro public bus system serves a population of more than 1 million people in its 535 square mile service area. With a system of more than 1600 bus stops and 82 routes, Central Texas has local routes, with limited stops from MetroRapid, MetroFlyer, MetroExpress and the University of Texas shuttle service.
Also, keep in mind that if you're visiting during one of Austin's big events, such as SXSW (March) or Austin City Limits (October), rideshare rates will be much higher than average. Most importantly, the MetroRapid is a very limited route that runs from north to south, connecting the Domain with Westgate and Tech Ridge with Southpark Meadows and passing through the University of Texas campus and downtown Austin. Each of Austin's neighborhoods exhibits a different aspect of Austin's character: political, historic, academic, technological, and modern. As the capital of the Lone Star State, Austin offers plenty to see and do, but the city also boasts close proximity to other Texas cities worth visiting.
MetroRail connects Austin on a 32-mile line that extends from the city of Leander to downtown Austin, next to the Convention Center, and offers nine intermediate stations. While one-day pass rates are cheap, you're likely to get more value with a seven-day pass if you stay in Austin for more than three days. In addition to navigating during peak times, parking is always a bigger problem for tourists who travel around Austin by car. A car can make things easier, but not all visitors to Austin arrive in their own vehicle, and even if they did, it's not the most sustainable or environmentally friendly method of travel.
