Nashville is the capital of Tennessee, known for its importance to the country music scene and its rich history. International visitors are always drawn to Nashville, as are many people looking to move there for the opportunities it provides. Many wonder if it is a walkable city or if a car is essential to move around.
Nashville is transforming into a more walkable city. While you won’t always need a car, this will be determined by specific circumstances, including how far you are from amenities or which neighborhood you are spending time in.
If you are visiting Nashville or considering a move there, you will have to take into consideration whether or not you will need to drive everywhere. Read on to find out more about how walkable Nashville is.
Do You Need a Car in Nashville?
Full of country atmosphere, Nashville is the most populated city in Tennessee and the twenty-first most populated city across the United States. It sits at the heart of the sprawling Nashville metropolitan area, which continues to grow at a quick pace.
With so much ground to cover, it may seem essential to have a car when visiting or living in Nashville. The distances can be quite significant, but Nashville is also becoming a more walkable city by the day. Public transport infrastructure continues to improve, so the need for a car in Nashville is steadily decreasing.
This will be influenced by numerous factors, including whether you are simply visiting or moving to the city and which neighborhood you will be based in during a stay in Nashville. Easy access to public transport and having amenities nearby will also have an impact on this.
How Do You Get Around Nashville Without a Car?
While it is still recommended to have a car for extended stays in Nashville, it is becoming far easier to get around the city without a car. This can also help prevent huge parking fees while allowing usual drivers the freedom to go out for a drink in town without any transport issues.
Nashville is offering more and more alternatives to driving in the city. There are already plenty to choose from, but let’s take a look at the most popular ways to get around Nashville without needing a car.
By Scooter
The current trendiest car alternative in Nashville is the electric scooter. There are several companies in the city catering to this popular choice. The Bird Three is the most eco-friendly model on offer, while Lime contributes the Gen4 E-Scooter.
These vehicles can be easily used via the respective apps made by their companies. Users can download the app, enter their payment information, then easily track the nearest scooter to them and go for a ride through the city.
By Cab
Much as it is in other big cities, cabs are a traditional and reliable alternative to cars. They are particularly handy for airport runs, with many of the cab companies operating in Nashville offering fixed fares for standard airport trips.
Magic Taxi is one of the most popular cab companies in Nashville, and it operates at any time of day, which makes it a convenient choice.
By Rideshare
If you’d rather use an alternative to cabs, the most popular rideshare options in the United States are also available in Nashville. Lyft and Uber fleets are practical and only a few taps away.
All users need to access these rideshare services are the apps made by the respective companies. These will ask you to create an account, enter your payment information, and use your location to find available cars in the area.
By Bike
Nashville is a city that encourages biking, and that provides the infrastructure for it. The city also includes a specific program, the B-Cycle, which enables Nashville residents and visitors to have easy access to bikes.
The program has various manageable membership tiers that can be used on a daily or monthly basis. B-Cycle is great at promoting the practicality of short bike rides, so hourly users will find many benefits to using this program.
Those interested in using B-Cycle bikes will find over thirty-six stations throughout the city.
Is Nashville a Walkable City?
Back in 2011, Nashville was considered one of the least walkable cities in the United States. Visitors and residents found they needed to use a car as much as possible to get around the city without hassle.
Since then, Nashville has taken great strides in becoming a more pedestrian-friendly city, despite its large size. Those living in downtown Nashville will find everything is easily accessible to them within walking distance.
While those living or staying further from the city center will find it more difficult to walk everywhere, Nashville has implemented various alternatives to cars that are making it easier to get around without one.
Conclusion
It is advisable to have a car in Nashville if you are living or to stay outside the downtown area, but it is no longer essential to have one. Transport alternatives and the restructuring of the central area of the city have made Nashville a city that is now friendlier to those without cars.
