Your Unofficial Guide to Getting Around Boise

Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam or on a busy city sidewalk and thought to yourself, “There’s got to be a more efficient way to get where I’m going”? If you’ve never been confused about getting from Point A to Point B or been stuck in a traffic jam…well, lucky you.

But for most of us, thinking about how we’ll get from one place to another has probably crossed our minds more than a few times. And when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of getting around Boise State University, you can consider us *unofficial* experts.

Fear not, you will soon know the best way to get from one spot to another!

Walk it

Wide zig-zagging walking paths across campus connect all important areas of campus to each other. Our modestly sized 1.1 mile-long campus with these abundant walking paths make a stroll to where you’re headed a breeze. Many of these paths are conveniently located under mature trees and near buildings to keep you cool when it’s hot outside, and they’re lined with many benches and outdoor tables to catch your breath. You’ll also find conveniently placed signs to point you in the right direction if you get turned around.

Keep your eyes open and you may even run into some “friendly” geese!

Bike it

Many of the same walking paths that dart around campus also double as biking paths, making biking around campus not only convenient but fun! We even hold the prestigious platinum status as a “Bicycle Friendly University” from the League of American Bicyclists, meaning we’ve got tons of places to park and use your bike around campus. If you don’t have your own bike and want to rent one (for a semester, day, week, or even year) check out our Cycle Learning Center located across the street from the Student Union Building.

Aside from designated bike paths across campus, there are also permanent bike lanes built into the streets, like University Drive which acts as the main road through the middle of campus. There’s also the Boise River Greenbelt, the 25-mile-long pathway that straddles the Boise River—which also runs right through campus. The Greenbelt – with its dozens of bridges and bike path connections – is an efficient way to get around not only Boise State, but anywhere you need to go in the city of Boise!

Ride It: Bronco Shuttle Style

If you’ve spent any time on campus already, you’ve likely seen some colorful orange and blue shuttle buses hopping around. These are called, as you can probably guess, our Bronco Shuttle Service (which we have another article about so you can be in the know). These completely free shuttles run in a continuous loop across three main routes:

Orange: This route runs through the center of campus along University Drive before making

stops on the west side of Capital Boulevard near the Osprey and other off-campus apartment complexes and then makes a large loop around downtown Boise. This is the way to go if you need to do some shopping, work, or anything else fun in the downtown core!

Blue: This on-campus line runs along the Boise River Greenbelt and then around University Drive on the north side of campus.

Green: This new line runs on University Drive and then south of campus along Beacon and then Boise Avenue. It even has a stop conveniently across the street from the Albertson’s flagship store on Broadway!

The frequencies of these routes run differently depending on the day and time of year. Check the shuttle tracker – yes, there’s a live shuttle tracker! – to see in real-time where shuttles across the network are. You might get the privilege of catching a ride with the beloved shuttle driver, Beau Avery.

Ride It: Valley Regional Transit Style

Also located on campus, are three public bus lines that can take you all over the Treasure Valley. Full-time students at Boise State have access to all Valley Regional Transit buses included in their tuition. All you have to do is grab a small sticker to place on your Bronco Card from the information desk.

These lines can take riders across campus, through Downtown Boise, the Boise Towne Square Mall, and even as far as Meridian, Nampa, and Caldwell. Check out Valley Regional Transit’s website for accurate and up-to-date information on when and where you can get to right from Boise State!

Park It (your car, that is)

If you’re bringing your car to campus, you have several options for parking passes  We don’t recommend going without a parking permit because there are passes for every scenario. Day and hourly parking are available in select areas.

For questions or support about parking or purchasing parking passes, the Transportation and Parking Department can be reached by email (parkingquestions@boisestate.edu) or by phone (208-426-7275) and would be more than happy to help!